The last weekend of October 2008, I spent a weekend with a squad of national swimmers.
They had a punishing set:
This is for swimmers achieving national qualifying times. Age 13 to 15. .
MAIN SET
4 x 300 FC even pace HRT -30 on 4.00/4.00/4.00.4.15
1 x 100 BC EZY
200 IM PB + 30
3 x 300 FC even pace HRT -30 on 4.00/4.00.4.15
1 x 100 BC EZY
200 IM PB + 25
2 x 300 FC even pace HRT -30 on 4.00.4.15
1 x 100 BC EZY
200 IM PB + 20
1 x 300 FC even pace HRT -30 on 4.00.4.15
1 x 100 BC EZY
200 IM PB + 15
The objectives were to keep the heart rate up, to keep the pace even, and on the IM speed up so as to get within 15 of PB time.
This 2008 National Squad set really reflects the “old school” punishing approach: long aerobic blocks at high heart rate, interspersed with IM challenges that creep closer to race speed.
Let’s break down what’s going on compared to what you’re working with in P2 and your broader planning.
Structure of the 2008 Olympic Coach Set
Main Set (progressive fatigue challenge):
- 4 × 300 FC (HR -30, so ~170–180 BPM for 13–15 yr olds)
- Recovery 100m Backstroke
- 200 IM @ PB + 30 sec
- Then repeat the same pattern, dropping 1 × 300 each round and reducing the IM target margin by 5s each time, finishing on:
- 1 × 300
- 1 × 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB + 15s
Key Objectives:
- Even pacing on 300s (control, discipline).
- Heart rate is maintained high (sitting in AT range).
- IMs demand increasing race sharpness under fatigue → finishing within 15s of PB after ~5km hard work.
Comparison to MSM P2 Current Training
- Your P1/P2 Test Set (50 × 100s) is directly in this tradition: long aerobic threshold, descending intervals, pushing swimmers to hold technique and pace under fatigue.
- Your Saturday A-Stroke 5800m session also uses a two-part design: A2 endurance then sprint/dive skills under fatigue.
- Your Thursday EMT 90-min session is another example: structured progression, HR monitoring, controlled pacing.
The DNA is the same:
- Big aerobic blocks at controlled HR
- Layering skill or speed work late in the session
- Forcing swimmers to execute technique while tired
For Today’s 13–15 Year Old National/Regional Swimmers
That 2008 set was brutal but brilliant in its simplicity.
Modern coaching (including Swim England’s frameworks ) would still value:
- Aerobic Threshold Volume – long repeats at HR -30, like your P2 A2 sets.
- Race Pace Under Fatigue – IMs closing in on PB margin echo USRPT logic.
- Progressive Fatigue Design – volume drops while demand rises (classic overload then sharpening).
- Mental Toughness – finishing on a near-race effort after 5k builds confidence.
But today, you’d likely:
- Monitor with Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) or five-finger reflection rather than HR alone.
- Adjust intervals by Critical Swim Speed (CSS) or personalised times.
- Include more skills focus (starts, turns, underwater) during recoveries.
- Allow some individualisation: e.g. Rose (regional back/free) vs Amelie (regional IM/fly) vs Flynn (national distance free) vs Ellie (regional sprint fly/distance free) .
✅ In short:
That 2008 set is a classic aerobic-threshold into race-pace progression. It shaped swimmers for Nationals by grinding pace discipline and building resilience. The modern equivalent in your programme would be the 50 × 100 test set or the A2–AT progressions you’ve been using , but with a greater emphasis on technique integrity, individualisation, and reflection tools.
Here’s a modernised P2 equivalent of the 2008 National Squad set, built for your 2-hour evening slot (≈5,500–6,000m) keeping the spirit of the punishing progression but updated it for P2’s current level, needs, and individualisation.
P2 Modernised “Nationals Progression Set”
Theme: A2 → AT progression, even pace + IM under fatigue
Total: ~5,600m
Duration: 2 hrs
1. Warm-Up – 900m
300 FC smooth (long strokes, DPS)
4 × 50 (25 drill / 25 swim choice) @ :60
4 × 100 as 50 Build FC / 50 Back @ 2:00
HR target: 130–150 BPM
2. Prep Set – 800m
8 × 100 FC (descend 1–4, repeat) @ 1:40–1:50
→ Stroke count check, hold streamline kicks
3. Main Set – ~3,600m
Block A (fresh) – 1,200m
4 × 300 FC @ A2 pace (CSS + 4–
RS4 & AS6 : Focus on back/free and IM pacing
FS5 : Distance free rhythm (count strokes)
ES4: Aerobic fly/free combo (alternate 25 fly in each 100)
100 BK EZ
200 IM @ PB + 30
Block B (under pressure) – 1,000m
3 × 300 FC @ CSS + 2–4s (hold pace discipline)
100 BK EZ
200 IM @ PB + 25
Block C (fatigue zone) – 800m
2 × 300 FC @ CSS + 1–3s (nearly AT effort, HR 170–180)
100 BK EZ
200 IM @ PB + 20
Block D (closing challenge) – 600m
1 × 300 FC @ CSS (best average, near-threshold)
100 BK EZ
200 IM @ PB + 15 (full focus on pacing + skills)
4. Skills Under Fatigue – 200m
8 × 25 Dive or fast push breakout @ :40
5. Swim-Down – 400m
200 BK/BR EZ
200 FC smooth, focus on relaxed rhythm
Coaching Cues
Pacing discipline: Use pace clocks, stroke count, or split feedback.
Heart rate: Check HR -30 at end of 300s.
Technique under fatigue: Backstroke recoveries to “reset posture.”
IM focus: “Can you execute a race-style IM when tired?”
