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POWER QUOTIENT (PQ) FOR VOLLEYBALL

A raw performance index for volleyball-specific power and movement efficiency

 

The Power Quotient (PQ) is a single raw numerical output that reflects how much usable power a volleyball athlete can express relative to their body, movement efficiency, and speed.

 

PQ was developed inside elite international volleyball to provide a clear, objective performance signal that supports decision-making across coaching, strength & conditioning, and sports medicine.

 

It is not a score “out of 100.”

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It is a raw performance index.

Example team PQ distribution (athlete identifiers removed).PQ is interpreted relative to the squad — not against a fixed scale.

What PQ measures in volleyball

Volleyball performance is not determined by jump height alone. It depends on how multiple power qualities interact under time pressure.

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PQ integrates four volleyball-relevant expressions into one output:

  • Upper-body power
    Force transfer for hitting, blocking stability, and trunk contribution

  • Vertical power
    Jump displacement and elastic strength

  • Horizontal power
    Approach mechanics and force projection

  • Speed with agility
    Short, reactive, multi-directional movement

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These are combined into a single raw PQ value, allowing meaningful:

  • Ranking within a squad

  • Comparison by role or position

  • Tracking across training blocks

 

PQ reflects what is being expressed today, not theoretical potential.

The volleyball PQ test battery

  • Tall-kneeling medicine ball chest pass (normalized to body mass)

  • Vertical jump

  • Standing broad jump

  • Illinois agility test

These tests were selected because they are:

  • Practical to run

  • Equipment-light

  • Sensitive to fatigue, pain, and restriction

  • Repeatable across environments


Results are processed through a protected algorithm to produce a single raw PQ output.

Why PQ uses a raw number

  • Scaled scores and ratings can imply judgement, ceilings, or false precision.

  • PQ intentionally uses a raw numerical output because it:

    • Preserves sensitivity to small but meaningful changes

    • Avoids artificial thresholds

    • Encourages interpretation within volleyball context

    • Highlights suppressed output early

  • In volleyball, change over time matters more than the absolute value.

How PQ is used in volleyball programs

Coaches, physios, and performance staff use PQ to:

  • Establish preseason physical baselines

  • Monitor return-to-play progression

  • Track readiness during heavy jump or travel periods

  • Identify athletes whose power output is being limited

  • Support conversations across departments
     

In elite volleyball environments, the lowest third of PQ values often overlaps with:

  • Athletes training through pain

  • Under-recovery or fatigue

  • Movement restriction affecting jump or approach mechanics

  • PQ highlights where to look, not what to conclude.

How to interpret PQ in volleyball

PQ should always be interpreted within context.

 

A lower-than-expected PQ may reflect:

  • Pain or post-injury protection

  • Accumulated fatigue

  • Movement restriction limiting force expression

  • Strength or power deficits

 

PQ shows output. Assessment explains the cause.

PQ is:

  • A snapshot of volleyball-specific power expression

  • A ranking and monitoring tool

  • A shared reference point for staff

PQ is not:

An injury diagnosis A pain or wellness questionnaire A freshness or readiness score A replacement for screening or clinical evaluation

Where PQ came from

PQ was originally developed inside elite international women’s volleyball to objectively rank squads and track physical output across training blocks.

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One early and important finding was that some of the lowest PQ values belonged to starting players — not due to lack of talent, but because pain and restriction were limiting expression.
 

PQ does not judge ability.
It reveals accessibility.

Early Access to the PQ App

The PQ App is currently in development, with volleyball as its foundation.
 

Join the Early Access list to:

  • Be notified at launch

  • Receive feature updates

  • Access early tools and resources

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Future developments aim to: 

  • build norm

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Submit Volleyball Test Data

Until public release, you can:

  • Download the PQ Volleyball data template

  • Submit de-identified athlete data

  • Receive PQ outputs calculated using the protected algorithm


Notes to include:

  • No athlete names required

  • Data handled confidentially

  • Small datasets may be processed free of charge


Send data to:
Greg Dea
Sports Physiotherapist & Performance Consultant
📧 hello@preparetoperform.com.au

Future Development

Power Quotient is being built as a long-term performance system, not a static score.

