In an ideal world, we’d all have plenty of free time to dedicate to our health and fitness. But this is the real world, which means most of us have to juggle careers, family commitments and social lives while still trying to make progress in the gym.
Turning 35 can make that balancing act even harder. You might find yourself busier than ever after becoming a parent, dealing with greater responsibilities at work or simply needing more time to recover between hard sessions – all of which can make a complicated training plan increasingly difficult to sustain.
That’s where the Two Pattern Protocol comes in.
Designed by strength coach Judd Lienhard, the approach strips strength training back to the fundamentals by asking you to focus on just two of four key movement patterns in each workout.
The two patterns you don’t train in one session are picked up in the next, and so on. The idea is that you can build strength across your entire body without obsessing over individual exercises or cramming every movement into every workout.
What Is the Two Pattern Protocol?
The Two Pattern Protocol revolves around four key movement patterns: hinge, squat/lunge, push and pull. These aren't the only ways the human body moves, but Lienhard selected them because together they cover many of the fundamental movements required to build strength.
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‘Be honest, if someone were to pick just one movement from each of those four patterns and do them progressively for their entire life, how strong and functional would they be compared to everyone else?’ he writes on his Substack. ‘If someone wasn’t really into “the gym” but they did back squats, weighted dips, chin-ups and deadlifts heavy, consistently and safely, would they be healthy and “functional”? Yes, they would.’
Choosing compound exercises where possible allows you to train multiple muscle groups while sticking to those fundamental patterns.
It’s worth noting that the protocol is predominantly focused on building strength through relatively linear movements. If you also want to improve your rotational strength, power, core strength or carrying capacity, you can add exercises targeting those qualities. Isolation exercises can also be included if you want to give a specific muscle group additional attention.
The Rules
To build strength with the Two Pattern Protocol after 35, Lienhard recommends following a few basic principles around volume, frequency, intensity and exercise selection.
Volume
Aim for 10 sets per movement pattern every 10 days. Exactly how those sets are distributed will depend on your schedule, but Lienhard recommends completing at least 2 working sets for each of the two patterns trained in a session.
Frequency
Lienhard recommends taking a rest day after every lifting day, even if your next workout targets different movement patterns.
‘If we bench one day and squat another, that is one stress for each body part but two stresses on our system,’ he writes.
This becomes particularly important when you're lifting heavy, he argues, because the overall demands of training aren't limited to the individual muscles being worked.
Following his 10-day structure means lifting five times across 10 days, alternating training and recovery days throughout.
Intensity
For your working sets, Lienhard recommends using between 80% and 90% of your one-rep max.
Because most people can lift around 90% of their one-rep max for three to five reps, compared with roughly eight reps at 80%, he recommends choosing a load you can manage for around 5-6 reps, with 4 being the minimum.
‘This will result in the safest and best strength gains, and it will be equally effective at adding muscle size as the higher-rep sets with far less fatigue.’
Lienhard also suggests getting close to failure on every set, but advises against overthinking exactly how many reps you have left in the tank.
‘If you know you can get another rep with good form, then go for it. If you think the form will break down, then don’t.’
Direction
Finally, Lienhard recommends alternating between horizontal and vertical variations of each movement pattern.
‘If you do rows one day, the next time you pull, aim for chin-ups, pull-ups or some form of pulldown’.
He also recommends including unilateral exercises at least once a month for each movement pattern.
How to Build Your Own Two Pattern Workouts
The beauty of the Two Pattern Protocol is that you can customise it around your experience, preferences and whatever equipment you have available.
Choose two movement patterns for each session, then select exercises from the options below. On your next training day, tackle the other two patterns. You can add extra movements for power, rotation, core strength or carries as needed, but start simple and build from there.
Hinge Movements
Squat/Lunge Movements
Push Movements
Pull Movements
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