Performance testing becomes more useful when there is something to compare.
Before changing an athlete's training, movement strategy or loading, I AM 900 establishes a baseline of the response being produced now.
That baseline is not a judgement about whether the athlete is moving "correctly".
It is a reference point.
Pressure, distribution, timing, sequence, repeatability and other relevant measurements can then be recorded under defined conditions.
Change the input.
Retest.
Compare what changed.
That is where measurement becomes useful.
What is an athlete baseline?
An athlete baseline is a recorded starting point collected before an intervention or change.
The exact measurements depend on the task and instrumentation being used.
A useful baseline may include measurements relating to pressure, distribution, angle, timing, sequence, repeatability, loading or movement response.
The purpose is not to generate more numbers.
The purpose is to establish a reference against which a later test can be compared.
Why measure before changing anything?
Without a baseline, improvement can easily become an impression.
The athlete may feel different.
The movement may look different.
The coach may believe something has improved.
Those observations can all matter.
But measurement asks an additional question:
What actually changed between the two tests?
A recorded baseline gives that question a reference point.
The Athlete Becomes Their Own Reference
I AM 900 does not begin by trying to make every athlete conform to one universal movement pattern.
Different athletes can produce different responses to the same task.
The useful comparison is therefore often the athlete against their own earlier measurement under comparable conditions.
BASELINE.
CHANGE THE INPUT.
RETEST.
COMPARE.
This allows the response to guide the next decision rather than assuming beforehand what should happen.
What Can Be Included in an Athlete Baseline?
Depending on the assessment and instrumentation, relevant measurements can include:
- pressure
- pressure distribution
- sensor-zone response
- angle and orientation
- timing
- sequence
- repeatability
- loading
- movement response
The I AM 900 Sensor Sling can record supported physical measurements during movement, while pressure-mat data can provide relevant ground and contact-loading information.
These measurements describe aspects of the physical response.
They do not independently diagnose why that response exists.
Sensor Sling and Pressure-Mat Measurement
The I AM 900 Sensor Sling records physical measurements through the Sling system. Where supported by the instrument configuration, these can include distributed Sling pressure, pressure by sensor zone, Sling angle and orientation, changes over time, and the timing, sequence and repeatability of recorded responses. Relationships between multiple Sensor Slings can also be examined where a configuration supports it.
Pressure-mat measurement is separate. Where used, it may describe relevant ground and contact loading — including left/right loading, pressure distribution and changes in loading over time.
Neither source replaces the other. The Sensor Sling describes the supported physical response through the instrument; the pressure mat describes ground and contact loading. Movement provides the physical context in which both are recorded.
Baseline Is Only Useful If You Retest
Recording a baseline without returning to it leaves the measurement incomplete.
The practical value comes from comparison.
I AM 900 uses a repeatable process:
BASELINE → MEASURE → CHANGE THE INPUT → RETEST → COMPARE WHAT CHANGED
The retest asks whether the recorded response changed after the input changed.
If it did, the direction and magnitude of that change can be examined.
If it did not, that is information too.
The next question is what to record: what should you measure in sport?
Measurement does not replace the athlete
Objective measurement and athlete feedback answer different questions.
A sensor can record a physical measurement.
The athlete can describe what they experienced.
Observation provides further context.
None needs to replace the others.
The strongest picture is created when measurable response, athlete feedback and movement context can be considered together.
From Baseline to Calibration
A baseline is the starting point of a longer loop.
The I AM 900 methodology is:
MEASURE → CALIBRATE → RETEST
Operationally:
ESTABLISH THE BASELINE → MEASURE THE RESPONSE → CHANGE THE INPUT → RETEST → COMPARE WHAT CHANGED
The calibration step is where an input is deliberately changed — and the retest is where the recorded response is compared with the baseline.
Before asking how much an athlete can improve, establish what they are producing now.
Measure the baseline.
Change the input.
Retest under comparable conditions.
Then compare the response.
That is the starting point for I AM 900 performance calibration.
