Rule of 80%

I believe this is one of the most impactful practices we can apply to increase the likelihood of doing what we love, for the entirety of our health span.

I believe that this practice in self awareness and discipline makes for a “wise” athlete.

I believe that everyone reading this can become the athlete they want to be while being mindful of this idea.

And I know that some of my greatest mistakes have come from forgetting to consider this.

I first heard about the rule of 80% when I was staying with a small family in Japan.  Kiyoko, whom I called my Japanese grandmother, would smack me with the chopsticks when I started eating like the 20-something year old boy from the West I was.

“Julian, slow down and listen”, she’d say. “Don’t forget the rule of 80%”.

Kiyoko taught me a lot and was a big part of me subscribing to yoga.

Though I take full credit for teaching her headstands.

I saw it again, no more than a couple years later in a book about Blue Zones.

It mentioned this practice in Okinawa where there is a dense population of people living much longer than the global average.

They eat slowly, small amounts at a time, using self awareness to stop at 80%, before being full. One of many practices that led them to a long and rich life.

But it was this “rule of 80%” that really stuck with me and found its way into other aspects of my life.

I started considering this idea in more practices or activities.

Thinking of it as a rule of discipline whenever I was doing something.

• How I trained, stopping with a rep in the tank to avoid form breakdown

• How I decided when a ride, run or adventure was reaching it’s end; a little gas in the tank and still excited for more

• How far into a stretch I went in my yoga practice. Finding the edge, but not past it

• How I wanted to feel at the end of the day, or better yet, end of my week. Entirely drained, or only 80% of the way there?

• How I want to show up for my partner. With the ability to be playful, problem solve, simply put, present. Rather than stressed and at capacity, reactive and tired

But by far, the greatest impact this had on my life was in how I rode my bike, ran, or trained. The intensity if you will. It was when I pushed beyond 80% that I started to make mistakes, or become messy with my stride or on my bike.

I had my best racing results when I attached a note to my top-tube that said “80%”.

Placed second in that Enduro and never in those 5 stages, 5 descents, did I feel I was “pushing to max”. Always in control, finding rhythm.

Still, I am human and sometimes I push into that final 20%.

I attribute my second big injury this year to breaking that rule. To pushing to my max.

Pushing too hard, too soon.

Not fully healed, and too much “noise” around me.

I lost awareness, thus control, and at my edge took a hard slam.

As I reflect on the past few years and how I’ve applied this rule to my life, it has never let me down. It’s not always easy, nor is it always “fun”.

It takes discipline to call it before your tank is empty. Or to eat just enough to be satisfied, as they do in Japan.

Trust me, I’d much rather run fast through the woods, sprinting over roots and rocks. Rather than nasal breathing and running at a pace that means I can do it for years to come.

But that’s just it, short term pain for long term gain.

I really subscribed to this thinking when I considered the growth that happens at 80%.

Like building strength; squatting 160 when your 1 rep max is 200.

The perfect 8 rep max weight.

Or if you ran a total weekly distance of 100km, felt sore, blown out and nothing left in your legs. Solution, run 80km.

Stretching before your muscle spindle really starts to activate causing a neurological response that says “stop”, causing the stretch to be ineffective.

Then there is descending. Skiing, biking, etc.

Flowstate happens when there is a balance between one’s capabilities and amount of challenge. Too much skill, not enough challenge and you get bored. Too challenging, not enough skill, you panic.

But that sweet spot at 80%, riding a black trail you are familiar with just a little bit faster, and you tap into flowstate.

I witness and have experienced three reasons why one would push that last 20% to their max:

• Lack of awareness

• Lack of discipline

• Heightened ego

Guilty as charged…I’ve pushed to 100% because of all three.

I’ve been in scenarios with too much noise.

Too much excitement, not enough self awareness.

Like the injury I spoke about earlier.

Noise got the better of me, my body unprepared, still recovering and down I went.

You have to know yourself.

Once you know your max, where little mistakes, compensations, full bellies happen, in arrives discipline.

If you like to push it, you know there is a high that comes from going to 100%. And there is also a toxic culture around “going 100”. But this is not sustainable.

We can all think of someone we know, that had to quit what they loved because they burned all their matches, too soon.

Worth it?

Maybe. Not for me to say.

If you don’t care about doing what you love for years to come, or living a rich life of presence and play, I’m surprised you even read this far. However, if you’re in it for the long haul, pay close attention and stay your path; your pace.

In the end, what drives us to the brink of breaking, or crashing, is either the ego, or its lack of awareness. A healthy relationship with both is an ongoing practice.

And often, too often than I’d like to admit, the noise might increase. Play turns into a performance. Connection replaced with comparison. And you toss it all out the door.

It happens, trust me.

And the truth is, you’ll get away with it. At least this time, or for a little while.

But if you, like me, are interested in doing what you love for longer, to live a long playful life, park the ego, practice discipline and pay close attention.

80% is enough. It’s enough for fun, flow and growth.

And it will keep you on the trails, much longer.

Thanks for reading.