ABSTRACT

The last 30 years has seen a notable improvement in swimming performance with swim speeds increasing by virtue of more efficient training processes, and strength and conditioning (S&C) has played an important part in this change. The start and turn represent the only two areas where swimmers have access to ground reaction forces, and with the start having been reported to account for up to ~30% of a 50m race, this highlights the importance of strength and power training for sprint swimmers. From a physiological standpoint, swimming conditioning will almost certainly take place in the pool; thus, it may fall out of the remit of the S&C coach. However, optimal communication between all coaches is essential; therefore, S&C practitioners should have a strong understanding of how in-pool conditioning affects performance. Where injury risk is concerned, large mobility requirements at the shoulder complex are essential given the degree of rotation seen in most strokes, whilst for the lower body, it is perhaps the unique demands of the breaststroke that pose risk to the knee joint especially. With that in mind, land-based training should focus on strength development in order to increase a swimmer’s robustness, thus reducing injury risk and power development to optimise physical performance.