Deload Days/Weeks?

[Primal]

Hello everybody! So I noticed the forum doesn't have a topic on this either! Thought I'd bring it up just for clarification and knowledge. Can somebody please explain what a deload week/day is? I think I might have a general clue but I would really like it if one of you guys could tell me about it so I could know for certain... I like to take a week off every 3 months to regroup and recuperate from just the gym itself (plus it gives me extra time to catch up on some school work). Sometimes the week before I like to sort of 'wind down'. So I go to the gym but I don't lift super heavy, I sorta go for the reps and just getting the blood in the muscle. Then the next week I take off. I think this would be a deload week right? Sometimes though I just don't go to the gym for a week. I cut it off cold turkey in a sense. Does this count as a deload?

Thanks!

-Primal

[TT Eric]

A deload week is a week that you give a break to your CNS (central nervous system) and to your joints, you use less weights/less reps then usual, but some are taking the week off, some are doing one deload week per 3 months, some do one per 2 months or some are only doing a deload week wen they feel the need. But Prae learned me to take do one 'moderate' week every other week for better gain. So basically you train very hard one week, you go all out to failure, you can do dropsets, supersets etc.. and the other week you use about -20% weight and go for 5-6 reps on all your lift, no failure, no supersets, no dropsets. That week, you give a break to your joints and CNS, you recharge your neurotransmitter tank and come back stronger the week following. He can correct me if I missed something, but this is about it.

Eric

[Primal]

A deload week is a week that you give a break to your CNS (central nervous system) and to your joints, you use less weights/less reps then usual, but some are taking the week off, some are doing one deload week per 3 months, some do one per 2 months or some are only doing a deload week wen they feel the need. But Prae learned me to take do one 'moderate' week every other week for better gain. So basically you train very hard one week, you go all out to failure, you can do dropsets, supersets etc.. and the other week you use about -20% weight and go for 5-6 reps on all your lift, no failure, no supersets, no dropsets. That week, you give a break to your joints and CNS, you recharge your neurotransmitter tank and come back stronger the week following. He can correct me if I missed something, but this is about it.

Eric

Oh wow that is interesting about the two different weeks. I usually try to go all out every week just because I only hit each muscle group once per week (chest is 2 per week though). Hahaha neurotransmitter tank, that's a funny analogy to describe it but yes, I do see what you mean, the effects of training hard and heavy coupled with small amounts of sleep is taking its toll on me. I'm going to start using this method (the hard to the paint one week and the moderate next week) to see if I don't burn out as quickly. Thanks Eric!

-Primal

[Praetorian]

Pretty close Eric...just drop the weight a bit more...30-35% drop...and on your heavy basic compounds only.



P

[TT Eric]

Pretty close Eric...just drop the weight a bit more...30-35% drop...and on your heavy basic compounds only.



P

Ok cool! You apply the -20% on other exercises like Bench press DB ? (Since you said you do not consider them compound).

Eric

[Primal]

Ok cool! You apply the -20% on other exercises like Bench press DB ? (Since you said you do not consider them compound).

Eric

Whaaat? Dumbbell BP isn't considered a compound?? Can someone explain to me how it isn't?? Sorry, I know I'm getting off track a bit. Ok so only lower 30-35% on the compounds... Got it. Thanks all!

-Primal

[Praetorian]

Ok cool! You apply the -20% on other exercises like Bench press DB ? (Since you said you do not consider them compound).

Eric

I only apply the moderate rule to primary compound exercises ie the first exercise in your routine. As an example for legs squats, for chest-bench press, for back deads, for delts shoulder press....the balance of the exercises can be performed as usual.

P

[Praetorian]

Whaaat? Dumbbell BP isn't considered a compound?? Can someone explain to me how it isn't?? Sorry, I know I'm getting off track a bit. Ok so only lower 30-35% on the compounds... Got it. Thanks all!

-Primal

You are missing the point...its my P3 style of training....the compound exercises we are talking about are the first ones used for each muscle group.

P

[Primal]

You are missing the point...its my P3 style of training....the compound exercises we are talking about are the first ones used for each muscle group.

P

Oh ok, so the first one used for each muscle group... But some chest days I start off with the dumbbell incline BP (my gym's barbell BP is at that 45 degree angle) so would it be ok to lower the weight on this by 30-35%? Uhm... also I'm still pretty bad with the slang. What's P3 style of training? Thanks!

-Primal