Why Deloading is Important to Your Fitness
This week will be a deload week. Deloading is not just important, it is crucial to your training. You cannot train with high intensity all the time without something breaking down. This deload week will give your mind and body a rest from the intense training you have put in over the last few weeks. It will also physically and mentally prepare you for the next cycle of training where your loads will be greater.
So how do you approach this week's training? The key is a reduction of intensity. If you have been following the Wendler program then all of your lifts for this week will be at lighter loads, with no extra reps performed on the last set. If you are on linear progression, reduce your load by 10% for your movements. While we will still be posting daily metcons, you should take these at about a 75-80% intensity. Decrease the sets, reps, and/or weights. Take your focus off the clock and work on range of motion and technique.
The most common reaction we get from our athletes during deload weeks is that they feel that they aren't doing enough. Even though it may seem as though things are too easy, trust us when we tell you that this will be better for you in the long run. Here's the rationale from a bit more "sciency" perspective:
Law of Supercompensation
As you can see from the Law of Supercompensation, strength training actually breaks down the body and makes it weaker! This microtrauma, after recovery and regeneration, creates an adaption of greater strength and more muscle (if the right intensity and parameters are followed).
Now, if the proper amount of rest and recovery strategies (rest, good nutrition, stretching, massage, etc.) aren’t employed, then the athlete doesn’t fully recover to the baseline level prior to the next training session. If this is repeated over and over, it could lead to injury and over-training. But, if there’s an appropriate amount of rest and deloads are scheduled periodically, then we get a SUPERCOMPENSATION where the athlete recovers to a baseline GREATER than their previous level.
Next week we crank the intensity back up again, and following this week of relative rest and recovery, you should be chomping at the bit to hit it hard again.
WOD for 3/7/11:
A1. Shoulder press 3x5; rest 0:60
A2. Dips 3 x 6-8; rest 2:00
(loads for Wendler 5/3/1 is 40%, 50%, 60%. Remember NO extra reps on last set)
B. 3 rounds:
400 meter run
15 box jumps
15 sit-ups
Rest 3:00 between rounds
