The Case for Planned Deloads in Strength and Endurance Training
Last week, I share a podcast featuring exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel. Another point that stuck with me from this listen was his take on deloading (around 1:22:00).
His recommendation was:
- A one-week deload every 8 weeks,
- Two weeks of full rest each year.
His reasoning was to manage accumulated fatigue and prevent burnout without losing hard-earned gains. And then when you come back, the stimulus for improvement is stronger.
What is Accumulated Fatigue?
We often account for recovery in terms of rest days, but with hard training cycles, even full days of rest might only get you back to 90%, which can extrapolate over the course of weeks.
And when you train hard consistently over time, your body accumulates stress in ways that aren't always as obvious as sore muscles. Gradually, tendons and connective tissue grow irritable, and our energy level starts to diminish resulting in performance plateaus, dips in motivation, and spikes in injury risk.
While short-term fatigue is expected and even necessary for adaptation, chronic buildup without a break leads to diminishing returns.
That’s where a well-timed deload comes in.
What Should a Deload Week Look Like?
Here’s a simple framework for resistance training:
For Weightlifters
- Reduce volume by ~50% (e.g., cut sets in half)
- Reduce intensity by ~30–50% (lighter weights, same or fewer reps)
- Stick to your usual training schedule and movements
- RPE around 5–6/10 (everything should feel smooth and easy)
- Example: If your normal workout includes 4x6 back squats at 225 lbs, your deload would be 2x6 at 135–155 lbs.
This load might feel useless for strength, but try shifting the focus on the purpose of the lift. Use this opportunity to get deeper into the lift for better mobility, or work hard on moving with speed and power as you move the weight.
For Endurance Athletes
- Cut total weekly mileage or time by 30-50%
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Maintain frequency (same number of sessions)
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Reduce intensity: swap hard intervals for steady aerobic efforts
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Shorten long sessions by 40–50%
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Example: If you normally run 40 miles per week with two interval sessions, shift to 20–28 miles with mostly easy runs and 6-8 100m strides for speed work.
Planned vs. Unplanned Deloads
Some argue you don’t need to plan deloads—life will handle that for you.
And yes, travel, illness, or a chaotic week can force a break. But the problem is that those breaks are unpredictable, usually poorly timed, and not always restful, whereas planned deloads give you control.
You can reduce the right variables at the right time and come back feeling better and not rusty. Then if you come up to your planned deload week but feeling better than ever, adjust accordingly and keep pushing forward. Although, it's best to use data to make the decision to skip over your deload, such as heart rate variability, rated perceived exertion, and the weights you're hitting in the gym.
In short, more is not always better.
Originally published as Movement #256
