Post: #1

Whats your take on that matter, do you do it? How do you plan them?

Post: #2

It depends on how often I am going to the gym in the first place. If I am only going 3-4 times a week for about an hour to and hour and a half sessions I don't take rest weeks. The 3-4 days off is enough time to recover.

If however I am going 6-7 times a week, like I am doing now, I think rest and deload weeks are important. I think every 4-6 weeks, if your going almost everyday, you should do a light week. It seems if I go 25 days in a row then do 5 light days at the gym when I come back I am stronger.

Just my take on it.

Post: #3

I just use being I'll or Injured to rest.

Post: #4

Most people do not train hard enough to warrant a deload week.

If you're a dedicated lifter, "deload weeks" are going to happen naturally - getting sick, going on vacation, work getting super busy, a relative dying, etc.

Post: #5

I don't know about you but I'm not going to the gym to lift some light ass weight. Better to just take an entire week off if your body really needs it.

Post: #6

I hate it when I get sick and can't work out for a week. I lose a large percentage of my muscle mass and weight gains very fast. It really sucks.

Post: #7

Run through your normal workout with everything at about 50-60% every 4-8 weeks with 6-8 weeks if you are a beginner and 4-6 weeks if you are more advanced. It doesn't have to be a whole week, could be just 3-5 days. It won't feel like you are doing much and it sucks to even go in and do it, but it will help. I think this definitely helps with health and longevity. I do not advocate just taking a week completely off.

Post: #8

It can be a good idea to go hard as hell for three weeks and plan a deload week every month with a slightly lighter (but still challenging) workout. That way for the last week of the month, lifting is easy enough for it to be a form of active recovery and training motivation is very high.
Making the choice "easy" to go to the gym several times a week is what separates the january/february crowd from the year-round crowd.

Post: #9

Just take a week off every now and then, or as part of other plans (vacation, time off).

This summer due to vacation I will be taking a month off all types of lifting, and that is the longest I will have taken off lifting in 2 years. I'm a bit disappointed by the length of the break, but at the same time excited to let by body rest for a prolonged period of time for once.

But as it was mentioned above, most cases you do not NEED a week off. Most people don't train hard enough where that is necessary.

Although I do think it is beneficial.

Post: #10

Part of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 lifting program is a deload week. The deload week precedes a bump up in weight on your lifts.

Post: #11

Don't take off for a week. You're not training hard enough. Do you look at Greg Plitt's routine and laugh at how lackadaisical he is? No? Then don't take a week off.

However, it is useful to cycle weeks where you reduce weight and increase volume of reps and sets. So, if you're feeling sore and are approaching back-breaking injury, drop the weight level. Go from 8 reps to 12, 15, and even 20 reps with lighter weights.

You'll maintain most of your gains while giving your sore muscles a break and cutting some fat.

Also change up your exercises. When my spine is feeling it, I'll take a break from squats, but I'll work in other back, quad, and hamstring exercises. If your arms are about to fall off, then use machines instead of free weights.

Post: #12

I think it would be beneficial. My schedule is lifting 3x a week with a starting strength like routine, and training BJJ 3-4x a week(I don't roll every class.) I'm able to keep up this pace feeling ok.

I've experimented with taking a week off from everything every two months or so, I actually feel better after doing that. Usually what happens to me is that I'll get a minor injury that puts me out for a week, and that will be my week off. I agree with the above posters that most people don't work out hard enough to warrant a week off, but I'd experiment and see what works for you.

Post: #13

(06-09-2013 01:15 AM)cool Wrote:  Part of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 lifting program is a deload week. The deload week precedes a bump up in weight on your lifts.

Yeah, I read about the concept in his book, thats why Im asking. Havent done any myself, though.

Post: #14

I first got introduced to the concept of deload weeks through Jim Wendler's 5/3/1.

I never used to program them into my training. Then I'd wonder why I one week I'd do a personal best for reps, then the next week I wouldn't even be able to lift the same amount for one rep.

Programming in deload fixed this (to a certain extent) and stopped me burning out.

However now as I'm more experienced and intune with my body I make a judgement call depending on how I feel to take a deload week.

Last for week for example I trained on Monday. All day Wednesday I didn't feel up for the gym (which isn't like me). I went anyway and felt shitty, I did one set and knew instantly I wouldn't be able to do anything of any quality. So I did some skipping and hit the showers.

In the past I would have tried to grind out a session with the 'pain is gain' mentality. However now I see the benefit of picking your battles. If you're body isn't ready to go all out then it's better going home to rest and get a good night's sleep.

You can choose a few ways of doing deload weeks. If you feel burned out you could choose to skip training and take a whole week off, I usually use this option when my body feels really beat up. Secondly you could choose to leave out the weights and do more conditioning, i.e. some Prowler work or complexes and maybe do some Ab work too.

Finally you can use a deload week and halve your maxes but still get some weight work in (as in 5/3/1). This is my favourite option, you can also use this week to really dial-in your technique and focus on it. I did this recently when I learnt to powerclean properly, I spent the whole week with the barbell just getting the technique right and also doing some goblet squats to iron out my regular squats.

Post: #15

I take one every 6 weeks depending on what I'm working towards. I'll do 5 rep sets at 60-65% of max and maybe go up to 70% for the last set. I try to really focus on form and fix any bad habits.