Individualisation:
RS4: Nail backstroke turns & pacing.
AS6: Target butterfly/IM efficiency, don’t over-kick.
FS5: Control first 150m of 300s, don’t blast.
ES4: Fly efficiency (no fade), aerobic fly/free pacing.
This way, you preserve the brutal progression of the 2008 set but translate it into modern P2 terms: CSS-based pacing, HR checks, technique cues, swimmer-specific goals.
Let’s place this “modernised Nationals progression set” into the current P2 meso block (Autumn term). You’re working toward County Qualifier 1 (Oct), County Qualifier 2 (Nov), and then Christmas Cracker (Dec) .
Where this set fits in the Meso Block
Block Focus (Sept–Nov)
- A2 → AT tolerance (progressive aerobic threshold conditioning)
- Race prep skills (turns, IM transitions, pacing)
- Mental resilience (holding form late in sets)
You’ve already been using:
- 50 × 100s descending intervals (aerobic test set)
- A2 threshold distance sets (e.g. Thurs EMT 90-min, ~5k)
- A-Stroke sessions blending endurance + sprint dives
Slotting the 2008-Inspired Set
This progression set (≈5.5–6k, 2 hr) works best:
- Mid/late week → when swimmers are already slightly fatigued, so HR and pacing discipline matter.
- 2–3 weeks out from a meet → sharpens aerobic threshold + race IM practice.
- Not too close to a gala (needs 3–4 days recovery buffer).
Suggested Placement in Your Week
Let’s assume a typical week for P2:
- Mon (2 hr) → A2/AT aerobic progression (e.g. your EMT-style
- Tue (2 hr) → Skills + speed (starts, turns, underwater)
- Thurs AM (90 min) → Controlled A2 aerobic base
- Thurs PM (2 hr) → Threshold or pace work
- Sat (2 hr) → A-Stroke + sprint skills
Place the 2008-style progression set on Thursday evening.
It bridges between aerobic base in the morning and sprint focus Saturday, making Thursday a true “hard threshold day.”
How It Complements Other Work
- Mon/Thurs AM (A2 aerobic) → build strong aerobic base.
- Thurs PM (this set) → push threshold under fatigue + IM sharpening.
- Sat (A-Stroke dives/sprint) → speed, power, racing feel.
- Tue (skills) → technical reset to balance fatigue.
Swimmer-Specific Benefits
- RS4 → Pacing discipline in backstroke/IM, builds confidence near Regional margin .
- AS6 → Aerobic fly/IM development, prepares for 200/400 IM .
- FS5 → Distance control, stops him blasting early, great for Nationals prep .
- ES6 → Fly/free endurance without collapse, mental toughness to finish sets .
So: this set sits as a meso-block cornerstone on Thursdays, creating a “hardest day” that drives progression toward Counties, while keeping Mon/Tues/Sat balanced between aerobic volume, skills, and speed.
This is 3-week microcycle progression for P2, aligned with your meso-block focus (building A2/AT tolerance into County Qualifier 1 mid-October).
3-Week P2 Progression Cycle (Thurs PM Hard Set)
Week 1 – Baseline (Controlled Exposure)
- Main Set:
- 4 × 300 FC @ CSS+4–6s (A2 pace, HR 160–170)
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+30
- 3 × 300 FC @ CSS+3–5s
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+25
- Finish: 2 × 300 FC @ CSS+2–3s → 200 IM @ PB+20
- Total ~5,200m
Objective: Learn the structure, hold even pace, no blowing up early.
Coach cues: “Don’t chase the clock, chase consistency.”
Week 2 – Overload (Punishing Progression)
- Main Set: (full version, ~3,600m)
- 4 × 300 FC @ CSS+3–4s
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+30
- 3 × 300 FC @ CSS+2–3s
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+25
- 2 × 300 FC @ CSS+1–2s
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+20
- 1 × 300 FC @ CSS (near AT, HR 170–180)
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+15
- Total ~5,600–5,800m
Objective: Push threshold; swim IMs closer to race form while fatigued.
Coach cues: “Can you hold technique when it hurts? This is where you earn confidence for Counties.”
Week 3 – Adaptation (Sharpening)
- Main Set (reduced volume, higher quality, ~2,400m):
- 2 × 300 FC @ CSS+2–3s (steady, controlled)
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+25
- 1 × 300 FC @ CSS (best average)
- 100 BK EZ
- 200 IM @ PB+15
- Finish: 4 × 50 IM order @ 200 pace, :20 rest
Objective: Maintain skills, allow recovery, touch sharper race-pace.
Coach cues: “Quality over volume — execute with race discipline.”
Integration into Weekly Cycle
- Mon (2 hr): A2/AT distance progression (controlled, high volume).
- Tue (2 hr): Skills + speed (starts, turns, UW, relay play).
- Thurs AM (90 min): Aerobic base (technical, ~5k) .
- Thurs PM (this progression cycle): Threshold & IM resilience.
- Sat (2 hr): A-Stroke + sprint/dive set .
Swimmer-Specific Targets
- RS4 (Back/Free): Even pacing on 300s, nail backstroke turns in IMs.
- AS6 (IM/Fly): IMs are the set — focus on fly efficiency, not over-kicking.
- FS5 (Distance Free): Learn to negative split 300s, avoid blasting.
- ES6 (Fly/Distance Free): Fly endurance in IMs, fight fade in 2nd 100.
This cycle gives you:
- Week 1 = Learn the set (confidence builder).
- Week 2 = Full overload (punishing, near peak).
- Week 3 = Recovery/sharpening (adaptation).
By Week 4 (Race Week) → you can taper into County Qualifier 1 with confidence.
