Posted: 2/4/2015 10:02:17 AM EDT
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After a month, I'm starting to feel pretty beat up. I lift hard 4 days a week, I think I have it split pretty well where I have multiple days between similar body parts being worked. I try and do a light week every 4-6 weeks. Now that I'm logging my workouts, I am planning on rotating every 4th week as deload, add my 10 lower and 5 uper body and start again.
Anyone else do something similar? I'm open to suggestions. |
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I have been lifting for a very long time, and find that a good deloading week is beneficial.
Listen to your body. If you feel that your CNS is not keeping up, take a break. I have found that rather than a complete week of rest, my body responds better to a week of lighter weights and moderate reps. I'll also throw in a day or two or moderate cardio. Also, be sure that you are getting plenty of good quality sleep each night. That was not easy for me when my family was younger, and I learned the hard way. |
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I guess I forgot to specify, by deload I mean a week of same workout with 40-50% 1RM instead of 80-90%.
I get about 6-7 hours of sleep a night, though I read to find out how much you need check your of days without an alarm and it's closer to 8-9, so I guess by that standard, it's not enough. I eat pretty well, mostly Paleo plus rice, cottage cheese and peanut butter. Roughly 2500/cals a day and 125 grams of protein, which a little low but fits my budget and lifestyle. Also about 20 grams of creatine/day. I've seen a lot of debate on protein intake ranging from .7-2.0 grams per pound of lean mass. Who knows. |
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Good. I was afraid it was a case of needing to suck it up and stop being such a pussy. It feels like I need it.  Quoted:
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The oly programs I follow have a build in deload week. I hate them, but I usually do them otherwise my lifting goes to shit as I fatigue. Good. I was afraid it was a case of needing to suck it up and stop being such a pussy. It feels like I need it. Nope, contrary to some people's beliefs, over training and CNS fatigue is very real and you need to deload on occasion. The trick is knowing when- "oh gee I'm tired and sore": stop being a bitch. vs. "wow, I feel like death and I'm missing lifts that I should be able to make EASY": might be time for a deload. My program right now has be squatting ~90% 3 times a week...I definitely need a deload sometimes... |
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The oly programs I follow have a build in deload week. I hate them, but I usually do them otherwise my lifting goes to shit as I fatigue. You still on the catalyst program, do you handle the volume okay? I have a deload every 4th week, if recovery isn't spot on I'm dragging hard by then. I'll usually just take the time off or at most do some light circuit stuff. |
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You still on the catalyst program, do you handle the volume okay? I have a deload every 4th week, if recovery isn't spot on I'm dragging hard by then. I'll usually just take the time off or at most do some light circuit stuff. Quoted:
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The oly programs I follow have a build in deload week. I hate them, but I usually do them otherwise my lifting goes to shit as I fatigue. You still on the catalyst program, do you handle the volume okay? I have a deload every 4th week, if recovery isn't spot on I'm dragging hard by then. I'll usually just take the time off or at most do some light circuit stuff. So this is how it went down for me: Went from 5/3/1 into the "Basic cycle" fairly high volume. 3-4 weeks in I was fucking wrecked...I had used my actual percentages. I injured my calf and ended up having to restart the Basic Cycle again, and I knocked 10-15% off...from there I was GTG and felt great. PR on snatch and clean and squat. Now I'm on the Jessica's Complex program. Also somewhat high volume and using my actual percentages. At this point I'm on week 6 and feeling a little beat up in the shoulders and knees, but not too bad...I have about a week and a half of forced rest ahead of me due to military obligations and travel for work, so it should be fine. Lesson for me was to push hard, but not be stupid. Rest when I need to, to include extra rest days, and don't rest if I don't need to...seems dumb, but a lot of people don't do it.... For example, if I miss 4 days of lifting due to military, I'm not going to come back and do a full week of deload...I'll do 1-2 days and skip to the next hard week. |
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So this is how it went down for me: Went from 5/3/1 into the "Basic cycle" fairly high volume. 3-4 weeks in I was fucking wrecked...I had used my actual percentages. I injured my calf and ended up having to restart the Basic Cycle again, and I knocked 10-15% off...from there I was GTG and felt great. PR on snatch and clean and squat. Now I'm on the Jessica's Complex program. Also somewhat high volume and using my actual percentages. At this point I'm on week 6 and feeling a little beat up in the shoulders and knees, but not too bad...I have about a week and a half of forced rest ahead of me due to military obligations and travel for work, so it should be fine. Lesson for me was to push hard, but not be stupid. Rest when I need to, to include extra rest days, and don't rest if I don't need to...seems dumb, but a lot of people don't do it.... For example, if I miss 4 days of lifting due to military, I'm not going to come back and do a full week of deload...I'll do 1-2 days and skip to the next hard week. Quoted:
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The oly programs I follow have a build in deload week. I hate them, but I usually do them otherwise my lifting goes to shit as I fatigue. You still on the catalyst program, do you handle the volume okay? I have a deload every 4th week, if recovery isn't spot on I'm dragging hard by then. I'll usually just take the time off or at most do some light circuit stuff. So this is how it went down for me: Went from 5/3/1 into the "Basic cycle" fairly high volume. 3-4 weeks in I was fucking wrecked...I had used my actual percentages. I injured my calf and ended up having to restart the Basic Cycle again, and I knocked 10-15% off...from there I was GTG and felt great. PR on snatch and clean and squat. Now I'm on the Jessica's Complex program. Also somewhat high volume and using my actual percentages. At this point I'm on week 6 and feeling a little beat up in the shoulders and knees, but not too bad...I have about a week and a half of forced rest ahead of me due to military obligations and travel for work, so it should be fine. Lesson for me was to push hard, but not be stupid. Rest when I need to, to include extra rest days, and don't rest if I don't need to...seems dumb, but a lot of people don't do it.... For example, if I miss 4 days of lifting due to military, I'm not going to come back and do a full week of deload...I'll do 1-2 days and skip to the next hard week. Seems like Greg has a real hard on for Mon-Thu/Sat set-up. Even with the lighter days programmed in don't know how long I could hack it before I'd have to take a couple unscheduled days off. |
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I workout on a three week periodization program, so I add weight to the lifts every three weeks. I do a de-load week as needed, usually every second or third cycle, so one every six or nine weeks. At 41 years old I need them.
I'll bet it wouldn't hurt me at all to take a de-load week every 4th week. Probably be good for me. Maybe I will try that once I start to stall out on what I am doing. |
| I didn't de-load when my weights were relatively light. These days, though, I have been finding that my tendons are getting bad, again. So, to prevent getting to the point I used to be, I do a lighter-weight de-load every fifth week, and sometimes add a few days of noting but recovery, if needed. |
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Yes I deload once a month. Usually have a light week after a 90% heavy week. I also delaod after major exercises. Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Cleans, etc... Same set just take 10% off. Also do it quick. Speed out of the low points.
When I do a repeat on Friday of Mondays workout, I drop it by 10%. Sometimes I will take a week off and just stretch on my workout days. The next month I find myself lifting more and feeling better. You have to listen to your body and take care of it. Going hard and strong all the time is a sure way to get injured. |
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I just take a couple extra days off when I'm feeling run down. I've tried deloading, but I have a really hard time taking it easy once I get moving. This. Between having been training the majority of my life, and knowing that my body knows more about what it needs than what I think it needs, Ive learned to listen to it and take time off accordingly |