On deloading weeks, is it fine to do bodybuilding type workouts with lighter weights? Or is it recommended to take the week off completely.
Just make sure the volume isnt nuts. You don’t want to be sore and beat up on your deaload weeks. That completely defeats the purpose.
Whatever you do, DO NOT take the week off. That is one of the worst things you can do for your strength and recovery.
[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
Just make sure the volume isnt nuts. You don’t want to be sore and beat up on your deaload weeks. That completely defeats the purpose.
Whatever you do, DO NOT take the week off. That is one of the worst things you can do for your strength and recovery.[/quote]
+1 In my experience, I found the exact same thing, a sedentary week off is just aweful for not just your muscles but your mental preparative abilities.
[quote]Dymdez wrote:
[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
Just make sure the volume isnt nuts. You don’t want to be sore and beat up on your deaload weeks. That completely defeats the purpose.
Whatever you do, DO NOT take the week off. That is one of the worst things you can do for your strength and recovery.[/quote]
+1 In my experience, I found the exact same thing, a sedentary week off is just aweful for not just your muscles but your mental preparative abilities.
[/quote]
+2 i came back and everything felt like shit for 2 weeks.
[quote]HERC410 wrote:
[quote]Dymdez wrote:
[quote]StormTheBeach wrote:
Just make sure the volume isnt nuts. You don’t want to be sore and beat up on your deaload weeks. That completely defeats the purpose.
Whatever you do, DO NOT take the week off. That is one of the worst things you can do for your strength and recovery.[/quote]
+1 In my experience, I found the exact same thing, a sedentary week off is just aweful for not just your muscles but your mental preparative abilities.
[/quote]
+2 i came back and everything felt like shit for 2 weeks.[/quote]
- a gajillion
Agree with the above comments. Deload isn’t a week off unless you are so fried that you really need it (very rare). I think I bodybuilding split would be fine for a week and actually might be a fun change of pace. I actually considered it for my deload. If you do try it and want to continue with your main lifts just cut your weight to 60% of your 1 rm.
BBer’s usually work around 70%. I say go 60% since bb isn’t your training goal (or even 50% if you are a little on the burned out side) to be safe especially because your body won’t be adapted to higher rep bb style and you don’t want to defeat the point of deloading.
At the end of the day don’t overdo it because deload is mainly an active recovery week just to get a pump in the muscles and let the body prepare for the next cycle of training.
Wow Im surprised you guys are so anti-off weeks. I find it hard to come in and “back off” in the gym unless I am really excited about some new assistance exercise or something, like when I started face pulls or decided to do a week of all machine exercises for fun and to deload my spine.
I just cant drive 55 in the gym very well, and like that 3rd beer that leads to a weeknight blackout I will inevitably want to push a workout. Maybe I am doing it wrong.
And I have also felt like a week off was just what the doctor ordered. Or a week off with a total body day in in the middle or something. As long as it doesnt go longer than a week I usually come back ready to rock.
However, I will defer to the people here with 800+ DLs, just throwing in my .02
josh bryant has good rule of thumb to deload. 70% of weight and 70% of volume. i use a basterdized version of 5/3/1 on my deload ill use anything from 60 to 75% of my max effort single from the week before. to keep interested during deload week ill push the pace by decreasing rest periods. just did this my last workout and despite using 70% of my my last week max i found it very challenging. also you can use that week to push conditioning or even drop to low carb for the week to drop weight.
[quote]milktruck wrote:
Wow Im surprised you guys are so anti-off weeks. I find it hard to come in and “back off” in the gym unless I am really excited about some new assistance exercise or something, like when I started face pulls or decided to do a week of all machine exercises for fun and to deload my spine.
I just cant drive 55 in the gym very well, and like that 3rd beer that leads to a weeknight blackout I will inevitably want to push a workout. Maybe I am doing it wrong.
And I have also felt like a week off was just what the doctor ordered. Or a week off with a total body day in in the middle or something. As long as it doesnt go longer than a week I usually come back ready to rock.
However, I will defer to the people here with 800+ DLs, just throwing in my .02[/quote]
I used to be the same way. It’s tough to turn that part of your brain off that keeps screaming “fuck it, lift heavy” but it makes a huge difference dropping the volume and intensity for a week. The general concensus in literature and practical application seems to be anywhere from 40-70% of normal training. Also stuff like if you lift 4 days a week normally, only lift 3. I dont think it even needs to be that thought out. Just dont do anything too stressful without actually taking time off.
I even started deloading for 2 weeks beofre meets. This is after absolutely killing myself and overtraining (or overreaching) on purpose for 2 weeks straight. I go to meets feeling like a million bucks and crush new PRs.
Really though, it doesnt matter what anyone else does. Do whatever you have to do to keep getting stronger and keep your head in the game when you are training.
When I take a deloading workout, it basically consists of ripping out 225 for a quick set of 20 on squats, followed by a few easy sets of 225 bench and bodyweight chins, then lots of stretching. All the lifts are done
very quickly.
Feels really great when I get done, and usually take a full day off after and come in after that just wrecking heavy triples.
yeah only thing more refreshing than deload week is the week after deload week when all the weights you were doing before feel like a joke.