Please don’t tell me to read the book, because I have.
I am wondering on the different approaches to deloading.
I am about to start my first deload. I am doing 531 BBB.
I am planning to deload every 2 cycles. Sometimes I feel my accessory work takes more effort than the main work, as I have started with low weights for the main lifts( as the book suggests).
I am considering just dropping all the accessory work, practice the main lifts with the suggested percentages and maybe spend a bit more time on mobility?
Also regarding diet, on deload weeks do you adjust calories to account for the decreased work?
On my deloads, I basically go to the gym and do my warmup routine, just like I normally would, and then stop when I would normally be ready for my first working set. As to calories, I keep them about the same. Deloads are a time for muscle growth and repair. Remember, that’s why you need them every now and then. Don’t skimp on calories just because you aren’t working as hard.
[quote]Ecchastang wrote:
On my deloads, I basically go to the gym and do my warmup routine, just like I normally would, and then stop when I would normally be ready for my first working set. As to calories, I keep them about the same. Deloads are a time for muscle growth and repair. Remember, that’s why you need them every now and then. Don’t skimp on calories just because you aren’t working as hard.[/quote]
This is exactly what I do. I’ve also tried the full body deload from the book and enjoyed that as a nice change of pace. Sometimes if i want to try out a new assistance lift i’ll work up to figure out a training max on one of the days.
My most recent deload week happened to fall on the week of thanksgiving, so i took the whole week off and just ate a crapload of food.
I always did the 40%/50%/60% on the core lifts for the 5/3/1 sets and reps.
For BBB, I am going to follow the recommended protocol for the assistance work this time (deload = 3 sets of 10 reps on the 2-3 assistance exercises instead of the normal 5 x 10). I did not do this when I was doing regular 5/3/1, I just left assistance work as normal.
[quote]DanProsser wrote:
I don’t deload. Waste of time. I just take days off whenever I need it.
[/quote]
Im actually looking forward to this deload week, but I want to do it productively.
Will take the opportunity to work on my squat from, which needs some serious help at the moment.
If I’ve been doing heavy conditioning, I cut the intensity back (vest walking or jogging instead of hills.)
You can’t lose fitness or strength in only a week, so do whatever you need to recover. Even doing nothing wouldn’t have a negative effect if you’ve been training hard previously. It might even be positive.
My life forces me to deload quite frequently. I have plenty of other things than training in my life, and I’ll have short periods in every month or two when I can’t get to the gym.
These are my deloads. I try to adjust my training cycles by them, but of course they don’t always fit to the right week. I’ll eat normally when these forced deloads occur (=a lot).
Not optimal in any sense, but as the Jim says: make it work.
If running a 2x/wk protocol, I don’t. Unless I’ve been travelling a ton and feel the fatigue setting in and it’s been 3-4 months.
If running a more normal protocol, I warm up as usual and do the first few (non-working) sets. I may do one set at the working set weight, but smooth and deliberate and not for extra reps. Then for assistance, I’ll typically pare it down and use lighter weight and/or different exercises (and not balls out) for the sake of contrast and mental satisfaction.
And eat to recover and be fresh! May be tough if you’re aesthetically concerned, but it’s smarter for the long run.
