Coaching ops

Deload Week

A planned recovery week within a strength-training program where volume and intensity are reduced 30-50% to allow systemic recovery.

What it actually means

A deload week is a deliberately programmed week of reduced training stress (typically 30-50% reduction in volume, intensity, or both) inserted every 4-8 weeks within a strength program to allow the central nervous system, joints, and connective tissue to recover from accumulated training stress. Without deloads, lifters accumulate fatigue that masks true strength, increases injury risk, and stalls progress. Deloads are not "off weeks" — they're lighter training, not no training.

Distinguishing it from look-alikes

Deloads differ from "active rest weeks" (no structured training) and from "transition weeks" (between training blocks). A deload maintains movement patterns at lower intensity. Most coaching apps don't handle deloads natively — coaches manually adjust loads. Cadence templates include deload weeks as first-class blocks; the AI knows to suggest a deload after N weeks of accumulating intensity.

Examples

Linear program

Weeks 1-3 progressive load, week 4 deload at 60% of week 3

Block periodization

3-week intensity block followed by 1-week deload

Conjugate (Westside)

Built-in undulating intensity = implicit deloads woven into the week, no explicit deload weeks needed