If you are starting your fitness journey, one of your main priorities is likely focusing on consistency. Consistency is essential when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, as real results require commitment.
Though being committed to your workout schedule is important, it can be easy for people to make the mistake of pushing training intensity too far, without taking the necessary time that your body needs in order to recover.
If you plan on maintaining an intensive workout regimen, it is important to include deload time in your schedule. At POW8R, we ensure that we include deload time in all of our workout plans to protect the health of our clients, help them achieve the best results, and build healthy habits around their exercise routines.
Not sure what a deload is, or how you can implement a deload week into your fitness journey? Keep reading.
What is a Deload?
A deload is a planned designated break from intense training to allow your body to recover.
Now, this does not necessarily mean that you are required to stop your training completely, but you instead reduce the intensity and volume of your workouts, while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating low calorie foods.
What is a Deload Week?
It is generally recommended that you engage in a deload every one to three months, but it shouldn’t just be a day of reducing your exercise, you should do it for a week to achieve the best recovery.
Extending your deload to a week will significantly enhance its benefits, giving your body rest days and the necessary time to reset.
If you have had a period of intense exercise, it is recommended that you follow it with a week of deload to support your nervous system and connective tissue.
How Do I Know If I Need a Deload?
If you are new to keeping a strict exercise regime, pinpointing exactly when to have a deload week can be difficult. As we discussed, you should have one every 1-3 months, but every person is different, so if you prefer to look out for physical indications that require a deload, here are some things to look out for.
Decreased Performance
People always forget just how intelligent and intuitive our bodies really are. When our body needs a break, it will let us know. If you’re in need of a deload, your body may not perform as well as it usually does.
Look out for signs when in the gym, such as struggling to lift your standard weights, running slower, or maintaining your usual consistency, as these may be a good indicator that you need a break.
Unusual Fatigue
Of course, when you regularly work out, you are bound to feel small bouts of fatigue from time to time, especially if you are completing intensive exercises. However, if you start to notice that you are feeling more fatigued than usual, it may be a good indication that you require a deload.
If you are getting plenty of rest but you still feel constant soreness and exhaustion, you are overdue for a break from your usual routine.
Mood Changes
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and should be one of your motivators for leading a healthier life. If you do not feel the same enthusiasm or excitement for training, that is your brain’s way of telling you that it’s time for a break.
A good workout is supposed to uplift your mood, and if it doesn’t, you should avoid it.
Difficulty Sleeping
As we discussed in our ‘Best Time to Workout’ blog, exercise can have a huge impact on sleep, both supporting and disrupting it.
If you have over exerted yourself, you may experience difficulty falling or staying asleep. To reset your circadian rhythm, a deload may be necessary.
Increased Injury
If your body requires a rest, a clear indication is an increased risk of injury or illness. When your body is not functioning at its best, you may be more prone to aches, minor injuries, or generally feeling unwell.
A significant mistake made by many athletes is attempting to push through this, as it often leads to more serious injuries when one should actually be resting their body.
Progress Plateau
If you aren’t performing the same way, you may notice that your results begin to plateau. If you are a member of the POW8R fitness app, and you track your weight and muscle growth using the tracking feature, you may notice little to no change in your numbers.
There is absolutely no point in continuing a workout if you are seeing no benefits from it, so it is better for your progress to take a much needed break.
The Benefits of a Deload Week
Now you know the signs to help you figure out when you need to complete a deload, here are just some of the benefits of starting a deload week.
Reduced Fatigue
When you continuously complete incense workouts, your body and mind naturally start to experience fatigue.
Reducing the volume of your training and completing less intense workouts gives your nervous system a chance to reset, leaving you feeling more energised and ready to take on your next workout.
Repair to Damaged Tissue
As part of the muscle growth process, muscles experience tiny tears that subsequently grow and strengthen during the repair phase. However, these repairs cannot occur if you don’t allow your body the necessary time to complete them.
A reload week allows your body to heal microtears, enhance muscle strength, and alleviate lingering soreness or stiffness
Replenished Energy
Obviously, when you repeatedly push your body to the limit, you are bound to experience exhaustion and energy loss.
This is because high-octane exercise can deplete your body’s glycogen stores, leaving you feeling drained. A deload provides your body with the opportunity to restore these energy reserves, enhancing your endurance and supplying you with more fuel for your sessions after the deload
Reduce Risk of Injury
Without rest, your body is at risk of injury. Injuring your body will have a huge impact on your fitness journey and put strain on your body.
A deload enables your body to recover, allowing any aches and pains to subside before they develop into a more serious issue due to overexertion.
If you wish to maintain consistent training, you must allow yourself sufficient rest to reap its benefits.
Performance Boost
Many athletes utilise deload weeks to allow their bodies the essential time to recover and rebuild. After taking this break, they often feel that their performance has improved, returning stronger, faster, and even more capable.
If you find yourself stuck in a plateau, this may be the trick to help you break free and achieve better results and further improvements
Mental Rejuvenation
It is well-known that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and training can be both physically and mentally draining. It can be easy to overdo it.
Sometimes, you need a psychological break to continue operating at peak performance, and a delayed departure can be perfect for reducing the chance of burnout and reigniting your motivation.
Even if you don’t stop completely, even just reducing the amount and the intensity of your workouts can reignite your motivation and lead to better results in the gym.
Prioritise Your Health With POW8R
Through this blog, we aim to emphasise the importance of taking a deload week. We recognise that it can be easy to become overly critical and push yourself during a fitness journey, but failing to take the necessary time to step back and enjoy a well-deserved rest can hinder your own success.
Want to take your fitness journey? Want to build a healthier lifestyle? Join the POW8R app today.
