I always tell myself that I'm going to deload after I get a PR. Then I tell myself that since my PR was just a heavy single that counted as a deload. Yay!
Hey no offense at all! It was just a funny slip since you, Nic, Andy, Olu, and the crew are used to moving so much more than 300. Working toward a 300 bench myself. Your recommendations for rows and weighted pull ups have been helping that and all my other lifts. Keep up the good work!
Lots of good stuff to think about! Lately I've realized when I'm feeling super beat up it's because I'm either neglecting my sleep or my diet. Have to make sure that stuff is all right before I even start thinking about a deload.
Great video and perspective ...as a older guy whom doesn’t compete...I go totally by feel...work atleast 4 weeks untill I feel just beat up might take 10 weeks...then deload with active recovery usually swimming than back to the grind
531 doesn't have 4th week as a deload anymore either. New standard is 7th week protocol (so after 2 cycles) where you either deload or go for PRs depending on how you're doing.
Really high quality video, your explanation of the concepts were simple and clear, but not overly simple. And thank you for outlining different variables regarding how someone should deload. Super helpful! I will be referencing this video frequently.
Just finished a 12week FHT program with John Rusin. Doing my 1st deload for as long as i can remember for 1 week with no spine loading exercises at all. Feeling great and so excited to start up a more intense program in the Dark Horse. Also I cannot understand why you only have 95K subscribers. Your content is so great for all range of lifters. Hope you get that 100k mark soon!.
Thanks. I only seem to deload when I suffer aches and pains. Training is too much fun. I always push for more and more, then aches and pains inevitably hit me. Sighs.
White Wolf I hear you bro. A local guy in my area really push me to try 8 weeks on and then a week off. It absolutely changed the game for me. It's a mental challenge as Brian says but once you've done it you actually look forward to it. During the week off I do some long distance walking , like an hour, and I eat the same as I would during training weeks. I used to keep pushing through it all like you did and forced into brakes and then it was depressing versus feeling fantastic when I go back in and looking forward to it. Big difference.
I'm planning to do a deload (or even a whole week off) starting on Monday and wasn't sure what to do, so this is incredibly timely. Brian with that direct link into my brain lol.
Thanks for the video, Brian! Good to have some parameters for a proper deload from a experienced guy like you. On the colab subject, is there any chance of a colab with Chad Wesley Smith? He seems to be a nice guy, is crazy strong and was into Strongman too. You two would rule doing Strongman technique stuff together! Or maybe you can participate in his podcast, I don't know, just would be a nice colab. Cheers!
Brian Alsruhe Thanks for answering! I was just listening to his most recent Beers With Chad and he says he just competted at IBJJF Novice Worlds, white belt, ultra heavy weight, and mentioned training at a Gracie gym. I've seen videos of you wearing a Gracie t-shirt. More in common, please, makes this colab happen! :D
I've hit a plateau on both strength and losing weight. Also going through an autoimmune flare up. My joints and stuff hurt like hell. It's been a while since I have hurt, but an autoimmune flare up is like a check engine light for me. I'm going to work on mobility and do less intensive cardio to keep things moving.
Hey Brian I like the ‘doing no jack shit’ option as well haha but as an older lifter like me with kids you will be forced to take ‘life deloads’ a few times a year because of family stuff, kids get sick or deadlines at work, vacations etc. Therefore taking scheduled deloads kinda suck for me because if I’m unlucky then I’ll need to take two deload weeks in a row..the scheduled one and an unexpected life deload.
Yeah, true word! I prefer "life deloads", too. Everything else is just wasting gymtime (as a average guy who is already struggeling to get enough training time). Sometimes I am even glad to get just 30 minutes of training. No time to waste a complete week.
If you are following a 4-day weights (your strength & hypertrophy W/O) and running 4-5 days a week, would you recommend deload weeks more often? My goals are to make small strength gains or at least maintain while I prioritize running ( I am trying to go from 24 minute to 20 minute or faster 3 mile run and cut down from 185 to 160 or as close as possible).
I thought you were going to say when you’ve been trying to beat a boss for hours getting so pissed off, you put the control down and take a break. Maybe come back later and you beat the boss first try easy. Still good stuff Zelda is the shit
2:36 you hit the nail on the damned head here. EVERY damn time I go to deload, I make it like 3 days max before I’m like “fuck it, I’m fine” and start lifting heavy again 😅 but not this time. 3 weeks out from a meet, and currently overreached, I practically need someone with me at all times to smack me across the face every time I even think about lifting heavy for the next 7 days. If I get my shit together, I can be that person to do so for myself. Figuratively, of course. But fuck me, it is hard to step away from the grind, even if it’s “only” for a week 😖
Brian Alsruhe just an FYI. Hit another pr on the darkhorse. 340 squat for a single. Two weeks ago before I started I hit 315 for a double. Strength is going through the roof on this new program.
