DELOAD- What is it? Should you do it? When should you start it and HOW?

16 Dec 2021

Deload is simply a planned week or two or active recovery in your training schedule.

What is it?:

Believe it or not, but it is the most important aspect of one’s training and is the most essential to see results, gain strength, muscles and also stay injury free.

Deload help to avoid or break a training plateau. Yes, you read that correct, Plateau in training is a real thing

Should you do it?:

If you Train regularly and you train to see results and strive for a constant improvement, then you should include Deload in you training schedule.

Human body will adapt to the stress it gets from internal or external environment, this also includes training. Our body keeps getting resistant to the training volume we give it week after week, to point where it can’t take it anymore and our muscle need rest. Rest to recover, refresh and restart. This is where Deload comes in handy.

When Should you start?:

Typically, you should deload after 8 weeks or 12 weeks. It’s comes down to personal preference. If you are trying to gains muscles for which you are training to gain strength, then I prefer 6 weeks or someone may or after 8 weeks. On a regular routine I like to deload after 12 weeks.

But you will get signs of it from your body.

• 1: Loss of strength which you actually do not lose but your body just needs to refresh and its trying to signal you the same.
• 2: Joint pain: This may be very minor but this is a sign that your muscles are not recovered fully and hence the load is shared by your bones.
• 3: Tiered or lethargic the whole day:You feel tired even after having a good night’s sleep and nutrition being on point. Gradually you even see a loss of appetite for sleep.

How TO Deload:

Deload is very simple, you will go to the gym, lift weights as per schedule, but you will only lift 40-50% of your weight lifting capacity or ONE REP MAX. The repetitions will also be lesser than usual.

For example:

If you bench press 100kgs for 3 sets of 8

In Deload week

You will lift 40-50kgs for 3 sets of 4.

This can be more accurate if you know your one rep max.

Your Nutrition remains the same because remember, it’s time for your body to refresh and recover and Nutrition along with rest are the two component’s for recovery.