Deload Week: Why Doing Less Can Actually Help You Progress More
There’s a ton of information about deloading online, and it can get really confusing.
Do I need to deload? When? How? What do I do when I’m done?
So, I’m going to break everything down in a simple guide to help you decide whether a deload is something you want to incorporate, and how to do it.
What is a Deload week?
A deload week is a short period where you reduce training intensity, volume, or length of your workout. It’s not about completely stopping exercise. It’s a chance to recover, heal, and recharge your body and nervous system.
Why Deloading Matters
Training creates stress on the body. That stress is what allows you to build muscle, improve endurance, and get stronger. But you need to give your body a chance to recover from that stress. A deload gives your muscles, joints, and nervous system a chance to catch up so you can continue making progress long-term.
Signs You Might Need a Deload
→ Your performance is dropping. Workouts start to feel harder than they should. The weights, or reps, or distance that you were doing previously start feeling harder rather than easier.
→ You’re constantly sore or aching. This doesn’t include normal DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) that typically lasts 24-48 hours after a workout. Instead, think soreness, joint stiffness, or aches that don’t seem to go away.
→ Mental exhaustion. You’re dreading your workouts or stop enjoying the training you’ve been doing.
→ Sleep and recovery are suffering. You feel drained, low energy, and generally run down even after getting enough sleep.
→ You’ve hit a plateau. You’ve stayed consistent with effort, nutrition, and sleep, but your progress is still stalling.
How Often Should You Deload?
How often you should deload depends on things like your training intensity, workout frequency, age, experience, etc.
Performance athletes or older lifters: You may do best with a 3-weeks-on, 1-week-deload schedule.
Most recreational lifters: A deload every 6-8 weeks is usually a good starting point.
Intermediate lifters who find 6-8 weeks too frequent: Every 12-16 weeks may be more appropriate.
If you’re brand new to lifting or have been training for less than a year: You may only need a couple of deloads throughout the year. Beginners often aren’t creating enough training stress yet to require regular deloads.
How To Deload Properly
There are a few different ways to deload, and your best option will depend on your goals and training style.
Option 1: Reduce the Weight
This is the most common option and works well for most gym-goers.
For this, your reps and sets will stay the same, but you want to use about 50-60% of your usual weights.
Example: If you usually do squats at 100lbs for 6 reps, you might use 50-60lbs for 6 reps during your deload week.
Option 2: Reduce the Volume
This option is better for athletes, or someone nearing some form of competition.
For this, you want to keep weights the same but reduce the amount of work you do. Cut your sets, reps, or number of exercises by about 50%.
Example: Do 2 sets instead of 3-4, 6-8 reps instead of 10-15, or 2-3 exercises instead of 4-5.
Option 3: Active Recovery Week
This is a really great choice for general fitness and recreational lifters because it gives both your body and mind a break from structured weight training while keeping you active.
For this option, you will completely change your routine for the week. Swapping weight training for low-intensity cardio, mobility, swimming, yoga, etc.
Here are some ideas of low-intensity cardio you could include:
-
- hiking
- swimming
- cycling
- bodyweight workouts
- Stairs
You should still be planning to exercise the same days/week, but with an active recovery option vs your typically gym workout.
What NOT To Do During a Deload
Don’t completely stop moving: Unless you’re injured or extremely exhausted, total inactivity usually isn’t necessary.
Don’t slash your calories: Continue eating enough protein and overall calories, especially if muscle retention or performance matters to you.
Don’t feel guilty: Recovery is productive! You are NOT losing progress by taking a week off. It takes a minimum of 3 weeks off from the gym to start seeing any decline.
What Happens After a Deload? When returning to regular training it’s important to ease back in, don’t immediately jump into your previous intensity. Gradually build your intensity and volume back up over the next week or two.
The important thing to remember is that recovery is just as important to progress as the exercise and nutrition. For most people, taking one deload week every couple months can:
- reduce injury risk
- improve recovery
- help break through plateaus
- improve consistency
- make training feel enjoyable again
If you’ve never tried a deload before, consider experimenting with one the next time your body or mind feels run down. You might be surprised at how much better your training feels afterward!
Resources:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-deload
