Poliquin - Healthy. Lean. Strong.

Training Articles

Tweet Print

The 2 Percent Rule of Progress

A simple guideline to help you determine optimal training frequency

I am typically asked questions about training frequency and bodypart splits. The bottom line in regard to training frequency is that the best frequency is the one that works for you! And to help you determine what works, here’s a practical guideline: the 2 Percent Rule of Progress.

Unless you are an advanced trainee, the 2 Percent Rule will apply to you. It states that every time you repeat a workout, you should be able to add 2 percent weight on the bar for the same number of reps or do an extra rep with the same weight. Thus, if you bench pressed 200 pounds for 8 reps in one workout, during the second workout you should be able to lift 204 pounds for 8 reps or lift 200 pounds for 9 reps. If you can accomplish this progression, or better it, then your training frequency is appropriate.

When applying this rule, you should always compare the same sets of a given exercise. So if you are performing 5 sets of 8 reps in the bench press, you would compare set 5 of the first workout with set 5 of the second workout, and so on. However, as you progress in strength, it becomes more difficult to make this level of progress. Thus, if you have seven years of training under your weightlifting belt, then the 2 Percent Rule would evolve into the 1 Percent Rule.

The philosophy behind the 2 Percent Rule is that you want to train hard, but only come back for another workout when you can lift more. That is, you have to wait for supercompensation to occur – and that may happen after three days to as many as 10 days per exercise.

Along with this principle, which many of the best bodybuilders of the past, such as Bill Pearl and Reg Park, understood, is that time under tension is critical to increasing muscle mass. If you can squat 375 pounds for 1 rep and 300 pounds for 10 reps, increasing your 1-rep maximum to 475 pounds may not produce exceptional gains in muscle mass – compared to being able to perform 350 pounds for 10 reps. A rule of thumb is that a weight increase of 2.5 kilos for reps for a major lift translates into a gain of one kilo of lean tissue. Using this current example, adding 50 pounds to your 10-rep max in the squat will result in a gain of five pounds of muscle.

To take this training principle to the next level, I’ll share with you three basic options for frequency of training that reflect a variety of recovery abilities. The examples provided would be considered accumulation (high volume) phases in a training cycle.

Option 1
This option, which works for about 20 percent of the population, consists of training the entire body on three nonconsecutive days a week. It’s great for those who have very limited training time. For example, Monday, Wednesday and Friday; or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Monday and Friday
A-1. Back Squat, 3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 90 seconds
A-2. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Inward, 3 x 6-8, 4010, rest 75s
B-1. Parallel Bar Dip, 3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
B-2. Close, Parallel-Grip Chin-up, 3 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75s
C-1. Incline Dumbbell Press, 2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
C-2. Seated Cable Rowing, 2 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75s
D-1. Decline Triceps EZ Bar Extension, 2 x 10-12, 3110, rest 75s
D-2. Incline Dumbbell Curl, 2 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75s
E-1. Standing Calf Raise, 2 x 10-12, 2210, rest 60s
E-2. Low Cable Pull-in, 2 x 10-12, 2020, rest 60s

Wednesday
A-1. Back Barbell Lunge, 3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 90s
A-2. Dumbbell Deadlift, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 75s
B-1. Back Step-Up, 3 x 15-20, 1010, rest 75s
B-2. Back Extension, 3 x 12-15, 2012, rest 75s
C-1. Incline Dumbbell Press, 2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
C-2. Seated Cable Rowing, 2 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75s
D-1. Decline Dumbbell Press, 2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
D-2. One-Arm Dumbbell Press, 2 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
E-1. Seated Calf Raise, 2 x 15-20, 2010, rest 60s
E-2. Twisted Crunches on Swiss Ball, 2 x 10-12, 2020, rest 60s

Option 2
This option, which works for about 60 percent of the population, consists of a split workout with four training sessions per week. The basic rule is two days on, one day off followed by two days on, two days off. For example, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; or Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday.

