Exclusive: Saints Install Perch's 3D Camera Technology

The New Orleans Saints have become the latest client for the 3D camera technology in their workout facility which helped to propel LSU to their 2019 National Championship.

The New Orleans Saints have become the latest client for the 3D camera technology in their workout facility which helped to propel LSU to their 2019 National Championship.

Credit: USA Today Sports

Perch co-founder Jacob Rothman recently met with the New Orleans Saints and head strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple to install their 3D camera technology inside the team's workout facility in Metairie.

New Orleans decided to become the latest team in Louisiana to use Perch's technology to help players train smarter and reduce the risk of injury. Who was the first team in the state utilizing Perch? The 2019 FBS National Championship team from Baton Rouge, the LSU Tigers. 

WHAT IS PERCH?

Jacob told me that Perch is a "camera system you attach to a weight rack, and it gives you more detailed feedback about how you're actually lifting in the weight room, like decreasing the chance of injury and optimizing performance."

The device has three components: 

1. 3D camera that fastens to any weight rack with a couple of Velcro straps, 
2. Battery pack, and 
3. Tablet Computer.   

The latter two adhere via a magnet.

For example, before using an apparatus, the player will log in on the tablet and starts lifting. Perch's 3D camera will track the player's movements during the workout and instantaneously display his metrics - such as sets, reps, velocity, and power output on the tablet. 

Players and coaches can access the workout data via a web and mobile app. For example, coach Damrymple can retrieve the data from Demario Davis or Cam Jordan's lifting sessions and help to guide the Saints' defensive stars on improving their future workouts.

"When you get into the weight room, there is no similar experience," said Rothman. He continued, "All of that information is being missed. So what we sought to do was go in and provide more data, more feedback, enable a coach to get more detailed in terms of the prescription in the weight room."

Credit: Perch; LSU's Weight Room with Perch

NFL players and teams are always seeking an edge over the competition. Technological advances in the weight room translate to more dynamic performances on the football field.

I wanted to know Rothman's thoughts on what a player like Alvin Kamara could expect from using Perch if he chooses to compare 2020 to 2021's performance.  

"Yeah, so there's a lot of really good uses for the technology. Now that I was just meeting with the Saints, I can give you some specific examples," Rothman noted.  

He described how Perch's measurement of each athlete's weight room reps and amount of weight, a coach could prescribe the correct amount of maximum weight, angle, velocity, force, percentage ratings, and meters per second throughout each player workout.

Athletes like NFL players are extremely competitive. "They compete. They want to see who can lift the most weight above a certain speed. Now you have this objective data for athletes to compete. They're super competitive. When it comes to technology like AR is an undervalued part of it, but super important for coaches and athletes, especially in the NFL. The coaches want to get as much buy-in from these athletes as possible, and showing objective data and creating competition is a great way of doing that."

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PERCH FOCUSES ON ELITE ATHLETES

Health and fitness are extremely important to many NFL fans. I wanted to know if Perch would someday be available to the average consumer. Well, unfortunately, not any time soon.  

The focus is to help elite athletes in sports programs "improve over time and objectively quantify the impact" of their workouts, remarked Rothman. "We certainly know that the data that we're collecting can have an impact on just anybody looking to get faster and stronger and work better. So were we. The goal is to really get into that network," mentioned Rothman.

Most football teams lose speed and strength as a season continues. After using Perch, Rothman asserted, "in the weeks leading up to the national championship, they were seeing the fastest times in the field, and they were attributing a lot of that to how they were able to adjust their workouts in the weight room."

SPORTS PROGRAMS WITH PERCH

Other NFL teams like the Chargers, Giants, Titans, Jaguars, and Dolphins have incorporated Perch into their workout programs. LSU was the first college team, but Perch added more pro and collegiate teams to their client list - Orlando Magic (NBA), Dallas Stars (NHL), Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), San Jose Earthquakes (MLS), Columbus Crew (MLS), and Kentucky Men’s Basketball (NCAAM), among others.

The 2021-22 regular season for New Orleans will include the Perch system. Will it translate to increased endurance, better performance, and more wins for the Saints?

We shall see.

More information on Perch is located online at www.perch.fit.

New Orleans is the latest of NFL teams and collegiate programs engaged with Perch.