We've all been there: after months of effort at the gym, we can't gain muscle, we feel like we're stagnating and we can't beat our personal records. If this is your case, you should perhaps consider doing a "deload week", i.e. a week of recovery.

When you have specific goals, you can feel obliged to play sports every day, challenge yourself and finish exhausted after each session. But we tend to forget that it is by going home and resting that we really gain muscle.

This is why all fitness coaches and experts tirelessly emphasize the importance of adequate rest. In the event of stagnation in progression, it may be time to rethink your strategy.

In all sports, athletes know that they need periods of complete rest or a reduction in the intensity of their training. So why not do the same at the gym? Why not assume that bodybuilding also requires such periods? This is where the deload comes into play.

What is a deload week?

It's very simple. It is a question of planning from time to time a week during which we reduce the intensity or volume of our training program, in order to allow our body to recover optimally between sessions. To do this, simply reduce the number of series per exercise or lift a weight lower than the one to which you are accustomed.

This is an opportunity to progress and prepare for the next stage of our fitness journey. Thus, our body adapts to training sessions, which reduces the risk of injury.

When we train, we increase our strength and performance, but at the same time, we increase our muscle and nervous fatigue, which can lead to extreme fatigue and have a negative effect on our performance.

It's simple: if you are constantly tired, you don't progress. This week of rest therefore helps to reduce fatigue and exhaustion; it allows us to reap the fruits of our efforts, which motivates us to continue working to achieve our goals.

How to integrate a deload week into your sports routine?

There are three different methods and, in the end, everyone is free to choose the one that best suits their lifestyle and needs.

1. No sports for a week

It's the simplest. It consists of not lifting weight for a whole week and not doing any other type of exercise at the gym. It is useful to carry out active recovery to improve circulation in the muscles, by stretching or walking.

2. Reduction of training volume

With this method, the training volume is reduced while maintaining a high intensity. In short, we continue to lift large amounts of weight, but we do half as many series.

3. Reduction in volume and intensity

This is perhaps the most popular method. The volume and intensity of the training are moderately reduced. We lift less weight and eliminate one or two sets per exercise. If we usually do three or four sets, we move to two or three.

We also lift a little less weight: if, for example, for the shoulder-threw, we gain weights of 10 kilos, we gain 6 or 8 kilos. This is a week during which we continue to train normally, but by adopting a lighter approach.

How often should a deload week be planned?

There are two approaches. The proactive approach consists of scheduling a week of rest every 4 to 8 weeks. In the reactive approach, we follow an intuitive perspective and do a deload week whenever we feel the need.

It can also be included in the period between the end of one training program from the beginning of another. It can be frustrating not to manage to gain muscle after months of training. A week of rest allows you to move forward and leave frustration behind.

[Via GQ France]