The 50/50 rule (when exercising less is exactly the right decision)

Ever wonder how to adjust your workouts when you’re sick? Or what if you haven’t worked out in a few weeks and are ready to get back into it? What do you say after you’ve just had a terrible night’s sleep?

These situations come up all the time in our coaching program, so today I want to walk you through 50/50 rule: my go-to strategy for helping people exercise safely and effectively when life throws you a curveball.

Let’s break it down.

The 50/50 rule

Here’s the premise: do 50% of total reps and 50% of weight. (This gives you 1/4 of the total training load.)

Let’s say your workout calls for 2 sets of 10 reps with 20lb dumbbells. Applying the 50/50 rule, this becomes 2 sets of 5 reps with 10lb dumbbells.

Another example is a bodyweight exercise like push-ups, 4 sets of 6 reps. With the 50/50 rule, this becomes 2 sets of 3 reps of an easier push-up variation.

Why does it work?

When your body’s resources are overtaxed—from prolonged intense training, illness, or periods of high stress—pushing at the same intensity doesn’t produce the same results. You are drawing water from a well that is already exhausted.

After an illness or a long break from training, your body is significantly more sensitive to training stimuli than normal. The threshold for « too much » is much lower than you think.

Have you ever gotten right back into your normal workout routine after getting sick, felt great during it, and then been wrecked for days afterward? That’s exactly what’s happening.

The good news is you don’t either need just as much. A reduced session still gives you real benefits—practicing technique, maintaining a habit, pushing recovery forward—without digging yourself into a deeper hole.
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Think of it less as « light work » and more as a workout at the right dose for where your body is actually at right now.

Practical applications

• Unloading – If you’ve been training hard for 4-8 weeks without a break, take a full week off using the 50/50 rule. This gives your body extra time to rest and recover so you come back stronger and ready to train. Note: if your training schedule is inconsistent, you already get mini « breaks » built in, so you probably don’t need a dedicated deload week.
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• Illness – If it’s really mild (no fever, no muscle aches, etc.), the 50/50 rule can keep you going while you recover (just don’t do it at the gym and make other people sick!). After you’re sick, use it to come back. Start at 50/50, then add 10-20% each session as long as you feel good and recover well.
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• Terrible night’s sleep – Log in, make it a 50/50 day and go home. No need to work your way through a full session. Hopefully you sleep better and get back to full reps and weights later in the week.
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• Extended free time – Has it been a while since you worked out? Apply the 50/50 rule to your first few sessions back. The goal is to move and feel good, not to obliterate yourself.

The Takeaway

Training doesn’t mean going hard all the time, no matter what.
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The most effective approach is making the right amount, the right way, at the right time – and the 50/50 rule gives you an easy way to do just that in a surprising number of situations.

Simple enough to remember, easy enough to do, and will serve your training and recovery for a long time.

You got that. 💪

– Matt

PS Looking for practical, real-world advice without all the BS? That’s exactly what ours is coaching program is built on. 🔥