Monday and Thursday
A-1. Cyclists Back Squat, 10,12,14,20 on a 2010 tempo, rest 90s
A-2. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Inward, 4 x 6-8, 40X0, rest 75s
B-1. Lunge, 4 x 10,12,15,20, 20X0, rest 90s
B-2. Romanian Deadlift, 4 x 10-12, 4020, rest 75s
C-1. Standing Calf Raise, 3 x 12,15,20, 1110, rest 60s
C-2. Low Cable Pull-In, 2 x 10-12, 2020, rest 60s

Tuesday and Friday
A-1. Incline Dumbbell Press, 8,10,12,15 on a 3010 tempo, rest 75s
A-2. Close-Parallel-Grip Chin-up, 4 x 8-10, 4010, rest 75s
B-1. Decline Dumbbell Press, 3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
B-2. One-Arm Dumbbell Press, 3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 75s
C-1. Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension, 3 x 10-12, 3110, rest 75s
C-2. Seated Offset Dumbbell Curl, 3 x 8-10, 3010, rest 75s

Option 3
This option, which works for about 20 percent of the population, is for those with superior recovery ability. This is a three-days-out-of-five training split, designed so that each bodypart is trained thoroughly once every five days – as a result, you have to train at least one day per weekend. For example, Monday, Tuesday, rest Wednesday, Thursday, rest Friday; followed by Saturday, Sunday, rest Monday, Tuesday, rest Wednesday, and so on. With these cycles I often eliminate or drastically reduce the volume of one bodypart per phase to permit greater recovery or to concentrate on select bodyparts.

Day 1
A-1. 25-Degree Incline Dumbbell Press, 6,8,10,12 on a 2210 tempo, rest 100s
A-2. Lean-Away Parallel-Grip Chin-up, 4 x 7-9, 5010, rest 100s
B-1. Flat Dumbbell Press, 3 x 10-12, 3010, rest 10s (yes, 10 seconds!)
B-2. Incline Cable Flye, 3 x 10-12, 5010, rest 100s
B-3. Seated Cable Rowing to Neck, 3 x 8-10, 3110, rest 90s
B-4. Decline Barbell Pullover, 3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 90s
C-1. Rope Cable Upright Row, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 75s
C-2. Seated Dumbbell Press, 3 x 8-10, 2012, rest 10s (yes, 10 seconds!)

Day 2
A-1. Cyclist Back Squat, 10,12,15,20 on a 2210 tempo, rest 100s
A-2. Leverage Leg Press, 4 x 4-6, 5010, rest 100s
B-1. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Inward, 3 x 4-6, 5010, rest 100s
B-2. Romanian Deadlift, 3 x 4-6, 5010, rest 100s
C-1. Standing Calf Raise, 3 x 7-9, 3110, rest 90s
C-2. Seated Calf Raise, 3 x 7-9, 5010, rest 90s

Day 3
A-1. 10-Degree Decline Close-Grip Bench Press, 6,8,10,12 on a 3210 tempo, rest 75s
A-2. Seated Zottmann Curl, 6,8,10,12 on a 3210 tempo, rest 75s
B-1. Rope French Press, 3 x 10-12, 3110, rest 10s (yes, 10 seconds!)
B-2. Pronated Triceps Pressdown, 3 x 15-20, 3010, rest 90s
B-3. Scott Gorilla Bar Reverse Curl, 3 x 7-9, 4010, rest 10s (yes, 10 seconds!)
B-4. Low Rope Supinated Curl, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 90s
C-1. Decline Pronated Wrist Curl, 3 x 12-15, 2010, rest 60s
C-2. Gripping Machine, 3 x 15-20, 2010, rest 60s

So there you have it: three options for manipulating training frequency. One of them will work best for you. And always take into consideration the 2 Percent Rule of Progress as a practical tool to guide your training decisions for optimal results.