I remember when I did 531 I hated having the deload week so often, I'd usually combine the squat and bench days, and deadlift + OHP, to get back to regular weights faster.
Same. Though really I just didn't like 5/3/1. Maybe I did it wrong. But I didn't feel like my CNS was taxed enough so when it came time to test, other than on DL I just wasn't ready for the weight.
I am eating breakfast like you. You said you will do some meal plans! P.S: Can I do in your free program( power builder) to do cond. at start at the workout?
can i just do deload for my pushing movements, because all my pulling movements and lower body movements is going up, but my pushing movements like bench and ohp is decreasing
I feel much better about not being able to train up to USS Nationals. I'll be training, just not strength training. I signed up on a whim after bouncing the idea back and forth with a couple pro strongmen at my gym.
Seems great for strength gains, when it comes to muscle growth? Is my body going to "feel" the workouts again and promote growth? Also I don't know if i missed it but is the benefit of a deload a one off thing? Am i getting stronger just for that one session and then decline again? Great video of course! Thanks for the info.
I've completed your program a couple weeks ago and plugged my maxes back in for another run. My problem is the weight feels sooo heavy and i feel so weak. My question, after deloading for maxes and then testing 1RM, do you feel that there should be another deload or "reload" before plugging new maxes in and restarting a program after testing maxes?
I think it depends on the lifter but I usually don't need to brother. I do much less work during a testing week in terms of tonnage moved than I do in a normal day
Hi Brian , on which exercises would you recommend using fat gripz on if training in a commercial gym without specialist strongman implements ? Thanks :)
I'm going for work in germany for two months in a few weeks, if I swap from weightlifting to my calistehnics routine when I'll be there then is it going to hurt my numbers in big lifts? I'm following convict conditiong just to let you know I really need some wisdom on that topic!
Yea man, but it will come back within a month of being back to lifting brother. Just stay active e, enjoy trying something new and try to bring aspects of it back to your game once you get back. You have the rest of your life to lift man, this could be a good thing!
I'm above average doing 360lb deadlift lol I read the comments about the bench/deadlift lol I guess the 11 thumbs down you got are the people who didn't bother reading
Is it true that it’s best to do absolutely no lifting about 2 days before a competition? Also I’m going to talk to some of the guys in the firehouse about having you come up to NY to do a seminar.
emailjwr not really, but try to listen to your body. If you feel like your energylevel is low, try to do about the same weight as you normally do but cut the sets in half. Good luck
I think it all depends on wether or not the lifter follows the right nutrition and recovery plan during a program. Some people who have shitty recovery and nutrition protocols probably do need the 4 week deload. But if you do things right then Brian is spot on you are just wasting loads of training time per year.
No because if i am delaoding, then I am most likely cutting weight. If I didn’t need to cut to make weight, then yes. Change as little as possible last minute
Nolan Cong mine either. Mostly because my 95% is A LOT of people's 50% so my 50% looks (and feels) a lot like maybe I should just jump over milk crates in my basement for 30 minutes.
I always tell myself that I'm going to deload after I get a PR. Then I tell myself that since my PR was just a heavy single that counted as a deload. Yay!
Did you admit to playing Zelda? Did we just become best friends?
Yes and Yes!
Brian Alsruhe Nick is gona feel betrayed
I'm a guy and I'll admit, the both of you talking about video games is making me wet
Yea.... yes and yes I guess
Righttttt!
"The average person who's benching 300 lbs" - Brian's got a warped sense of average O_O'
I meant to say deadlifting 300 man. Didn't mean any offense.
Hey no offense at all! It was just a funny slip since you, Nic, Andy, Olu, and the crew are used to moving so much more than 300.
Working toward a 300 bench myself. Your recommendations for rows and weighted pull ups have been helping that and all my other lifts. Keep up the good work!
Another technique I learned from Zelda is to shout *HUT! HUT! HEJT! TYAAA WHAAAA! HUT!* as you lift. Guaranteed gains.
Lots of good stuff to think about! Lately I've realized when I'm feeling super beat up it's because I'm either neglecting my sleep or my diet. Have to make sure that stuff is all right before I even start thinking about a deload.
You are totally right brother!
3 vids in 3 days. We have been blessed this week.
A awesome day as always when Brian gives some good content!
Great video and perspective ...as a older guy whom doesn’t compete...I go totally by feel...work atleast 4 weeks untill I feel just beat up might take 10 weeks...then deload with active recovery usually swimming than back to the grind
This is great advice!
