So we know you have to train relatively hard to make efficient progress in the gym. Training hard and setting PR's is always fun, but you can't keep your foot on the gas forever. Ever heard something along the lines "taking a step back to keep moving forward"? That philosophy is similar to taking a deload week.
So what is a deload exactly? A deload is a temporary reduction in some capacity to your training modalities. Typically a deload is performed within one whole week and can be pre-planned or autoregulated. This means you can either plan out a deload as the final week in your program or implement them whenever you feel necessary.
There's a few signs to look out for that may indicate it's time for you to take a deload. First and foremost, your performance takes a dip over multiple sessions. Key phrase being multiple sessions. Every one has bad workouts from time to time for various reasons however, if you find yourself having multiple sessions in a row where you are consistently under performing and not hitting your baseline reps or weight, you probably should consider a deload. You might also be feeling just beat up and worn down. Joint aches and pains that don't go away and hinder your performance. In addition to this you might also notice your desire to train is fading away because you've been pushing too hard for too long. Pushing yourself weeks on end may lead to physical and mental fatigue. To combat these things, deload.
So how exactly is a deload week performed? Well just like many other aspects of training, there isn't just one way to do it. Certain individuals may find different methods work better for them and the best way to find this out is to experiment for yourself. When we refer to a deload as a reduction in training modalities, we mean modifying volume or intensity. In fact you can choose to adjust both. Typically this means reducing your volume by at least 1/3 of it's current number. So if you do 18 sets of chest per week you would do 12 sets of chest at the most for the week. When reducing volume on a deload the reduction range is usually 1/3 to 1/2 of your current volumue. So again with this example, 9-12 sets per week. Modifying intensity is also a way to deload. You could keep volume the same but drop the weight by 30-50% for the week. Modifying volume and intensity are not exclusive in a deload. In fact its more common to use a combination of the two. If you choose reduce volume by 1/3 you can also modify your intensity by using the same weights, but cutting out reps. Let's say you perform squats with 315 for 10 reps at RPE 8. On your deload you would do the same weight but cut the reps down to 5 or 6 so the set isn't very challenging. This way you still keep your strength adaptations fresh but don't go anywhere close to failure resulting in an easier week of training.
Dr. Mike Israetel of Renaissance Periodization advises physique athletes to combine these deloading philosophies by having one session early in the week keeping intensity the same and slashing volume then having a second session later in the week slashing both in half so that your body is more recovered for the next week of hard training ahead. You don't have to follow a strict set of rules when deloading, however it is important that you keep your training easy in deload weeks. The purpose is not to advance and grow within a week. The purpose is to recover and prepare yourself for the next block of training. When you come back from that deload week, your body should be fresh and ready to make progress again. Train for another hard few weeks (probably 4-8) then deload again, rinse and repeat.
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