By dropping the load and increasing the reps , is a form of deloading. You spare your CNS from the heavy weights but still give you muscular system the amount of workload you'd usually give it.

Deloading might seem like a lousy thing to do, but think of it this way, more often than not, taking 1 step back usually yields in a 2 step forward kind of thing. Deloading can be fun. And the most important thing about deloading is that, it gives your system enough recovery time to continue making progress in the gym. I know a lot of us prefer taking a week or two off and that's fair game as well. Just saying

Going to failure as in? Do you mean that by deloading that we shy away from failure?

Yeah, sorry I missed out on that. Let me clear up my pov of a deloading,

Back off the usual weights by 20 - 30 % , slightly higher rep ranges ( I mean from moving from 4 - 6 to 6 - 8 etc ), ending a set with 2 - 4 reps left in the tank.

I personally no longer go to failure, I might get really close to failure with single joint movements but not to the point of an all out set. Going to failure, deloading or not, hits the CNS really hard that it's just harder to recover.

Every 2 months sounds about right.

Going to failure or not will still put a stress on one's CNS. The difference between a deload workout vs a normal workout is pretty clear cut (i.e : 85-95% of 1RM vs 70-80% of 1RM, Increased repetitions but NOT 20-30 rep sets, at least 2 - 3 reps left in the tank with each set). Going to failure stresses your body like mad, I'm not saying not going to failure doesn't. Yes, there are numerous high frequency, high volume training protocols out there, but deloading is a part of that protocol, the methods of deloading might be different but they're there. Either they do it every 8 - 10 workouts or 6 - 8 workouts.

The thing is, there's only so much your body can take, unless we're talking about inducing anabolic hormones, we're pretty limited in terms of recovery and progress over time. I'm not against skipping the gym altogether if you feel like horseshit for that day, I'm just saying, for every certain period of time of training, have a planned deload week. It wouldn't stress your CNS like you normally would but you'd still put your muscular system to work. An active recovery of sorts. Or we can skip the gym for the whole week. Nothing wrong with either.

1) 70 - 80% of 1RM instead of your usual 90% stuff.
2) higher rep ranges
3) 2 - 3 reps left in the tank with (1) and (2) -> no where close to failure

That's a deload.

1) 80 - 95% of 1RM
2) Rep ranges slightly lower
3) 1 - 2 reps left in the tank. -> not hitting failure but very near to failure.

The usual

Bolded of your statement is also what I'm trying to say

This post has been edited by razorboy: Feb 25 2013, 11:27 AM

right on. not really heavy. I mean my numbers are pretty low so it's all right. And besides, my schedule suck ass, I only get to train every friday to sunday. I've got 4 days rest every week, in a row.

legs, chest shoulder triceps, back and bis.

i was on 4 day thing and that was tight, now it's even tighter, i literally have to cramp in everything, my workouts are bare minimum 90 minutes long. I'm usually so gassed half way through i chew on a granola bar or have a sugar drink half way through.

i personally don't think so, there's talk about mercury poisoning and all but IMHO everything is toxic now, even the air we're breathing. so just have your tuna and be done with it, I have it like all the time myself. not everyday but quite often.

I do my deads after my squats on leg days, usually just a whole lot of rowing on back days. I might just give your suggestion a try. I'm just hoping my schedule would clear up soon enough so I wouldn't be gassed that I have to drag myself out of the gym each time.

1) I suggest u finish up that fat burner and forget about it thereafter. U'd be better off sorting out your calories ( caloric deficit ) to lose bodyfay

2) If you feel uncomfortable training with soreness then rest till it's gone, if you feel it's ok then by all means go ahead. Just pay attention if its pain. muscle soreness is all right.

1) We've had more than enough discussions on here about "clean" diets, the only "clean" foods we eat are those that we wash beforehand to prevent shit going into our mouths. Learn about Macronutrient allocation, Carbs, Protein, Fats. How much you need of each based of how much calories your body needs. From there, scale down to a caloric deficit, enough to lose right around 1 - 2 lbs a week, nothing more.

2) don't think of what your friend say, think of what your body say, training while you're sore does not make it hardcore. You've just started training, I understand how it feels, but the last thing you want is to have this super light-weight-muthafxxxxx-yeah-buddy-ronnie-coleman-is-small-to-me-hardcore mindset. Stick to compound movements, eat at a caloric deficit, rest. It is as simple as that.

Calories > Macros > Meal Timing



As long as 1) and 2) in-check, you'd be just fine

Simple. Eat more

Am paying 159 for one branch at jaya 33

1 bro.

Same over here. Does your rear delts and upper back get sore from squatting the day b4 push? My shit is sore it's affecting my push days

My front squats are on my sumo days. Secondary power movement. Damn back squats killing the shit out of my upper back and rear delts. On my push days, it's so bad I can feel them failing before my chest/delts. Frustrating. 3 months in and I still get DOMS there. I don't even get DOMS there deadlifting or targeting them on pull days.

Lol. Nah. Legs after pull is just nasty. I'll just grind through it. Was just curious since dan was on the same routine arrangement

1) No male should at any point in time be under 1500kcal.
2) Whether or not 2000kcal is too low for you, depends on you. Some people have better metabolism, some people don't. Some people diet on 400g of carbs and it's considered low to them and some people have to diet on 50g of carbs and that's still too high. It all depends on you. It's all about how your metabolism works and how it adapts to your long term caloric intake, bodyfat settling point and Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).
3) Are you gaining weight or losing weight on 2000kcal? If you're gaining and your goal is to lose, then it's too high, if you're losing and your goal is to gain then it's too low. If at any point you think your calories are too low, check point #1. And don't make big jumps, make sure it's slow steady deficits and surplus.

Weight yourself out everyday, for 7 days and find your average weight, do this over 2 - 4 weeks and compare each week's average weight in. Then you will know whether you've gained or lost.

What I'd suggest you do is, if you weight remains, try adding 5-10g of carbs OR 3-5g of fats. Then see what happens next week.

Go to youtube, look up 3DMJ and biolayne. Watch their lean gaining, fat loss, metabolic adaptation videos.

Monitor your weight longer. Water fluctuations is inevitable. I can't remember the exact number but each gram of carb you take in, draws in a certain amount of water.

It's hard to say if you're going through a recomp. What I'd suggest you do is push your calories up over an extended period of time.

130/150 -> median at 140g P = 560kcals
37g F = 333kcal
170g C = 680kcal

Total = 1573kcals.

Are you eating enough ? You tell me. Either your track or you don't track. Work with ranges and don't guess. You're not good enough with eyeballing yet. As you go along, you'd probably have a better idea of your meal portions.

Key points
1) Add calories ( carbs, fats, protein) SLOWLY
2) Monitor your weight daily and average them out. Once a week is good, but averaging them is a more accurate reading of how much you weight
3) Track your macros properly if you wanna track them. If you're too lazy to track all of it, just get to the required amount of protein that you need and fill up the rest of your calories with carbs/fats.

Soreness is okay. Pain is not. If there's pain, tender to touch, ice it. Let the swelling go away. If it still hurts, seek medical advice. Non of us here is qualified to give you any medical advice. And besides, no doctor would give you advice without doing a proper examination of whatever pain you have.