What is 80/20 muscle building?

[MuscleMecca Crew]

Would you believe it if your gym instructor said you could achieve more gains and fitness by using an economic principle? It may be hard to believe, but it is true. It's natural for humans to choose the easier way out in all their endeavors, and fortunately, the 80/20 muscle-building rule backs up this tendency.

The Rule of 80/20 PRINCIPLE​

The 80/20 rule is an economic technique and can also be referred to as the "Pareto Principle." Over the years, it has been employed in different aspects of life to increase productivity. The 80/20 Rule is coined from the fact that a large chunk(80%) of our success comes from little (20%) of our efforts. The rule can prove essential in business and help improve economic growth; the rule also helps to increase gains during fitness training. This implies that pushing yourself beyond the limit may not be the best approach to achieving your fitness goals. By the 80/20 Rule, 80% of your fitness results(like weight loss and muscle gains) that you achieve through your training are a result of the time(effort) you invest into your workout.

Exercise Selection For The Rule of 80/20​

The best kind of exercises is the ones that bring the most gain for your buck. Below is a list of such 20% exercises that provide 80% gains.

Barbell Deadlift​

The deadlift exercise is very effective because it works every muscle in the lower body and the upper body too. It is a very effective exercise and should be done primarily by men who train with barbells. It's also practical for ladies who want to work on their posterior chain. Other exercises such as heavy Double Swings, Double cleans, and Double Snatches.

Barbell Squat​

The best exercise to build powerful legs and general size is the barbell squat. You can do many curls without getting too exhausted. However, one high-rep set of barbell Squats will leave most people very exhausted.

Barbell clean and press ​

The clean and press are very effective, but the frequency and intensity depend on what you aim to achieve and how fast you can recover.
The clean press improves the legs, core, back, shoulders, and triceps. It is one of the exercises for improved pecs. Many of the legendary bodybuilders used high rep clean and presses with heavy weights to build their physiques.

Nutrition Guidelines for Rule 80/20​

The probability of you losing weight on the 80/20 diet will depend on your eating habits and patterns and how well you adhere to eating plans. It's essential to note that the plan is not to lose weight technically; it's not a weight-loss plan, but you may lose some weight if you employ a different and healthy eating culture. The 80/20 rule for nutrition is a useful long-term strategy for people who are already on a diet but need and have probably reached their weight-loss goal but need the plan to maintain it.
The 80/20 rule guides your everyday diet- eat nourishing foods 80 percent of the time and have a bit of your favorite treat with the remaining 20 percent. For the 80 " percent" part aspect of the plan, you should put more emphasis on taking lots of water and other nutritious foods that include:

• Whole grains
• Fruits and vegetables
• Lean protein like beans, soy, and edamame.
• Limited amounts of fats from olive oil or avocados

For your favorite treats or the "20 percent" part, you can eat your favorite meal but in the right proportion. For instance, you might have a small piece of cake today and then treat yourself to a glass of red wine the next day- but not both treats at the same time. This dieting method is easier to maintain than employing a stricter diet routine like ketogenic or paleo diets, which don't permit the intake of carbs or other processed foods.
The best part about the 80/20 rule is that you may not be able to satisfy all your cravings all at once, but you can satisfy them one at a time.

Food Choices And Micronutrients​

You can eat any food of your choice on the 80/20 diet as long as you maintain a healthy eating habit and eat healthy foods for 80% of meals. To gain from the plan, ensure that 80% contains a variety of healthy foods; focus on whole foods like:

Whole Grains:​

They provide carbohydrates for energy and also vitamins, minerals, and protein.

• Brown rice
• 100% whole wheat bread and pasta products
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa

Fruits and Vegetables​

Fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients, they provide dietary fiber, and they are low in calories.

• Leafy greens
• Potatoes
• Zucchini
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Mushrooms
• Melons
• Berries
• Citrus
• Apples
• Peaches

Lean Proteins​

In your diet, try as much as possible to avoid trans fats.

• Lean meat
• Low-fat dairy
• Legumes
• Fish and seafood
• Soy protein
• Saturated Fats

For your 20% of calories, you can take foods higher in fat but in moderate proportion.

• Higher-fat meats
• Butter

Alcohol​

You might want to stay away from alcohol most of the time, but you can easily have a glass of red wine or beer with your family and friends over dinner at least once a week.

Supplementation for The Rule of 80/20​

80/20 Rule in Fitness​

The 80/200 rule is simple but applies to many areas and even in fitness.
In fitness, your most significant results, which are 80%, are a result of your 20% actions.
This implies that if there's a particular workout routine that makes the most impact, you should improve on it. And if there's a workout that makes the most negligible impact, you should reduce it. You should also ensure to examine your workout activities and your diet.

Conclusion​

Hopefully, you've learned how the 80/20 rule affects your diet, training, and supplementation in this article. You need to know not to focus on minute details that produce fewer results and make all your efforts useless.
The main point of this article is to focus on more productive things that provide more impact and results. The 80/20 rule helps you to work smart, be relentless, and stay consistent and committed.