Metric Standardization & Relative Analysis: Introducing An Easy Way to Contextualize Athlete Performance
At KINEXON Sports, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of how performance data can empower coaches, sport scientists, and strength & conditioning staff. With that mission in mind, we’re excited to introduce a powerful new feature in the KINEXON Sports App: the Relative Analysis Widget — built to simplify complex data and help performance professionals uncover deeper insights from every session.
What Is the Relative Analysis Widget?
The Relative Analysis Widget enables practitioners to evaluate performance metrics relative to a customizable target value. Instead of just looking at raw outputs, you can now see how players perform compared to a standard that you define — be it based on historical training data, match demands, or individualized benchmarks.
For example, a relative value of 1.2 for distance means a player covered 20% more distance than the target value for that metric. It’s a simple yet powerful way to communicate workload, readiness, and effort — in a format that’s easy to understand for any stakeholder.
Why It Matters: Turning Raw Data into Contextual Insights
Compare different metrics on a common scale
The widget normalizes performance data, enabling apples-to-apples comparisons across multiple metrics — from distance covered to high-intensity accelerations.
Bring context to player monitoring
Understand whether a player is meeting, exceeding, or falling short of training or match demands, and adjust workloads accordingly.
Establish dynamic or team-based targets
Use either individualized benchmarks or team averages to set relative targets, giving you the flexibility to tailor insights to any use case — return-to-play, game prep, load management, and more.
Use Case Spotlight: From Game Demands to Training Intensity
A performance analyst may want to ensure players are prepared for the intensity of competition. By setting target values based on average match performance, the Relative Analysis Widget makes it easy to identify where a player may be over- or under-exposed in training:
In a recent training session, a player achieved:
- 80% of match distance
- Only 50% of match-level high-intensity accelerations
This quickly highlights areas for load adjustment and helps align physical output with actual game demands — all in a visual, data-informed format.
This approach also reflects the philosophy of coaches like David VanDyke (Rutgers University), who shared in a recent KINEXON Sports webinar:
“The question that I’m often asked is – how are hard are we working? I think it’s a relative question. How hard, relative to what? […] My goal for our guys is to be around ~80 – 85% of our game intensity in practices in general, and any of our live drills need to be at ~90 – 95% of our game intensity.”
If you missed the live session, you can now watch the on-demand webinar featuring David VanDyke and Lee Scott (Belmont University) on how they use KINEXON PERFORM IMU & LPS to manage player workload, improve conditioning, and translate data into actionable insights.
Key Features
Custom Target Setting
Choose between manually entered values or auto-calculated targets using historical session data.
Calculated / Contextualized Data Inputs
- Select a specific time range
- Choose which players contribute to target values (team-wide or player-specific)
- Filter by session type or training phase
- Set observation time thresholds
- Apply multipliers to tune targets (e.g., 1.1x match average)
Threshold Alerts
Set thresholds (e.g., 90%) to visually highlight underperformance or key risk indicators.
Data Exports
Easily export all relative values, target values, and playing time per session — in one CSV or Excel file — for further analysis or sharing with staff.
Turning Relative Data into Real Performance Impact
The Relative Analysis Widget is built for those driving performance at every level — from sport scientists and strength & conditioning coaches to return-to-play specialists and performance analysts. Whether you’re looking to monitor load, individualize training, or align practice outputs with game demands, this feature empowers you to:
- Compare performance across metrics on a common, intuitive scale
- Set team-wide or player-specific targets based on real data
- Instantly identify under- or overexposure in training
- Communicate insights clearly to coaches, players, and medical staff
By transforming raw data into contextual insights, the Relative Analysis Widget helps you make smarter, faster, and more informed decisions — giving your program a measurable edge.
Want to learn more?
Contact your KINEXON representative or reach out to us to schedule a personalized walkthrough.
The feature will be available with version 12.3 in August.
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