Guides · ForceDecks · 6 min read
DSI quadrants explained: what to programme when an athlete lands in each quadrant
The Dynamic Strength Index (CMJ peak force ÷ IMTP peak force) in plain language: how it is calculated, the bands people use, and what each quadrant of the DSI report suggests for training.
By Vikas Kashyap · Updated 25 September 2026
The Dynamic Strength Index is one of the few force-plate outputs that translates directly into a training decision, which is why the DSI report is worth understanding properly. It needs two tests on the same day: a countermovement jump and an isometric mid-thigh pull.
What DSI is
DSI = peak force in the CMJ ÷ peak force in the IMTP. The IMTP peak is the athlete's maximal force capacity; the CMJ peak is how much of that capacity they express in a fast, ballistic movement. The ratio therefore asks a single question: is this athlete limited by how much force they can produce, or by how much of it they can use quickly?
| DSI band | Reading | Common programming emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Below ~0.60 | Large gap between maximal and ballistic force — the athlete has strength they are not expressing quickly. | Ballistic and plyometric work; rate of force development. |
| ~0.60 – 0.80 | Balanced. | Concurrent — maintain both qualities, decide by the athlete's sport and phase. |
| Above ~0.80 | Ballistic force is close to maximal force — the ceiling is the maximal strength. | Maximal strength work; raise the IMTP. |
These bands come from the original Dynamic Strength Index work and are widely used, but the borders are soft. Treat 0.58 and 0.62 as the same athlete.
Why the quadrant report exists
DSI on its own can mislead. An athlete can be at 0.75 because both forces are high, or because both are low. The quadrant report plots CMJ peak force against IMTP peak force (usually relative to body mass) so you see the ratio and the absolute level at the same time. Read it as four situations:
| Quadrant | IMTP | CMJ | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top right | High | High | Strong and explosive. Maintain; look at other qualities. |
| Top left | High | Low | Strong but not expressing it — the classic low-DSI athlete. Ballistic emphasis. |
| Bottom right | Low | High | Expressing nearly everything they have — high DSI. Build maximal strength. |
| Bottom left | Low | Low | Needs general strength before the ratio means much. Do not over-read the DSI here. |
Practical notes
- Test both on the same day and in the same order every time; IMTP after CMJ is common so the pull does not fatigue the jump.
- Use peak force relative to body mass on both axes so the quadrant positions are comparable across athletes.
- Re-test DSI every mesocycle rather than weekly. It is a programming direction, not a readiness marker.
- Track movement between quadrants over a season. An athlete moving from top-left toward top-right is the plyometric block working; one drifting from top-right to bottom-right is losing strength.
How Kinexis handles this
Kinexis calculates DSI from the same-day CMJ and IMTP automatically, places every athlete on the quadrant plot, and records the movement between quadrants across the season, so the programming conversation starts from a list of who moved where rather than from two exports and a spreadsheet.