The 80/20 Rule for Lifting

[VoxExMachina]

Think, But Don't Over-Analyze

When you are enthusiastic about bodybuilding, or any sport or hobby for that matter, you want to know everything you can about it. You want to know what's the best exercise, what rep range will give you an edge, how to best structure your split so that you eek out every gain that you can. This thirst for knowledge is a healthy one - and is a sign that you are thinking, that you care.

But it can also hold you back. With the wealth of information available, especially in the internet age, it's all too easy to get caught up in the minutia, to start wondering if this or that exercise will pack on the size better, whether XX supplement will be the difference between success and failure. The next thing you know, you're spending too much on supplements, switching up your routine every other week to use that new magic routine you read about, or getting discouraged over results that don't seem up to par with the promises of the muscle mags.

The 80/20 Rule

Dr. Joseph Juran, working on quality and management principles in the 1930's and 1940's observed a universal principle that he called the "vital few and trivial many", in which 20 percent of something is responsible for 80 percent of the results. This became known as the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule. This rule means that in anything 20% is vital and 80% is trivial. For example, Juran observed that 20% of the people owned 80% of the wealth. Or that 20% of defects caused 80% of the problems. You can apply this rule to almost anything.

The value of the 80/20 rule is that it reminds you to focus on the 20% that matters. You should identify and focus on these things. So in bodybuilding, what are they? I would say that the 20% that matters includes:

• Researching & following a good, fundamental, bodybuilding program. (Not a perfect one, it doesn't exist).
• Putting in hard work in the gym, consistently, over a long period of time.
• Following the rule of progression, and ensure that over time you are lifting more weight, more reps, or more sets.
• Having good nutrition. Eating enough good stuff, and not too much bad stuff over the course of a day.
• Getting adequate recovery.
• Adjusting your plan periodically, based on your results and your experiences.

Which basically means: Train. Eat. Rest. Repeat. Week in and week out. Focusing on the basics will give you 80% of your results.


So if that's the important 20%, what's the 80% that's trivial? Well in my opinion it's details like these:

• Should I do 3 sets of 8 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps?
• What's better, 1.25g protein per pound or 1.37g/lb, or 1.5 g/lb.?
• I'm doing BB curls, should I be doing DB curls or EZ bar curls instead?
• What's the best angle for incline barbell presses?
• If I don't get 30g of protein within half an hour after training, is my session wasted?
• How much should I be lifting for my height / weight?
• Are DB flyes better than using the Pec Dec?

Etc. Etc. Etc. Honestly, that stuff doesn't make a difference. Or rather, if it does it makes a relatively small difference (20%); or only makes a difference for a relatively small few who are at the limits of their physical development. For most of us average Joes, it just doesn't matter! Sure, if you have a wrist issue, EZ curls may bump into that 20% of things that matter, but in general it doesn't make that much of a difference.

The muscle mags would like to convince you different, since they want you to continuously tune in to find out if you're doing everything right. If you're "in the know" about the latest "hollywood workout". Whether you're missing a miracle supplement that just got invented in a secret Swiss lab.

That way lies madness, my friends.


Objective Evidence

So how do we know this is true? Well, first of all look at the wide variety of workout programs, splits, exercise selection, training frequency, and equipment recommendations from various top bodybuilders over the years. Do they all agree? No. Do they recommend all the same things? Don't think so. Do they all train the same way? Nope. But it's not the 20% they disagree on, it's the 80%. Which stands to reason, since the 80% only makes a small difference, and most of that is individual anyway. What's right for one person is not always right for another.

But they all agree on the value of the big, compound movements. They all preach eating enough, eating right, getting enough protein, and having intensity in the gym. They all agree that results take hard work and consistency and a balanced workout routine. They agree on the 20%.

As further evidence that sometimes the small things don't matter: how often have you seen some dipstick in the gym using terrible form doing nothing but crappy curls and yet having jacked arms? It happens. Sure, he might get injured periodically. Sure, he might have no calves. But when it comes to those arms, he's doing at least 20% of things right.


Final Thoughts (Cliffs)

So what do you take away from all that? It's simple: do your homework and spend your time and effort on the 20% of the details that matter - that's Thinking. Don't waste your time sweating the 80% of the trivial details that make little or no difference - that's over-analyzing.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, and you should figure out what those "20%" things are for yourself by reading and thinking. But once you do, focus on that and don't let the "80%" of minutia derail you from what really matters.




I originally wrote this for the exercises section, but thought it might be worth posting over here as well.

