What is a Deloading Week?
- amberlynwellbeing
- Apr 4, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: May 3, 2023
I mentioned deloading in one of my past posts. I wanted to give it a bit more attention.
Have you been working towards a goal for awhile, but you feel like your training has stagnated. You’ve hit a plateau, getting to your workout is sometimes the hardest part of your day, you feel like you’re trying everything, but it just isn't working.
Well, what if you stop what you’re doing. Temporarily that is.
What is deloading?
It's a strength training practice that is typically a week long period of time where your workout intensity is decreased. Usually it's planned. It gives your body the opportunity to rest and recover. If you’re not sure if you need a deload week, here are some signs:
You’re experiencing excessive muscle soreness
It's been taking you longer to recover
Lack of motivation
Major change in your appetite (usually a decrease)
Decrease in overall strength and or performance in your workouts
Bouts of fatigue
Why you should deload?
Deloading is a great thing to incorporate in order to avoid a complete burnout. It’s important to know the signs and how your body responds.
Helps prevent injuries from over training
A break can be great for your mental health
Helps Improve performance
Allows muscles to recover
When to deload?
The timing of a deload week is dependent on your training style, training level and your goals.
Every 3-4 weeks - this is for the people that are doing a fairly high intensity training
Every 6-8 weeks - for the general population
Every 12-16 weeks - typically people who are getting read for a competition
The nice thing about a deload week, is you get to decide when it happens. Try out every 3-4 weeks and see how that feels for your body. I typically have clients deload every 4-5 weeks, depending on their goals, of course.
How to deload?
Again this will depend on the person and your goals.
Reducing the load or intensity - you will keep your volume the same (sets & reps) but you will decrease the weight you are lifting.
Reducing the volume - the weight will be the same but you will cut down on reps or sets
Changing the form of exercise - instead of lifting weights you are going hiking, biking, swimming, focusing on mobility, etc. The key is that it is lower intensity.
In conjunction with using deload weeks as a way to let the body recover it’s a great opportunity to check in with yourself, how’re feeling and how your training is going.
Ultimately, what your deload week looks like is much less important than whether it feels like you are giving your body a break.
You do not need to be constantly progressing.
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