A deload week — what it is and whether you need one
A week of lighter training — less weight, fewer sets or less effort — to shed accumulated fatigue.
A deload isn't a holiday; it's light training: the same exercises with fewer sets, less weight and more reps in reserve. In a survey of 246 strength and physique athletes (Rogerson et al., 2024), a typical deload lasted about a week and came roughly every 5–6 weeks; stalling lifts and achy joints were the most common triggers.
Dropping the gym entirely for a week is something else. In the Coleman et al. (2024) study, a week off in the middle of a program didn't boost leg strength — it reduced the gains slightly — and made no difference to muscle growth. So back off rather than skip.
A diary program can include a deload every N weeks: in that week the target for a set has no increase, about 90% of the weight, and I remind you to cut sets.
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In the diary I work out all of these numbers myself — you just log the set.