When deloading?

[karky]

So when you need to deload, by how much? I realise its cutting down on volume, right? But how much? cut it in half? do 2/3 of the original volume..?
If it depends, what factors determines it? how can i find out what i need?

[umass]

Jim wendler actually wrote a good article on this at elitefitness a while back you should check it out.
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/deload.htm

[karky]

thanks.

hmm..
How to deload?

There are several ways to do this, but here are some of the most popular examples;
No max effort work during the week; only do the dynamic effort and repetition training.
Max effort work and dynamic work only, no (or limited) repetition training.
Max effort work done to about 80%, dynamic work the same and limited repetition training.
No max effort or dynamic work; just repetition work.

on my standard training weeks
I have two max effort days, one snatch and on CJ, but i have one dynamic day, where i do dynamic oly lifts but high repetiton bench, rows etc.
is it really alot more complicated than just cutting down on the volume?

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by karky

So when you need to deload, by how much? I realise its cutting down on volume, right? But how much? cut it in half? do 2/3 of the original volume..?
If it depends, what factors determines it? how can i find out what i need?

Karky-
There really are a few factors that can lead you to need to deload. If you quantify success in rep, weight or size increases and your not making steady gains and have hit a plateau then that is a good signal to deload. I feel the biggest factor is in how you feel. Your body or the body of your clients is always going to let you know how you’re feeling; you just have to “hear” it.

By how much is really an individual factor. Generally if you are training for body composition the first deload factor you’ll look at will be the volume. If you are training for more neural improvements then you’d look at the intensity. Out of a four-week block of training you can either deload on the third or fourth week. Cut the volume and intensity down to 60-65%. Now also keep in mind that during the other three weeks you’re varying your volume and intensity so that you might set new PRs

Hope this helps
Jimmy

[karky]

yeah, ive been feeling kinda week latley, thats why i wanted to do a deload.
i hit the gym today, i just cut the volume, and dident go as close to my 1rm on my squat and snatch singles.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by karky

yeah, ive been feeling kinda week latley, thats why i wanted to do a deload.
i hit the gym today, i just cut the volume, and dident go as close to my 1rm on my squat and snatch singles.

Have you deloaded before? If not I would suggest just taking some time off completely

[karky]

ive taken some time off completley before, never had a real deload phase though. I was recommended to cut volume in about half every 4-5 weeks, thats what im doing now.

[ryan122185]

For O-lifting templates it's best to deload with volume and/or intensity. A great time to focus on perfecting tecnique on the Snatch and C&J. A

[karky]

okay, so lighter weights and less volume? thats just what i thought.

[ryan122185]

Yes intensity would be % of max.

[Frank.S]

Is it more/less benificial to take a deload week, or to just rest and not lift weights for a week?

I occasionally take 4-5 days off, and when I come back I know that I am much stronger.

[Alcoholiday]

i haven't taken a whole week off in awhile. I always deload every 4th week. On those deload days, i always take the "heavy" movement out. Meaning on the squat days or deadlift days, i just do some GHR, upper back work, and some abs. Bench days, sometimes cut out pressing and just do some back work. Or, i might do some light db work, or blast strap pushups.

The key to a deload is you need to make sure you're not busting ass all the time. Taking out the heavy and just leaving in the light movements for a week helps me recover from going heavy for 3 weeks.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by karky

ive taken some time off completley before, never had a real deload phase though. I was recommended to cut volume in about half every 4-5 weeks, thats what im doing now.

Yes it's always a good idea to deload every 3 or 4 weeks. My training blocks are in 4 week intervals.Depending how my clients are doing I may deload on the 3rd week or I may deload on the 4th week

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by Frank.S

Is it more/less benificial to take a deload week, or to just rest and not lift weights for a week?

I occasionally take 4-5 days off, and when I come back I know that I am much stronger.

Can I say both? :p I suggested that Karky deload because it sounded to me like he has just been going week after week with no deload. So if the case was him hammering away week after week, I think it would be very beneficial for him to just take a week off. I'd then have him begin a 4 week block that included a deload week.

So to answer your q, if you haven't taken a deload week in awhile, I'd take a week off. If you've been altering your volume and intensity then take the deload week.

In the grand scheme of things a deload week is always going to be more beneficial than taking a week off provided your not working up to a contest, meet, have an injury etc etc..

Hope that helps

[karky]

yeah well i just started up again like 4 weeks ago, this is the 5th week, i guess next time ill deload the 4th week.

So when you deload you dont have to follow your program at all? you can kind of make up something new and lighter? So its never a good idea to go heavy? i went kinda heavy last night, as i dident go lighter on the intensity on my bench, rows and overheads, i just cut the volume. tomorrow, should i cut down volume, AND pick a lighter weight for all the exersices? i usually do heavy squats, low reps, but i could just do singles in like 80%-85% instead of going over 90%?

[EdChap]

I'm moving into the fourth week of EC's off-season training manual and about to enter my first deload week. It has all of the exercises the heavier weeks had but lower volume and lower intensity. Next to the heavy exercises there's 'should be easy' in brackets. I figure I'm just going to chop off a reasonable amount of weight off the heavy exercises but not make it too easy.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by karky

yeah well i just started up again like 4 weeks ago, this is the 5th week, i guess next time ill deload the 4th week.

So when you deload you dont have to follow your program at all? you can kind of make up something new and lighter? So its never a good idea to go heavy? i went kinda heavy last night, as i dident go lighter on the intensity on my bench, rows and overheads, i just cut the volume. tomorrow, should i cut down volume, AND pick a lighter weight for all the exersices? i usually do heavy squats, low reps, but i could just do singles in like 80%-85% instead of going over 90%?

Karky-
When you deload you are still following your program. You are just lowering your volume and possibly intensity. You need to lower the overall stress, going heavy is fine. I partial to having less sets at a heavier intensity instead of drop the intensity all together. Play with both dropping the intensity then play with dropping the sets and see how you respond.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by EdChap

I'm moving into the fourth week of EC's off-season training manual and about to enter my first deload week. It has all of the exercises the heavier weeks had but lower volume and lower intensity. Next to the heavy exercises there's 'should be easy' in brackets. I figure I'm just going to chop off a reasonable amount of weight off the heavy exercises but not make it too easy.

Eric's template is excellent in terms of helping others understand deloading.