When you first step inside the gym, you’re clearly motivated to make some significant changes to your body. This will have an impact on your lifestyle as well. However, when we put our body through rigorous gym routines and a strict diet, after a point it will want to give up. A body that is no longer motivated to workout is dangerous. At this point, it is crucial that you make sure you come through and give yourself a deload week.
What is a DELOAD WEEK?
It’s a week where you unwind yourself. This week should be used to take a step back from the heavyweights. The workout sessions during this week should include lighter weights. Adjust the macros of your diet and if you are in a deficit, then add some more calories to your diet. The point of this week is to provide yourself an extra amount of recovery time. Even the number of reps or sets are all adjusted. It’s the exact opposite of overload.
Why do we need a DELOAD WEEK?
Our bodies are extremely smart. It will get used to the workout routines and the diet. The second your body gets used to this, you will hit a plateau. Hitting a plateau means reaching a state in your weight loss journey wherein the calorie deficit does not work anymore. As a result, you do not lose any further weight. To break out of this plateau a deload week is a must. It’s to give your body the rest it wants, the extra calories it needs, and to let it adjust to the lighter weights and more calories before going back to the strict lifestyle.
How many times should there be a DELOAD WEEK?
Ideally, you should have a deload week every 8 to 12 weeks. However, this will depend on every individual. If you’re doing a three-month or six-month shred, then you can incorporate a deload week during that time. Whether you’re on a standard diet, keto diet, intermittent fasting, or even if you’re carb cycling, a deload week can be used for any of them.
How to implement a DELOAD WEEK?
The first time you try to implement one, you might be confused about which diet to follow or how low the weights should be. This is what you do: drop your weights by 10% and reduce the volume by at least 50%. For your diet, take it up to maintenance calories. During this week you should try to avoid doing high-intensity interval training. Your goal should be to avoid putting your muscles under stress. The reason being, that instead of depleting your strength at the gym, you gain it back with extra amounts of recovery.
It’s true that at first instance a deload week might seem like an unnecessary recommendation. However, if you want to get big you have to start implementing this. The primary benefit of a deload week is that you get to reduce and eliminate your fatigue. Furthermore, there is no strength loss or any type of muscle damage when you finally return to your usual set of workout routines.
With all this being said, remember that a deload week is not a miracle step which will make you big or shred your fat. It’s a week for you to recharge before getting back on schedule and hitting the gym with heavyweights and a whole lot of motivation!