Deload: What Do You Do?

[IronInsanity]

Great post, and while most PLers deload you will find that few bbers do. Few ego's can take backing off and today's bbing split of training a body part 1x EW does not constitute the need in many cases (too low of a frequency so they fully recover for the most part).

I train using a conjugate patterned routine training a body part 2XEW and at the end of 6 wks. I am toast. So, I deload for 2 weeks keeps wts around 80% of normal and take weekends off completely which cuts down my frequency. At the end of the deload I am itching to go.

I will say this, it can be tuff on the ego to go to the gym and use lighter wts than you know you can handle, yet the results are worth it.

Hawk

Could you share a little more on you current split? I'd be interested in hearing more about your BP 2x a week approach.

As for the ego... yes it's hard to go at 50% with others around lol. For me it was just harder to endure mentally so I opted to go with the week off approach. It's really only about 5 days usually, but my body feels better than when doing the lightened load. It just comes down to personal preference. The key is to do some type of periodization.

 

[MightyMouse719]

I take at least a week off from all lifting about every 4-6 weeks. My ego is happy when I win/do well at contests because I'm not overtrained.

 

[chicken_hawk]

Could you share a little more on you current split? I'd be interested in hearing more about your BP 2x a week approach.

As for the ego... yes it's hard to go at 50% with others around lol. For me it was just harder to endure mentally so I opted to go with the week off approach. It's really only about 5 days usually, but my body feels better than when doing the lightened load. It just comes down to personal preference. The key is to do some type of periodization.

NP. Here is my split it's simple but just looks a bit complicated

I train 5x EW taking THU and Su off.

I then rotate the following 6 day rotation:

Heavy means lower reps with more rest, while light means higher reps and shorter rest. On hvy. days I do more compound moves and on light days I do more isolation and cables.

1. Hvy. Pecs n delts/Lt. Bi's
2. Hvy. Quads/Lt. Hams
3. Hvy. Back n traps/Lt. Tris
4. Lt. Pecs n delts/Hvy. Bi's
5. Hvy. Hams/Lt. Quads
6. Lt. Back n traps/Hvy. Tri's

I just keep going around this rotation usually doing 2 exercises per body part and 4 sets per exercise so day 1. might look like:

Calve raises 3x30 reps (yeah I do calves EOD and abs the others)

Bench Press 4x6-8
Incline Hammer 4x6-8

DB Press 4 x 6-8
Side laterals 4 x 6-8

Inc Curl 4x 12-20
CB curl 4 x 12-20

I follow this rotation for 6 wks and then for 2 weeks I only train 3X per wk. doing only about 80% of my max wts. When it's over I am stronger and ready to go at it again.

Hawk