[russian_bear]

good read, i agree
this 80/20 rule applies everywhere in life to..
HOWEVER I do strongly believe that its the 80% of the effort that distinguish a good professional from an outstanding one...

i'll just make a real life example.
say, in order to get into university you only need to put in 20% effort at school to get the bare minimum GPA for acceptance. However, its the other 80% of the effort that will determine if you're gonna get that 50,000$ scholarship or not..

kno what i mean?

[TheBadMan]

Agreed and repped! Good article. Most people get hung up on the details waaayyyy too much.

1. Progressive resistance
2. Adequate nutrition
3. Adequate rest

= results

Almost everything else is up for debate. But get these 3 right and your set. 1.

[strong_strength]

negged for over-analysing

[hemmorhoidrage]

Wow that gave me a headache.

[STFUandTRAIN]

Good read. Does make a lot of sense.

[oatsmore]

Very good read, alot of people do seem to over analyze their workouts if they dont seem to get results within a couple of weeks. Like your article stated its the 20% which everyone needs to focus on, but they get suckered in by all the latest rubbish on the market which says it may do this or may do that.

[MWheatley]

Good to see this info popping up again Vox. i read it several times in the exercise section and emailed it to several friends of mine. Giving credit to 'this smart guy on bb.com' of course.

[VoxExMachina]

Very good read, alot of people do seem to over analyze their workouts if they dont seem to get results within a couple of weeks. Like your article stated its the 20% which everyone needs to focus on, but they get suckered in by all the latest rubbish on the market which says it may do this or may do that.

Thanks, I appreciate the comments. I think too many people miss the forest for the trees in the rush to get results. They get lured in by all the "gain 10 lbs. of muscle in a month" type claims, and it only results in disappointment and frustration.

There's no easy way to big gains. It takes hard work.

Good to see this info popping up again Vox. i read it several times in the exercise section and emailed it to several friends of mine. Giving credit to 'this smart guy on bb.com' of course.

Lulz. Thanks, man. Hopefully it helped.

[jerredr]

nice! great info. i love back to basics analysis

[blackdove212]

Good info, esp on the "don't overanalyze" point.

[TrueAmateur]

Think, But Don't Over-Analyze

That alone was enough for me !!! A+

[AlphaMisc]

OP this is a great post! Repped on recharge.

[bikestud125]

OP this is a great post! Repped on recharge.

Agreed, I see people in everyday life including family over analyze.

[user165461]

Nice post, couldn't agree more. Thanks for this.

[Alan David]

Great Article.
The truth shall set you free.

[rjg2]

Very true! nice post.

[BeeCharmer]

great read; thanks

[VoxExMachina]

Thanks for all the comments.

[lukeaye]

Thanks for all the comments.

Thanks for the write up!

good article 100% agree. reped.

[JMath]

This is possibly the best post I've ever read on this forum. I really wish more people would read this and utilize it. Great post!

[fitness4life999]

I am guilty of doing this all my life...lol

Paralysis by Analysis

[Brian94]

Consistency and over a long period of time is probably the best advice here. Thanks.

[zyzzaesthetics]

agreed 100%

whenever i go to the workout programs section, i see all these threads saying "which is better? x program or x program?"

in all reality, just workout as hard as you can, lift as heavy as you can, be as intense as you can, stick to your diet and results will happen regardless of what training program you are on.

[iPump]

Thanks. Solid post. The 80/20 rule is valid for most, if not all spheres of life.

[gunsandgutts]

Good post. Now that you shared with us this rule I can see it actually applying to a lot of things. Thanks !

[whitely]

Good post. Now that you shared with us this rule I can see it actually applying to a lot of things. Thanks !

Yeah, it sure does, very good read, thanks op.

[medicfourlife]

Great article, I have never thought about it in such simple terms. Thanks for the awesome read!

[mwingo1135]

I have some lifting experience but I am not going to act like I'm a pro.

I read muscle mag encyclopedia of bodybuilding recently and it mentioned that the core exercise for arms are DIPS!

DIPS

Not the dip variation you do at the end of a bench but the actual dip station, Parallel or V ship dip bar.

So I incorporated it into my workout every Arm day as the first things I do. and I have added a half of inch to my arms in a month!

I also take serious mass but still Dips work!

BB curls give you good balance
DB curls give great isolation
EZ Bar Curls appear to work to lower bicep

They all work synergistically but DIPS appear to be the core!

[swift64]

This is a great article, I often get so caught up by learning new things that my workouts change every two weeks…. Sometimes the going back to the basics is key.