# your take on deload weeks?



## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

whats your guys feelings on deload weeks? worth it or take a week off?

been continuously lifting at pretty much 80% of my max for about 5 or 6 months now and feel its time to do one of the two - feel fine day to day and all ready for the gym but after 5 or 6 sets it just hit so hard over the last 2 weeks every workout, mainly upper body.


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## griffo13 (Dec 7, 2009)

if ur powerlifting or o lifting... there is no need cause u have not been training hard enough...

if ur bb-ing and u mean u have been lifting 80 percent of ur max to failure.. then yes i would imo deload.

methods are different depends on who u ask...

i would try deload 3 -4 times a year.


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

kk read so many different ways to actually go about doing a deload. but yes BBing.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

some strength trainers deload every 4-6 weeks due to working 75-105% max effort .

for bodybuilding its not really viable so you would be better taking a week off the gym .


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## griffo13 (Dec 7, 2009)

well simplest way is to just take a week off.

not sure which is best way... but my fav is to have a week where i do high reps with low weight... nothing to failure. just go threw a week of training with low intensity, low sets high reps. just to get the blood flowing. be in and out of the gym quick and recover.

another way is to stay using the rep ranges u were using for normal traininig.. cut the sets and reducd the weight to 40-50 percent of max. again... ur trying to recover.

you can even go for 2 weeks of deloading. there is research on the net somewhere that says by taking to weeks off training increases the amount of stimulus the muscles adapt to once training recomences.

the amount of deloading you should do depends more on how long u have been pushing ur training... i should do more then a week... probably 2 weeks for every 3-4 months training... one week maybe suits 1-2 months.

research has pointed out that most records in any sport are broke by people how suffered some sort of injury in the months prior to breaking the record. the time laid up reocovering helped them more in the long run rather then some one who went the whole year breaking there balls none stop


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

yep i deload, does help me for sure


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

not going to take a week off, want to keep my motivation strong.

gunna go about 40% of my max and cut a set off each excersise and see how i feel. going to start my deload next monday - in london over the weekend so makes sense for me to start next week.


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## griffo13 (Dec 7, 2009)

harryalmighty said:


> not going to take a week off, want to keep my motivation strong.
> 
> gunna go about 40% of my max and cut a set off each excersise and see how i feel. going to start my deload next monday - in london over the weekend so makes sense for me to start next week.


now just remember... this is about time to give ur body a chance to recover. give ur muscles a break.. now i know its easier for me to say this.. but i find it hard to put it in practise myself... cuts ur sets more.. considering how long u said u have been training might be even better to take two weeks.

having great motivation is what you want.. but being to eager could lead you to defeating the purpose of deloading....

delaoding breaks can be hard on you mentally because in ur head ur crazy to train.. taking two weeks away from gym might be better... just do light outdoor cardio... when you come back you progress like mad all over again.


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## infernal0988 (Jun 16, 2011)

I dont see the need for this really and idk why people read to much into it , when i step into the gym i just know in my head what i need to do and i dont think about lifting 60 % or 80% or 100% i just lift and i just know what weights i can do or want to try for.


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## crazypaver1 (Nov 23, 2008)

whats does deloading mean people?


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## infernal0988 (Jun 16, 2011)

crazypaver1 said:


> whats does deloading mean people?


It means when a woman wont let you cum


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## harryalmighty (Nov 13, 2011)

griffo13 said:


> now just remember... this is about time to give ur body a chance to recover. give ur muscles a break.. now i know its easier for me to say this.. but i find it hard to put it in practise myself... cuts ur sets more.. considering how long u said u have been training might be even better to take two weeks.
> 
> having great motivation is what you want.. but being to eager could lead you to defeating the purpose of deloading....
> 
> delaoding breaks can be hard on you mentally because in ur head ur crazy to train.. taking two weeks away from gym might be better... just do light outdoor cardio... when you come back you progress like mad all over again.


yep so gunna go roughly 40-50% on my lifts

deload:

upper 1 - 2x10 incline bench

2x10 t bar rows

1x10 lat pulls

1x10 incline db

lower 1 - 2x8 front sqats

2x8 deads

upper 2 - 1x8 dips unweighted

2x10 ohp

2 x 10 penlay rows

1x10 cable row

lower 2 - 2x8 back squat

2x8 sld

sound right for a deload?


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## griffo13 (Dec 7, 2009)

good stuff.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

In the proper sense of the term, a deload is a period of low intensity training following a phase of over-reaching as part of a periodised routine. This would be employed where the routine is structured so that intensity increases over itme to the point of being unsustainable for more than a short burst - the deload that follows is not just for a rest though, it also allows for adaptations from the over-reaching to manifest that mean when you return to the lower intensity training after the deload your body is in a state to be able to grow better/strengthen faster from the lower intensity work.

This kind of thing is mostly appropriate to periodised strength training routines, but you can also employ periodisation and over-reaching in a bodybuilding routine by working at a higher rep count than a strength trainer, and building towards using negatives and/or drop sets for periods of all-out failure training with an increased total training volume rather than building towards low rep maximum lifts.

This is not exactly something for a beginner to do though.

In respect of simply taking a break now and again when following a more linear routine, yes absolutely fine if you feel that you need it. A week off once in a while isn't a bad idea at all to recharge the batteries and give connective tissues a rest, and in this way of doing it is not a detriment... it only becomes a problem if those weeks off happen every 2-3 weeks.


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## Strongr (Oct 4, 2012)

If you feel you need it, take it just go to 40% of you max, barely break a sweat, then go home


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## griffo13 (Dec 7, 2009)

dtlv said:


> In the proper sense of the term, a deload is a period of low intensity training following a phase of over-reaching as part of a periodised routine. This would be employed where the routine is structured so that intensity increases over itme to the point of being unsustainable for more than a short burst - the deload that follows is not just for a rest though, it also allows for adaptations from the over-reaching to manifest that mean when you return to the lower intensity training after the deload your body is in a state to be able to grow better/strengthen faster from the lower intensity work.
> 
> This kind of thing is mostly appropriate to periodised strength training routines, but you can also employ periodisation and over-reaching in a bodybuilding routine by working at a higher rep count than a strength trainer, and building towards using negatives and/or drop sets for periods of all-out failure training with an increased total training volume rather than building towards low rep maximum lifts.
> 
> ...


very nice way of putting it... i didnt have time to look threw my books at home here...

im not sure but there might be another issue of deloading that might be of benefit to bodybuilders in regards to glycogen stoarge... somehting along the lines of constantly working the musccle hard over time reduces the amount of glycogen the muscle can store. after delaoding and allowing extended reocvery increases glycogen storage back to normal = better progress.


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## robc1985 (Jan 28, 2010)

Helps me recharge and get more motivated. I just take a week off.


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