freestyle tech

P☲WERStrength & ConditioningSwimming

The Architecture of Faster Freestyle

Across the set of included studies, the message is consistent enough to matter. Adding strength and conditioning alongside swim training tends to improve sprint freestyle performance, and the meta analysis supports improvements in fifty meter and one hundred meter outcomes compared with swim training alone.1

Colab Sports

January 7, 2026

Cold Water, Percussion, and a Reality Check

R☷VERBRecovery

Cold Water, Percussion, and a Reality Check

A peer reviewed trial in Frontiers in Physiology puts a clean spotlight on comparing cold water immersion, percussive massage, and passive rest after an exhausting eccentric protocol designed to leave the lower body fatigued and sore

Dolphin Kicks into the Finish and the Art of Choosing Speed

BO☳NCEPerformance

Dolphin Kicks into the Finish and the Art of Choosing Speed

World Aquatics updated the backstroke finish rule (SW 6.3) so that once a swimmer’s head passes the 5 m mark before the wall, they’re allowed to fully submerge—which means they can potentially dolphin kick underwater into the finish instead of staying on the surface for a “classic” touch.

Cool Starts and Warm Hearts

PerformanceTriathlon

Cool Starts and Warm Hearts

Pre-cooling boosts work in the heat. Internal/external precooling can enhance intermittent and endurance performance—slushies, ice towels, cool rooms.

Serve Lines and Story Arcs

TechniqueTennis

Serve Lines and Story Arcs

Technique scoping review. Groundstrokes/serves: sequencing and EMG timing themes guide cueing and camera-based feedback.

Running On The Edge Of Enough

RunningStrategy

Running On The Edge Of Enough

80/20 (or pyramidal) isn’t dogma—use event specificity. Blend polarized foundations with race-specific threshold/CP work in the final meso.

Edges That Decide Races

TrainingTriathlon

Edges That Decide Races

HIIT still works for trained folks—dose wisely. Meta-analyses show performance gains in trained athletes; >8-week blocks favor strength outcomes too.

First Steps Win Matches

PerformanceTesting

First Steps Win Matches

Vertical & horizontal FV profiling. Use CMJ/sprint profiling to locate deficits and predict change in jump/sprint with targeted work.

Launch Speed Begins On Land

StrategySwimming

Launch Speed Begins On Land

Max-strength vs. plyo vs. endurance for starts. Head-to-head comparisons show program choice changes block time & flight; periodize across the season.

When the Body Picks the Pace

RunningTraining

When the Body Picks the Pace

HRV-guided meso design. Let HRV “earn” intensity days; keep volume with low-strain fillers when amber/red.