I’m in sore need of a deloading week. I broke my PRs for Squatting, Flat Bench, Barbell Row, Deadlift, and Incline Bench this past week. I figured I’d be fine, but this week I feel like I’m moving in cement. I’m sore all over and I’m absolutely exhausted. I’ve never really done a deload week before, what do ya’all do for a typical deload week when you take one? I’m thinking of just skipping most of my weighted lifts next week and just doing a couple conditioning days…
Had a deload last week, startet doing them more often and I really like it.
I just follow CC’s tips in the thread about his thoughts on how to handle yates-style training. I do light weight for high reps and not going to failure. It feels good the deload week and when I go back to my normal weights.
Take a look in his thread http://tnation.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/blog_sports_training_performance_bodybuilding_alpha/my_thoughts_on_how_to_handle_yatesstyle_training_no_this_is_not_the_promised_powerbuilding_article_sorry
Good luck 
Careful now, you’ll get a load of abuse for mentioning deloads in here lol
I’d just take a few days off, or spend the next few days using a load that’s half your usual and do lots of reps with it (e.g. 12+) for active recovery.
That is, assuming that you are resting enough, and eating enough? Has your bodyweight gone up lately? Could be time to push it up.
It took a while to discover that my splits weren’t that great for my circumstances (wasn’t recovering, and needed “deloads” regularly) - I simply needed more rest between training so I have more days off per week now (train 4-5x week now compared to 6-7x). Maybe something to consider.
[quote]its_just_me wrote:
Careful now, you’ll get a load of abuse for mentioning deloads in here lol
I’d just take a few days off, or spend the next few days using a load that’s half your usual and do lots of reps with it (e.g. 12+) for active recovery.
That is, assuming that you are resting enough, and eating enough? Has your bodyweight gone up lately? Could be time to push it up.
It took a while to discover that my splits weren’t that great for my circumstances (wasn’t recovering, and needed “deloads” regularly) - I simply needed more rest between training so I have more days off per week now (train 4-5x week now compared to 6-7x). Maybe something to consider.[/quote]
i was just about to abuse haha. sounds like you arent recovering and that could be due to a lot of things. id sort that shit out before id take a week off from regular training. you dont get big by not lifting weights.
that being said, you know your body better than anyone else and ultimately you have to do whats right for you. id recommend eating more, sleeping better, and going for a massage.
[quote]bob84 wrote:
I do light weight for high reps and not going to failure. [/quote]
That’s my approach as well. Your joints will feel good, your muscles will still get a nice blood flush, and mentally, you’ll be recharged (probably antsy) to really crush some iron when you resume ‘normal’ lifting.
S
I’d follow CC’s guidelines on deloading. You grow when you are recovering. Just do 1 cycle of your routine with light weight for higher reps not to failure like bob said. I almost always smash PR’s right out of the gate when I deload, and it feels great on the elbows/knees. Wish I would of know about deload/active recovery before I messed up both of my knees
Stu beat me to the punch.
I do exercises that I normally wouldn’t do, including extra isolation. Also a higher rep range.
More food and more sleep work wonders in aiding recovery.
Yah, I just finished a bulk and ended it with a week where I tried to break all my PR’s. I think this coming week I’m going to go lighter weights, not to failure. Throw in a couple exercises I never do, maybe some direct arm work. And then a couple conditioning days and call it a week
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
Yah, I just finished a bulk and ended it with a week where I tried to break all my PR’s. I think this coming week I’m going to go lighter weights, not to failure. Throw in a couple exercises I never do, maybe some direct arm work. And then a couple conditioning days and call it a week[/quote]
Shouldn’t you be breaking PRs every week, or trying?
Guess I’ve never really understood the need for a de-load, or had one for that matter.
