The 85% Rule: Why Trying Slightly Less Hard Can Make You a Better Athlete

I want to discuss a training idea that might feel a bit strange at first, especially as we train in a functional fitness setting where effort and intensity are always celebrated.

There is no doubt you train incredibly hard and you are far more committed than you often give yourselves credit for. You enjoy feeling as though you have worked for something and there is a sense of satisfaction that comes with leaving a session knowing you pushed.

However, there is something important that many people forget. Going all out every time you train is probably effecting long term progress. In fact it usually does more harm than good.

This is where the 85 per cent rule comes in and once you start applying it everything from your performance to your confidence will improve.

Why Training at 100 Per Cent is Not the Answer

It is easy to believe that if you are not exhausted or lying on the floor after a workout then you did not work hard enough. Functional fitness can unintentionally encourage that mindset because the environment is competitive, fast paced and full of people who want to improve. That is not a bad thing, but it does need managing.

Training at maximum effort all the time eventually leads to problems such as:

• Slower recovery

• Loss of motivation

• Constant muscle soreness

• Increased injury risk

• Declining technique under fatigue

• Inconsistent training patterns

It can also make training feel like something you need to mentally prepare for rather than something you look forward to and this is not why we train!

What the 85 Per Cent Rule Means

The idea is simple. Most of your sessions should be completed at around 85 per cent effort, not maximum intensity.

That does not mean an easy session where you cruise through without intention. It means training hard but staying in control, moving well and keeping enough in the tank to perform again tomorrow.

An 85 per cent session should feel productive, focused and purposeful, not like a battle to survive.

Why You Progress Faster at 85 Per Cent

There are several key benefits to training this way.

You recover faster and train more often: One extremely hard session followed by two or three days of soreness is less productive than three or four strong, well controlled sessions.

Your technique improves: Strength work, gymnastics and conditioning are all skill based. Skills improve through quality, not fatigue.

You learn to pace: Pacing is a performance skill, anyone can sprint for a short period of time but it takes awareness and control to sustain effort.

You reduce the risk of burnout and injury: Most injuries develop slowly through repetition when the body is tired rather than through one single mistake.

You become more consistent: Consistency is what delivers lasting results and that is far easier to achieve when you are not constantly exhausted.

Learn From The Best

Elite athletes do not train as hard as possible every time they enter the gym, they train with purpose, structure and patience. Their sessions are planned across weeks and months, with clear intentions behind intensity, volume and recovery. They understand that not every day is about pushing their limits, but about developing skills, improving movement quality, building capacity and protecting long term performance. They track how they feel, adjust when necessary and never rely on motivation alone.

In short, they value intelligent, consistent work over constant maximum effort and that approach is exactly why they continue to progress year after year and they're the best in the world.

What 85 Per Cent Looks Like in a Session

To help you apply it properly here are some examples.

Strength Work: The majority of the strength work on the programme already factors this in, but if you're training outside the programme then you need to consider this, maxing out is going to have a detrimental effect on training in the days to come.

Conditioning: I get it, that leaderboard is always screaming at you, I need to beat..... But you going full send every time doesn't always produce the outcome you think. You want controlled breathing, steady movement and the ability to maintain your pace throughout the workout rather than blowing up early. This will develop long term capacity.

Gymnastics: Keep your sets small and tidy. Stop before your technique breaks down. Quality reps improve skill and strengthen good habits.

When to Use 100 Per Cent Effort

Maximum effort is not banned, it simply needs purpose. Save it for:

• Benchmark workouts

• Testing phases

• Competitions or events

• Planned intensity blocks

• Days when you feel physically and mentally ready

If you've been around long enough, you will see that we don't constantly post 1rm testing, because it has a massive effect on the nervous system with a tremendous recovery effect that needs to be considered. 100 per cent effort's should be occasional and strategic, this includes metcons.

Final Thoughts

Training at 85 per cent is not about lowering your standards or avoiding hard work. It is about training in a way that allows you to progress without constantly feeling worn out. The best athletes are not the ones who push the hardest in a single session, but the ones who train well repeatedly over time.

This shouldn't be a war of attrition, nor should you ever dread training.

Try shifting your mindset from“How much can I suffer today”to“How well can I train today and still train well tomorrow”

You will likely find that not only does your performance improve, but so does your enjoyment.