Reasonable/Tough Matrix

I was recently reminded of Dan John’s Reasonable vs. Tough Matrix. It’s a simple idea from one of my favorite strength coaches, and it’s a great tool for auditing your own efforts—especially around training and nutrition.

Dan John’s point is that pairing a tough diet with a tough training program creates a huge amount of stress. If you choose to do it, it should be something you “lock down” for a short, intentional window a few times each year—not a lifestyle. Living in a permanent cycle of starving yourself and trying to train hard is unsustainable, and honestly, unreasonable.

When you break the matrix down, you get four combinations. Each can play a role at different points in your year:

Reasonable Training + Reasonable Nutrition
This is the foundation. This is where long-term consistency happens.

Reasonable Training + Tough Nutrition
A season of tightening things up while still keeping training manageable.

Tough Training + Reasonable Nutrition
Where most athletes live. They’re pushing hard and need proper fuel to support it.

Tough Training + Tough Nutrition
A short, focused sprint. Useful at times—but absolutely not sustainable year-round.

At the end of the day, this is about honestly assessing what your body needs and where you can realistically be strict. Most of us try to be strict in all areas, all the time, and it backfires. Instead, build flexibility into your system. If you’re going to crank both the training and nutrition dials to “tough,” treat it as a temporary phase—not your default.

—Justin Miner