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
I’m in sore need of a deloading week. I broke my PRs for Squatting, Flat Bench, Barbell Row, Deadlift, and Incline Bench this past week. I figured I’d be fine, but this week I feel like I’m moving in cement. I’m sore all over and I’m absolutely exhausted. I’ve never really done a deload week before, what do ya’all do for a typical deload week when you take one? I’m thinking of just skipping most of my weighted lifts next week and just doing a couple conditioning days…[/quote]
For me, I would just take the week off. Maybe do some walking, play ball or watever, stuff that make you feel good and get the blood flowing (sex is another option). Also, I find having a swim seem to relif my soreness and joint pain also.
…LOL
[quote]SSC wrote:
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
Yah, I just finished a bulk and ended it with a week where I tried to break all my PR’s. I think this coming week I’m going to go lighter weights, not to failure. Throw in a couple exercises I never do, maybe some direct arm work. And then a couple conditioning days and call it a week[/quote]
Shouldn’t you be breaking PRs every week, or trying?
Guess I’ve never really understood the need for a de-load, or had one for that matter.[/quote]
? I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that goes for a 1RM every week…
Breaking a PR is not the same as setting a new 1RM record.
If you squat 300 lbs x 12 week 1, and squat 305 lbs x 12 week 2, you’ve broken a PR.
ah, right you are good sir. I meant I set 1 RM on all those exercises
I use only machines and stop 2-3 reps short of failure
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
ah, right you are good sir. I meant I set 1 RM on all those exercises [/quote]
I get what you’re saying. I guess I don’t ever go for 1 RM maxes too often… erm, ever.
So, now let me pose a question. Is all you did last week is go in and do 1 RM tests?
I could be totally wrong or off-basis here, but it seems like keeping it that minimal would be less taxing on your nervous system (although I have reservations about throwing that term around.) Why not just take an extra day or two off? By the time I take more than a day off or so I start getting antsy and have to go and lift.
Again, I’m really not sure what your circumstances were with training, though.
FWIW some times when im stalling/have sore joints/feel burnt-out etc i might just do ONE-FOUR (depending on severity of symptoms) days of high reps and no failure and getting a pump
i just dont see the logic behind deciding in advance how long you are going to take off. you may feel ready to go after 2-3 days… or not.
I just started taking a week off every 3 - 6 months
then the week i start training i do half of what i would normally do and forget the arm day.
then the next week i go full blast.
usually after the first week returning to lifting i notice a great boost in the gym.
[quote]SSC wrote:
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
ah, right you are good sir. I meant I set 1 RM on all those exercises [/quote]
I get what you’re saying. I guess I don’t ever go for 1 RM maxes too often… erm, ever.
So, now let me pose a question. Is all you did last week is go in and do 1 RM tests?
I could be totally wrong or off-basis here, but it seems like keeping it that minimal would be less taxing on your nervous system (although I have reservations about throwing that term around.) Why not just take an extra day or two off? By the time I take more than a day off or so I start getting antsy and have to go and lift.
Again, I’m really not sure what your circumstances were with training, though.[/quote]
A 1RM is actually more taxing on the CNS then higher rep sets.
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
[quote]SSC wrote:
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
ah, right you are good sir. I meant I set 1 RM on all those exercises [/quote]
I get what you’re saying. I guess I don’t ever go for 1 RM maxes too often… erm, ever.
So, now let me pose a question. Is all you did last week is go in and do 1 RM tests?
I could be totally wrong or off-basis here, but it seems like keeping it that minimal would be less taxing on your nervous system (although I have reservations about throwing that term around.) Why not just take an extra day or two off? By the time I take more than a day off or so I start getting antsy and have to go and lift.
Again, I’m really not sure what your circumstances were with training, though.[/quote]
A 1RM is actually more taxing on the CNS then higher rep sets.
[/quote]
Well right, I know this, but I think the variable is how much he actually did during these workouts.
Did he go in and get a 1 RM, say yippee and leave?
Or did he go in, get a 1 RM, and then blast through 5 more sets working in normal rep ranges? If this were the case, I guess I could maybe understand a “de-load” (although I’m not sure what’s wrong with 1-2 days off,) but it’s still a big if.