Research summary · Training and performance
Youth swimming plyometric evidence remains promising but statistically uncertain
Eight controlled studies included 192 swimmers aged 10–17, comparing 6–20 weeks of plyometric training with alternative training conditions. The review examined explosive power, swimming performance and possible variation by maturation stage.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review and meta-analysis with dose-response analysis
- Journal
- BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Population / context
- Swimming · Adolescent athletes · Dry-land training
What the publication reports
Average estimates generally favoured plyometrics for dry-land power and short-distance swimming, but none of the pooled effects reached statistical significance under the primary Hartung–Knapp analysis. The countermovement-jump estimate was 1.09 with a wide 95% confidence interval from −0.17 to 2.36.
Limits and interpretation
Few studies and small samples produced substantial uncertainty. Training comparators varied, maturation was sometimes inferred from age, and subgroup findings were exploratory. The review does not establish a reliable optimal dose or confirm that plyometrics improves every swimmer's race performance.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Effects of plyometric training on explosive power and swimming performance in adolescent swimmers: a systematic review and meta-analysis with dose-response analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42717379DOI: 10.1186/s13102-026-01989-yFull text at the sourceReader discussion
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