Building population-specific reference data

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As de-identified athlete data is submitted through the app and templates, PQ will progressively build population-specific databases based on:

  • Sport

  • Position

  • Gender

  • Age band

  • Competition level

  • Country or region

 

This will allow future interpretation to move beyond simple squad comparison and toward context-aware reference ranges, including:

  • Percentile rankings within comparable athlete populations

  • Position-specific expectations

  • More precise interpretation of suppressed or exceptional output

     

All data remains de-identified and is used solely to improve interpretation quality.​

Linking physical output to performance outcomes

A key development pathway for PQ is the ability to explore how physical output relates to on-court success metrics.

 

As datasets mature, PQ will be used to examine relationships between physical output and indicators such as:

  • Match involvement and availability

  • Jump-related actions (e.g. attacking and blocking contribution)

  • Movement efficiency and load tolerance

  • Return-to-play progression and durability

 

These relationships will be reported cautiously and transparently, with clear indications when sample sizes are still developing.

 

PQ is intended to support better questions and better decisions, not deterministic predictions.

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App functionality and interpretation tools

Future versions of the PQ App will include:

  • Secure athlete and squad tracking over time

  • Visualisation of trends across training blocks and seasons

  • Clear separation between performance output and medical context

  • Interpretation guidance that remains practitioner-led, not automated judgement

 

The emphasis will remain on clarity, context, and collaboration between coaching, performance, and medical staff.

Expansion into other sports

While volleyball is the foundation of PQ, the same underlying framework is being adapted for other sports where power, speed, and agility interact differently.

 

The next planned expansion is football (soccer), followed by additional field and court sports.

 

Each sport will use:

  • Sport-specific weighting

  • Sport-relevant interpretation

  • The same core principle of raw output and contextual analysis

 

Volleyball remains the reference model.

Ongoing collaboration

PQ is being developed in collaboration with coaches, physiotherapists, and performance staff.

 

Early access users contribute not just data, but feedback that helps shape:

  • How results are displayed

  • How interpretation is supported

  • How the system fits into real-world environments

 

The goal is a system that reflects how high-performance sport actually operates.

Join the PQ App Early Access List

Fill out the form if you want to receive app launch updates.

Early Access Registration

Your Role / Your Position

Testing Methodology & Interpretation​

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Why does the Power Quotient use the Illinois Agility Test?
 

The Illinois Agility Test is used because it offers a rare combination of simplicity, reliability, and scalability.

 

PQ is designed to work in real sporting environments — across large squads, different countries, and varying levels of resourcing. The Illinois test can be administered consistently using only cones and a stopwatch, without specialist equipment.

 

This ensures the system remains practical, repeatable, and usable over time.
 

Is the Illinois Agility Test specific to volleyball?
 

The Illinois test is not intended to replicate volleyball-specific footwork.

 

Instead, it is used as a general movement efficiency challenge. The test places athletes under multi-directional demand and reveals how well they can organise movement, braking, and re-acceleration under complexity.

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This approach helps expose limitations that may restrict how effectively an athlete can express power on court.
 

Why not use a shorter change-of-direction test instead?
 

Short change-of-direction tests (such as 5-0-5 or shuttle-style tests) can be useful in controlled settings, but they often require precise timing systems and strict protocols to be interpreted accurately.

 

In many real-world environments, these conditions are difficult to guarantee. Athletes may also adapt their strategy to complete very short tests efficiently, which can reduce sensitivity to broader movement inefficiencies.

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The Illinois test provides a more robust, globally repeatable option for PQ’s purpose.
 

What does a slower Illinois time indicate?
 

A slower Illinois time may reflect:

  • inefficient movement sequencing

  • difficulty decelerating and re-accelerating cleanly

  • reduced coordination under multi-directional demand

  • pain, stiffness, fatigue, or incomplete recovery

 

It indicates that an athlete may not be accessing their available power efficiently.

 

It does not identify the specific cause.
 

What the Illinois Agility Test is not used for
 

Within PQ, the Illinois test is not used to:

  • diagnose injury

  • assess limb symmetry

  • determine return-to-play readiness

  • replace clinical or movement assessment

 

PQ provides a performance output signal.

 

Clinical evaluation explains why that signal looks the way it does.
 

Why keep the same test battery across sports?
 

PQ is built on a fixed test battery with sport-specific interpretation.

 

Using the same core tests allows:

  • consistent benchmarking over time

  • comparison across squads and environments

  • reliable database growth

 

While different sports express power differently, PQ accounts for this through weighting and interpretation, rather than changing the tests themselves.

We’ll only use your information to notify you about the PQ App. We never share data with third parties. You can unsubscribe at any time in line with standard data privacy practices.

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