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When I first started lifting, I went hard day in, day out, convinced that more volume and heavier weights were the only path for me to be successful. Over time, I learned a crucial lesson: training stress accumulates.
Without intentional breaks in your training, that added up stress eventually slams the brakes on your progress. Enter the concept of deloading - which is deliberately reducing your training load for a short period to let your body and nervous system recharge.
Now don't worry, I get it. The idea of “backing off” your training sounds a little counterintuitive, but stick with me here. In this article, I’ll share how you can use deloads to avoid plateaus, prevent injuries, and come back to your training sessions stronger week after week. For further insights into structuring workouts long-term, check out my piece on Periodization Made Simple, which pairs perfectly with the deloading strategies you'll learn here.
Identifying the Need to Deload
Many people for some reason, mistake fatigue or soreness for “lack of toughness" when it comes to their training, and end up pushing headfirst through that discomfort until their performance ultimately nosedives and they are forced to take a break or get injured.
However, deloading is a strategic choice, mean to provide your body a planned recovery to help maintain longer term training.
Here’s when to consider it:
Chronic Soreness or Joint Pain
This goes beyond typical DOMS. If you’re experiencing persistent aches—especially in areas like the shoulders, knees, or lower back—your body is hinting it needs extra recovery time.
Why It Matters: Ignoring these signals can lead to overuse injuries. A short deload can help you reset, rather than forcing you into a long rehab period.
Plateaus or Performance Drops
You’ve tried adding weight, changing rep schemes, and swapping exercise variations, but your bench press or squat numbers are stuck—or even dipping.
Why It Matters: Accumulated fatigue will mask your true strength. Lightening the load lets your nervous system and muscles fully recover, allowing you to keep hitting those PRs.
Mental Burnout
If you’re normally fired up for the gym but lately feel unmotivated or even anxious, you could be mentally overtaxed.
Why It Matters: A scheduled deload gives your mind a break, helping you reconnect with the joy of training. You should want to there - not dreading it.
Sleep Disturbances & Elevated Stress
Having trouble falling asleep, or waking up tired even after a full night? Chronic high cortisol from intense training can disrupt sleep.
Why It Matters: Poor sleep compounds fatigue, creating a vicious cycle. A well-timed deload can lower stress hormones and recalibrate your circadian rhythm.
Deload Methods & Durations
Deloading shouldn’t feel like you’ve stopped training entirely; think of it as training in lower gear. You just want to take a log off the fire, but we still want to keep it burning.
Here are a few optoins to try:
Intensity-Based Deload
How It Works: Keep your usual rep ranges and exercises the same, but work at ~60–70% of your normal training load.
Benefit: You maintain movement patterns without the high strain on joints and CNS (central nervous system).
Example: If you usually squat 225 lbs for sets of 8-12, drop to 130–140 lbs for 8-12 reps during your deload week.
Volume-Based Deload
How It Works: Keep the weight relatively heavy but cut total sets or reps by around 40–50%.
Benefit: You still get to maintain your training load, retaining a sense of “heaviness,” but reduce the overall workload so your body can recuperate.
Example: If you do 5 sets of squats, you’d drop to 2 or 3 sets instead. Same weight but changed sets or reps.
Combined Approach
How It Works: Reduce both weight (intensity) and overall sets (volume).
Benefit: Typically used when you’re deep in a training cycle, feeling fried in both body and mind.
** I typically use this between my big training blocks or between focuses as a way to totally reset before starting something new.
Length of Deload: Usually 4–7 days is enough. Many find that planning a deload every 3 - 5 weeks (depending on their program) helps them avoid unwanted plateaus. For more on scheduling deloads in the context of larger training cycles, check out Periodization Made Simple.
Real-World Scheduling & Examples
Let’s say you’re running a 12-week strength block.
You might do:
Week 1–3: Increasing volume and/or weight.
Week 4: Deload (cut volume by half).
Week 5–7: Resume heavier loads or higher reps.
Week 8: Light deload or “taper” if you feel accumulated fatigue.
Week 9–12: Final push for new PRs.
Alternatively, you can opt for an auto-regulated approach: if your body is giving you consistent red flags (sleep issues, stalled performance), you deload even if it’s not your “scheduled” week.
Essentially a really long "rest day or two".
Why Deloading Works
Your muscles, joints, and nervous system all adapt to stress, but they also need breaks to fully recover from it. Research in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that systematically reducing training intensity can lead to greater long-term progress compared to continuous heavy training without breaks.
Physical Adaptation: Muscles rebuild stronger during rest periods; consistent deloads prevent chronic microtrauma from becoming severe injuries.
Mental Rejuvenation: Deload weeks help you maintain training motivation. Knowing you have a strategic “lighter” week coming up can push you to give 100% during your heavy phases.
Practical Tips for a Productive Deload
Stay Active, Just Not Intense
Light cardio, yoga, or bodyweight circuits can keep you moving without imposing excessive stress.
This approach also supports blood flow and recovery of tight muscles.
Prioritize Sleep & Nutrition
Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep.
Maintain adequate protein intake (1.2–1.6 g/kg body weight) to support muscle repair.
Focus on Technique
Take advantage of lighter loads to refine your squat depth, bench press setup, or deadlift form. Perfect technique is a form of progression too.
Reflect & Plan Next Steps
Assess what worked in your last training block and decide how to tweak your next one.
Check out Accessory Work 101 for ideas on targeting weaknesses once you ramp back up.
Deloading is an essential—but often overlooked—tool for sustained progress. Rather than pushing yourself to the brink, plan regular deload weeks to ensure you’re continually adapting and coming back refreshed. Give your body these short windows to reset, and watch your l performance surge forward.
Written by Chris Gilbert
Owner & Head Coach, TNT Fitness
NCCPT | Nutritionist | Tactical Conditioning Specialist
Helping individuals achieve purpose-driven fitness for life & performance.
Cited Resources
Grgic, J. & Mikulic, P. (2017). Tapering Practices of Croatian Open-Class Powerlifters. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(9), 2371-2378.
Slater, G., Jenkins, D. (2000). Progression and Variation: Key Tools in Weight Training. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 22(2), 14-20.
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