The Beginner’s Struggle: Figuring out Load Monitoring Before I Build

By Martin Alido

The Beginner’s Struggle: Figuring out Load Monitoring Before I Build

When you’re new to something, the hardest part isn’t starting — it’s knowing where to start.
That’s exactly where I am right now.

I’m standing at the edge of a journey I know will shape the way I approach athlete monitoring. I
have tools I’m eager to learn:

- Tableau, where I hope to build my first load monitoring dashboard
- Force Plates, which I’ll be using for the first time
- Velocity-Based Training (VBT), another system I’m exploring

But here’s the truth:

I haven’t built anything yet. I’m in that uncomfortable space between intention and execution —
the space where most of the learning happens.

The Reality of a Beginner

I thought I’d feel excited. Instead, I feel a mix of:
- Curiosity — What can I build that’s actually useful?
- Overwhelm — Where do I start with so many possible metrics?
- Doubt — Am I going to do this right, or will I just collect data for data’s sake?

I’ve seen polished dashboards. I’ve seen advanced load management systems. But I’m not
there yet.
Right now, my reality is this:

- I have sRPE, minutes played, and game scores — basic data, but a starting point.
- I don’t want to overcomplicate it. I want to learn how to think about the data first.

Why I’m Starting With sRPE and Minutes Played

It’s tempting to wait until I have force plates fully set up, VBT data collected, and a rich dataset.
But that would delay the most important part: learning how to make sense of what I see.

So here’s where I’m starting:
- sRPE — Simple, subjective, but powerful. It tells me how hard athletes felt the session was.
- Minutes played — The external load. Not perfect, but it gives context.
- Game outcome (score) — Because context matters. A tight game and a blowout produce
different loads and stress.

These will be the backbone of my first Tableau experiments.

What I Hope to Build (Eventually)

My vision isn’t about creating something complex or pretty. It’s about clarity:
- A chart that shows sRPE trends over time.
- A comparison of sRPE vs. minutes played — when do these align, and when don’t they?
- Notes that help me interpret what I see — was it a tough opponent, travel fatigue, or
something else?

But I haven’t built it yet.

I’m still learning Tableau. Still deciding what visualizations actually help me ask better questions.

Adding Force Plates and VBT: The Next Layer

This is where things could easily get out of hand — if I’m not careful.
Force Plates and VBT can give a flood of metrics. The risk? Tracking everything and
understanding nothing.

So I’m stepping back, asking: What’s essential?

Force Plate — My Focus
I’m planning to start with:

- Countermovement Jump (CMJ) — Because it’s simple, fast, and reliable.
- Key metrics I want to track:
- Jump height
- Peak force
- Eccentric deceleration (to see how well athletes control landing forces)

Later, I may add:
- Isometric Squat / Mid-Thigh Pull — To check max force production without skill variability.
VBT — My Focus

Again, simplicity first:

- Track bar velocity in key lifts (trap bar deadlift, squat, bench)
- Focus on mean and peak velocity — not dozens of variables
- Build a load-velocity profile over time

The point isn’t to test for the sake of testing.

The point is to integrate this into training and monitor how athletes are responding.

How Often Should I Test?

This is where I’m being careful. I don’t want to overtest or burn athletes out.

So my rough plan (which I’m sure will evolve as I learn more from people like Jo Clubb) is:
- CMJ: 1-2 times per week, before training or game day
- VBT: Embedded in regular training — no need for separate testing sessions
- Isometric tests: Every 4-6 weeks, or more often in rehab contexts

The Biggest Lesson So Far

I’m realizing that tools don’t make you smart. The questions you ask do.

Right now, I’m trying to ask better questions:

- How can I match what I see (load data) with what I feel (what I observe in the athletes)?
- When is an athlete’s high sRPE just part of normal load, and when is it a red flag?
- How do I avoid collecting data that doesn’t change what I do?

I keep coming back to Jo Clubb’s principle:
Load management is only valuable if it informs smarter actions.

That’s what I want. Not a fancy dashboard. Not impressive metrics. Just smarter decisions.

Where I Go From Here

- I’ll build that first simple dashboard once I’m ready.
- I’ll start testing CMJ and VBT with purpose.
- I’ll keep learning — from mistakes, from mentors, from the athletes themselves.

And most importantly: I’ll remind myself that being at the starting line isn’t a weakness. It’s
where the work begins.

Final Thought

If you’re also starting out — maybe with sRPE, maybe with Force Plates or VBT — here’s what
I’d say:

- Don’t rush.
- Don’t try to track everything.
- Focus on what helps you think, not what looks impressive