03/11/2026
When and why to take a deload week?
Manage accumulated training fatigue.
If your strength is dropping and every gym session feels harder than usual, you might need a deload, not more motivation.
Something I programme into training for clients is a deload week.
If you’ve been training consistently for weeks, fatigue can gradually build up.
You might notice your performance dropping, weights feeling heavier than usual, persistent soreness or struggling to recover between sessions.
Rather than constantly pushing harder, sometimes you need to temporarily reduce your training demands.
That could mean reducing your working sets, using lighter weights or simply doing less overall volume for a week.
This doesn’t mean losing progress or taking a week off every time you feel tired.
It’s about managing fatigue so you can continue progressing over the long term.
Especially as a busy dad, you’ve got to consider the stress coming from outside the gym as well.
Remember, progress isn’t just about how hard you train. It’s about how well you recover from it, too.
DM ‘ABU PLAYBOOK’ for the recovery section of my free playbook.