Fifteen years ago, I gave up my fledgling swim coaching career to join the OU.
I was in the process of completing my Senior Coach Accreditation, with courses in Nottingham, Manchester and London. The OU called, stating that I am working at the business school and need to complete an MA in Open and Distance Education. I learnt a great deal from the course. I learnt how to learn. I know how to apply creative thinking. And I learnt the value of reflection, which brought me here.
It helps to take notes. It helps to summarise these notes and reflect on what you have learnt. And it helps them to plan the next steps. So here I am, fifteen years on, once again on the Level III Senior Swimming Coach course with Swim England, once again keeping notes.
Core Theme: Be Curious
Ask why at every stage: purpose of sets, purpose of models, purpose of recovery.
Test assumptions: myths vs. evidence, context specificity.
Reflect: Does this work for my swimmers in my environment at their current stage?
Sports Physiology Insights (Craig Robertson, PhD)
Don’t fear fast kids – intensity is not bad, but it must be age-appropriate.
Myths in swimming – volume, lactate, technique, aerobic capacity: all are context-dependent.
Aerobic base is non-negotiable – supports recovery, health, and resilience.
Volume progression in pre-pubescent swimmers – they produce lactate, but in smaller amounts; avoid overloading them with high-intensity work.
ATP-PC system analogy – like a match (9–12s) lighting a firework (90s glycolysis), before tumbling into a bonfire (sustained aerobic).
Energy Systems & Training Models
1: Energy System Model – ATP-PC, Glycolysis, Aerobic.
2: Critical Swim Speed (CSS) – sustainable training pace.
3: Ultra Short Race Pace Training (USRPT) – precise, high-rep, short-rest.
4: Polarised Training – 80% low intensity (A1/A2), 20% high (AT/VO2).
5: Skill/Technique Model – sometimes the proper focus is not intensity, but how well they swim.
Planning & Periodisation
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Microcycle – typically 7–10 days, defined by the coach.
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Mesocycle – typically 4–6 weeks (adaptation phase), but flexible.
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Macrocycle – work back from the most important meet (Club Champs → Counties → Regionals → Nationals, depending on swimmer).
“Pick one thing to fix until it sticks, then add more.”
Set Design Principles
Training Quality = Before, During, After (Plan > Execute > Reflect).
Set = Distance × Intensity × Rest × Repeat.
Long passive rests = essential for true anaerobic work.
Keep it simple – swimmers remember one or two key tasks, not long scripts.
Example takeaway: A2/AT sets, such as 50×100m descending intervals (P1/P2), are not about entertainment, but rather about pace discipline and resilience.
Swimmer Development
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Pre-puberty: aerobic volume and skill focus.
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Youth: balance aerobic + introduction to anaerobic, technical consolidation.
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Senior: Add full race-specific training and manage recovery/stress balance.
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“All models work, with the right athlete, in the right environment, at the right time.”
Reflection for My Coaching Practice (PC1, C2, P2)
PC1 (10–12 years)
Build aerobic base, fun technical fly work (their known weakness).
Keep sessions simple (≤1500m), with clear focus points they can remember.
Emphasise pacing, skill mastery, and enjoyment.
C2 (14–16 years, County-level)
Already skilled, so focus on A1/A2 aerobic conditioning.
Manage rest/recovery – don’t overload anaerobic too soon.
Keep them curious – involve them in why we’re doing a set (build ownership).
P2 (12–14 years, County/Regional, 2 Nationals)
Sessions already demanding (e.g. 5.8km aerobic, 90-minute EMT, etc.).
Need balance: skill focus (starts/turns/kicks) + energy system development.
Link training to competition calendar – September Club Champs → County Qualifiers → Christmas Cracker → Regionals.
Individualise: RS4 (near-Regional back/free), AS6 (Regional all-rounder), FS5 (National distance, inconsistent attendance), ES4 (Sprint Fly + Distance Free, emotionally fragile).
Personal Learning Reflections
🟢 What I do well already:
Session design with clear A2/AT progressions (seen in P1/P2 test sets).
Focus on technique threads (turns, skills under fatigue).
Building attendance and accountability across squads.
🟡 What I need to improve:
Use rest more intelligently for anaerobic sets.
Avoid overcomplicating sets; strip back to key objectives.
Bring in new models (CSS, Polarised Training) by January as tasked.
Check swimmers’ understanding of intensity zones (do they know what “A2” feels like?).
🔴 Challenges:
Managing individual differences in a mixed group (P2 spans County → National).
Supporting motivation and well-being (e.g., ES4’s anxiety, FS6’s bravado).
Balancing volume, intensity, and recovery in line with age/stage.