"Nothing personal, feelings" - B.A. 2018
Gotta say, love that saying!
Yay, what is happening people!
Your deload is not a rest for you, it's a rest for the weights!
Getting a pen and paper and rewatching. Thank you for the awesome content!
Brian, I threw up this morning during Sally.. I hope you're happy
531 doesn't have 4th week as a deload anymore either. New standard is 7th week protocol (so after 2 cycles) where you either deload or go for PRs depending on how you're doing.
Sorry, I had no idea
Hey man, I've been seeing the Greek flag in your gym, and I just wanna send my love from Athens!
Really high quality video, your explanation of the concepts were simple and clear, but not overly simple. And thank you for outlining different variables regarding how someone should deload. Super helpful! I will be referencing this video frequently.
Just finished a 12week FHT program with John Rusin. Doing my 1st deload for as long as i can remember for 1 week with no spine loading exercises at all. Feeling great and so excited to start up a more intense program in the Dark Horse. Also I cannot understand why you only have 95K subscribers. Your content is so great for all range of lifters. Hope you get that 100k mark soon!.
That is awesome man! and yea, I wish I had more as well....Is what it is I suppose
Thanks. I only seem to deload when I suffer aches and pains. Training is too much fun. I always push for more and more, then aches and pains inevitably hit me. Sighs.
White Wolf I hear you bro. A local guy in my area really push me to try 8 weeks on and then a week off. It absolutely changed the game for me. It's a mental challenge as Brian says but once you've done it you actually look forward to it. During the week off I do some long distance walking , like an hour, and I eat the same as I would during training weeks. I used to keep pushing through it all like you did and forced into brakes and then it was depressing versus feeling fantastic when I go back in and looking forward to it. Big difference.
Brian, you have a great personality and positive messaging. Keep it going.
this is the best in depth de-load video I have ever seen. Thank you !
Short and to the point! Very informative video Brian, keep rolling and get that 100K!
Glorious!!!! Made my day! Haha
I'm planning to do a deload (or even a whole week off) starting on Monday and wasn't sure what to do, so this is incredibly timely. Brian with that direct link into my brain lol.
Thanks for the video, Brian! Good to have some parameters for a proper deload from a experienced guy like you.
On the colab subject, is there any chance of a colab with Chad Wesley Smith? He seems to be a nice guy, is crazy strong and was into Strongman too. You two would rule doing Strongman technique stuff together! Or maybe you can participate in his podcast, I don't know, just would be a nice colab. Cheers!
I would love to collaborate with him!
Brian Alsruhe Thanks for answering! I was just listening to his most recent Beers With Chad and he says he just competted at IBJJF Novice Worlds, white belt, ultra heavy weight, and mentioned training at a Gracie gym. I've seen videos of you wearing a Gracie t-shirt. More in common, please, makes this colab happen! :D
I've hit a plateau on both strength and losing weight. Also going through an autoimmune flare up. My joints and stuff hurt like hell. It's been a while since I have hurt, but an autoimmune flare up is like a check engine light for me. I'm going to work on mobility and do less intensive cardio to keep things moving.
Great video as allways
Hey Brian I like the ‘doing no jack shit’ option as well haha but as an older lifter like me with kids you will be forced to take ‘life deloads’ a few times a year because of family stuff, kids get sick or deadlines at work, vacations etc. Therefore taking scheduled deloads kinda suck for me because if I’m unlucky then I’ll need to take two deload weeks in a row..the scheduled one and an unexpected life deload.
This is very true.
Yeah, true word! I prefer "life deloads", too. Everything else is just wasting gymtime (as a average guy who is already struggeling to get enough training time). Sometimes I am even glad to get just 30 minutes of training. No time to waste a complete week.
Love your info!!
If you are following a 4-day weights (your strength & hypertrophy W/O) and running 4-5 days a week, would you recommend deload weeks more often? My goals are to make small strength gains or at least maintain while I prioritize running ( I am trying to go from 24 minute to 20 minute or faster 3 mile run and cut down from 185 to 160 or as close as possible).
I just asked Scott Herman to do a video about this yesterday!
if you can deadlift 600 how many zelda hearts does that translate to?
2.5 if you are in the blue tunic.
Great video. Thanks for the info about deloading.
As always, quality content!
