Listen Time - 30mins In this episode, I interview Paul Talty about strength and power development for swimming. Paul was Head of Performance for Swim Ireland leading into Paris 2024 where they delivered medal-winning performances. We discuss Strength & Power development in swimmers and Paul emphasises that swimming is different from other sports due to the unique environment it takes place in.  Throughout this interesting episode you will experience the following takeaways from Pauls insight:  Swimming is different from other sports due to the unique environment it takes place in. Increasing mass and force production in swimming requires careful consideration, as excessive mass can hinder performance in the water.Identify specific areas for improvement, such as starts, turns, or free swimming speed, and tailor the training program accordingly. Focus on basic strength and conditioning principles and use a tier system to structure sessions. Consider the trade-off between emphasizing weaknesses and emphasizing strengths in the training program. Use swim-specific isometric strength training and exercises that mimic block starts to enhance transfer to the pool. Be mindful of the limited energy available to swimmers and avoid excessive fatigue from the strength and conditioning program. As mentioned in the episode, please take a look at both the group mentorships we are now enrolling practitioners for, on a first come first serve basis (www.collaboratesports.com/thegroupmentorships) and the great block article from Jordan Welsh (www.collaboratesports.com/blog/jordanwelsh) If you enjoyed the episode, feel free to like and share with those in your network! Dan