The Pareto Principle - in training and theory

[joswift]

It has been inferred the "Pareto principle" applies to athletic training, where roughly 20% of the exercises and habits have 80% of the impact and the trainee should not focus so much on a varied training. This does not necessarily mean that having a healthy diet or going to the gym are not important, but they are not as significant as the key activities.

This is just a theory by the way but it makes sense...

[Hypertrophy]

It has been inferred the "Pareto principle" applies to athletic training, where roughly 20% of the exercises and habits have 80% of the impact and the trainee should not focus so much on a varied training.
This does not necessarily mean that having a healthy diet or going to the gym are not important, but they are not as significant as the key activities.

this is just a theory by the way but it makes sense...

Makes sense. If you just did bench/rows/squats a few days a week you'd get most of the benefits of weight training, physique and strength wise

[IroNat]

80% is not good enough for Getbiggers.

Seriously, getting to 80% in anything is not a great achievement.  90% and above is required for success in higher competition.

Would you prefer a doctor who got 80% on his tests in med school or the one who got 90% and above?

[SOMEPARTS]

20% = PED

[joswift]

80% is not good enough for Getbiggers.

Seriously, getting to 80% in anything is not a great achievement.  90% and above is required for success in higher competition.

Would you prefer a doctor who got 80% on his tests in med school or the one who got 90% and above?

totally missed the point, nice try though....

Think of it this way
1 set of ten reps, the last two reps give you 80% of the results, reps 1-8 give you the other 20%

you need both...

[Flexacon]

Makes sense.

When I've done jobs where I've been on my feet all day I always struggled to add size. Sedentary desk jobs and I got fat.

Thinking of packing in my current desk job it and becoming a bin man. Short hours, finish work by lunch time, plus lots of Non-exercise activity thermogenesis.

[IroNat]

totally missed the point, nice try though....

Think of it this way
1 set of ten reps, the last two reps give you 80% of the results, reps 1-8 give you the other 20%

you need both...

No. You missed it.

10 reps gets you to 80%.

10 sets of 10 gets you to 90%+.

[Dokey111]

I just do the 20% part

[Rambone]

I only follow the Parrillo principles

[pellius]

Makes sense.

When I've done jobs where I've been on my feet all day I always struggled to add size. Sedentary desk jobs and I got fat.

Thinking of packing in my current desk job it and becoming a bin man. Short hours, finish work by lunch time, plus lots of Non-exercise activity thermogenesis.

What's a "bin man"?

[Palumboism]

It has been inferred the "Pareto principle" applies to athletic training, where roughly 20% of the exercises and habits have 80% of the impact and the trainee should not focus so much on a varied training.
This does not necessarily mean that having a healthy diet or going to the gym are not important, but they are not as significant as the key activities.

this is just a theory by the way but it makes sense...

This is absolutely true.  Focus on the compound exercises.

[pellius]

This is absolutely true.  Focus on the compound exercises.

Is that what he's saying? By "exercise and habits" it seems he's talking about the whole lifestyle. Like diet would be a good example when you consider the time and effort some put into weighing, measuring, keeping a record of every calorie and food group; tracking daily macronutrient ratios. Does it really make that much of a difference? I guess it's worth if you can find a sucker that cooks and prepares all your meals.

Then there's 5 sets versus 3 sets versus 9 sets. Should you do 8 reps? 10? 12? Toes in? Toes out on calf raises? Does it really make that much of a difference?

I think, say, the Nautilus type machines biceps are superior to free weights because it better matches your strength curve and provides full range of motion. But does it really help developed your biceps more? If Arnold did everything the same but used modern curling machines, even Basile's supinator, would his arms be even bigger and more peaked?

[Flexacon]

What's a "bin man"?

This

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6_vxhZ2SBgA

[joswift]

No. You missed it.

10 reps gets you to 80%.

10 sets of 10 gets you to 90%+.

and yet again you have no understanding of the principle...

[Humble Narcissist]

Makes sense. If you just did bench/rows/squats a few days a week you'd get most of the benefits of weight training, physique and strength wise

This.  Almost everyone does too much.  Look on Youtube at some of the 30, 60 or 90 day transformations by guys doing just pushups.  They look better than most working out in gyms.

[IroNat]

To go from 80% to 90% or above in anything requires much more effort than going to 80%.

Most people are 80%ers.  They can't make themselves do the necessary work to go to the next level.

[dan18]

To go from 80% to 90% or above in anything requires much more effort than going to 80%.

Most people are 80%ers.  They can't make themselves do the necessary work to go to the next level.

The next level is juice natty people can only go so far

[funk51]

This

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6_vxhZ2SBgA

     this is a guy who clearly loves his job. autographing his work with excellence at every opportunity.

[IroNat]

  ^

[Flexacon]

    this is a guy who clearly loves his job. autographing his work with excellence at every opportunity.

The home owners would constantly overstuff the branch warren trash can despite warnings (you're not meant to overstuff them).

Each time they were overstuffed the garbage man would basically do the above. Home owners didn't know who was stealing their mailbox and bin so set the camera up.

Who is the bigger asshole here?

[MarkyStevo]

I agree! That type of training is intense. Good shit.

[Humble Narcissist]

To go from 80% to 90% or above in anything requires much more effort than going to 80%.

Most people are 80%ers.  They can't make themselves do the necessary work to go to the next level.

What's the point of taking it to the "next level" if you aren't competing?  The 80%'s are more likely to stay in shape their whole lives and not burn out.

[IroNat]

What's the point of taking it to the "next level" if you aren't competing?  The 80%'s are more likely to stay in shape their whole lives and not burn out.

I will draw an analogy using the game of golf.

Some people are content with going out a couple times a month and scoring in the 90-100 while some want to score in the 70s.

To go from being a 90-100 golfer (hacker) to a 70s golfer takes a lot of effort and time.  

Yes, most people don't want to spend many hours practicing and playing golf.  "Boy, I wish I could play better".  Wishing won't make it so.

Doing anything on a high level takes mucho time and effort.  Getting very high grades in school, great golfer, great bodybuilder, high flying businessman, etc.

80% is just ok.  Not hard to do.  Mediocre.  You don't need a "Principle" to figure that out.

Doesn't require too much effort.

[Hypertrophy]

I will draw an analogy using the game of golf.

Some people are content with going out a couple times a month and scoring in the 90-100 while some want to score in the 70s.

To go from being a 90-100 golfer (hacker) to a 70s golfer takes a lot of effort and time.  

Yes, most people don't want to spend many hours practicing and playing golf.  "Boy, I wish I could play better".  Wishing won't make it so.

Doing anything on a high level takes mucho time and effort.  Getting very high grades in school, great golfer, great bodybuilder, high flying businessman, etc.

80% is just ok.  Not hard to do.  Mediocre.  You don't need a "Principle" to figure that out.

Doesn't require too much effort.

I think you are missing the idea behind the initial post. The Pareto Principle states that 80% of your gains come from 20% of your efforts. This was first proposed describing economic activity. In my business I clearly see 20% of my products creating at least 80% of my profit. This has nothing to do with your efforts in those areas- it simply recognizes the way economics works.

If you expand this idea outside economics you might see the same thing- such as 80% of your muscular gains come from 20% of your exercises. Again, this has nothing to do with how hard you work at it- it just means that some things have a greater contribution to your objectives than others. So if instead of doing 20 different exercises to build a physique you find that the a few basic movements give you the biggest changes then that is your Pareto principle in action. Nothing stopping you from doing more exercises to get that 90% level...

[Kwon]

Principles of Peace