What Is A Deload Week?
We all need a vacation from time to time, and deload week is just that. It is a break for the body to recharge and come back ready to work. Deload week is a week programmed into your training of lower stimulus to provide recovery. We know it is best to incorporate progressive overload but to maximize those adaptations, we need to give the body time to recover.
Let's not confuse deload week with an off-day. During your deload week, you are still doing your usual training but with less stimulus than in previous weeks. The goal is to come back refreshed and ready to push through a new phase of training.
If you want to prevent injury long-term and give the body proper recovery for adaptations, then yes, you should be incorporating a deload week. Anyone can benefit from a deload week, but the frequency will depend on individual factors such as your training age. Long-term, deload weeks provide a time for your joints and connective tissues to recover and avoid burnout.
HOW TO DELOAD
During your deload week, you are decreasing volume and intensity.
Start with cutting down the number of sets for a given exercise. Say that your back squat consists of 5 sets of 6-8 reps. During a deload week, this can change to 3-4 sets. For the intensity, we can look at RPEs. Aim to lower your overall rate of perceived exertion for your week.
WHEN SHOULD YOU DELOAD
A deload week can be pre-scheduled into a training program. (but I recommend double-checking with your coach/trainer). However, there are a lot of things to consider when deciding when to deload. Remember, programs should be flexible and work with you and your lifestyle.
If my trainees are feeling good, I like to move deload week to a time of higher need. Likewise, if someone reports feeling fatigued or burned out, I can add in a deload week to give them time to recover.
Lastly, I like to consider my trainee's schedules. If trainees know they will be on vacation or have a heavy work week, we can plan to push hard the week prior and schedule a deload for that time away or busy week.
Ultimately, pushing to the max every day is a sure way to attenuate your progress. Use deload weeks as needed to break up your high-volume training and allow for some recovery. For those worried about taking it easy for a week, know that one week of deload is not enough to derail your gains and quite honestly can aid in making better progress.