I thought you were going to say when you’ve been trying to beat a boss for hours getting so pissed off, you put the control down and take a break. Maybe come back later and you beat the boss first try easy. Still good stuff Zelda is the shit
2:36 you hit the nail on the damned head here. EVERY damn time I go to deload, I make it like 3 days max before I’m like “fuck it, I’m fine” and start lifting heavy again 😅 but not this time. 3 weeks out from a meet, and currently overreached, I practically need someone with me at all times to smack me across the face every time I even think about lifting heavy for the next 7 days. If I get my shit together, I can be that person to do so for myself. Figuratively, of course. But fuck me, it is hard to step away from the grind, even if it’s “only” for a week 😖
Awesome video man. Thanks for the information. A video on testing weeks would be awesomer...haha
Already made brother, just search the channel.
Brian Alsruhe just an FYI. Hit another pr on the darkhorse. 340 squat for a single. Two weeks ago before I started I hit 315 for a double. Strength is going through the roof on this new program.
I remember when I did 531 I hated having the deload week so often, I'd usually combine the squat and bench days, and deadlift + OHP, to get back to regular weights faster.
Same. Though really I just didn't like 5/3/1. Maybe I did it wrong. But I didn't feel like my CNS was taxed enough so when it came time to test, other than on DL I just wasn't ready for the weight.
Thank you for the info man!
Thanks Brian.
Thanks for watching it man!
I am eating breakfast like you. You said you will do some meal plans! P.S: Can I do in your free program( power builder) to do cond. at start at the workout?
Squad!
Great video
Doing nothing for deloads in necessary for me because I lack the self control to go to the gym and not lift heavy.
U know Zelda? RESPECT
I'm the same i do nothing. I come back refresh and motivated
A good deload is doing physical therapy, with technique practice with Some weight, or like Alan Thrall said, less volume with same weight on the bar
I just don’t agree man. Sorry
Your videos have been so helpful, thanks so much. Also Zelda \m/
Thank you
i got a meet july 1 and im going to try the singles to 70% with small jumps. seems like a good idea worth trying.
can i just do deload for my pushing movements, because all my pulling movements and lower body movements is going up, but my pushing movements like bench and ohp is decreasing
I feel much better about not being able to train up to USS Nationals. I'll be training, just not strength training. I signed up on a whim after bouncing the idea back and forth with a couple pro strongmen at my gym.
Never expected that Brian played Zelda
Seems great for strength gains, when it comes to muscle growth? Is my body going to "feel" the workouts again and promote growth? Also I don't know if i missed it but is the benefit of a deload a one off thing? Am i getting stronger just for that one session and then decline again?
Great video of course! Thanks for the info.
I don't know man, I train for performance, not to look good.
Yes Zeldaaaa!!!
Hell yeah Zelda!!
I've completed your program a couple weeks ago and plugged my maxes back in for another run. My problem is the weight feels sooo heavy and i feel so weak. My question, after deloading for maxes and then testing 1RM, do you feel that there should be another deload or "reload" before plugging new maxes in and restarting a program after testing maxes?
I think it depends on the lifter but I usually don't need to brother. I do much less work during a testing week in terms of tonnage moved than I do in a normal day
were those some leg blasters I saw in the beginning???
Hi Brian , on which exercises would you recommend using fat gripz on if training in a commercial gym without specialist strongman implements ? Thanks :)
is there a video about the lifting Qs?
Like to see some more vids on shoulder rehab
I didn't do any
Brian Alsruhe none at all? That's awesome! I'm still in quite a bit of pain but I tend to get back at it soon
I'm going for work in germany for two months in a few weeks, if I swap from weightlifting to my calistehnics routine when I'll be there then is it going to hurt my numbers in big lifts? I'm following convict conditiong just to let you know I really need some wisdom on that topic!
Yea man, but it will come back within a month of being back to lifting brother. Just stay active e, enjoy trying something new and try to bring aspects of it back to your game once you get back. You have the rest of your life to lift man, this could be a good thing!
does the 1 rep every 30s mean the same as EMOM so you do 1 rep at the begining of 30s and the rest of it is your rest?
You got me at zelda...
I just go hard until I get sick then I will be load until I'm not sick anymore or I might go do one light workout
Does a week long field op count as a deload? I don’t think I’m programming right..
Hahaha actually yes
What are good antagonist exercises for the squat and deadlift anybody or Brian?
I use explosive movements in place of the antagonists
I'm above average doing 360lb deadlift lol I read the comments about the bench/deadlift lol I guess the 11 thumbs down you got are the people who didn't bother reading
Is it true that it’s best to do absolutely no lifting about 2 days before a competition?
Also I’m going to talk to some of the guys in the firehouse about having you come up to NY to do a seminar.
Dude, I would go like 5 Days. 2 Days would not be enough time.
I loss bench press almost instantly.
For very beginners (first 6 months of training), are deloads needed at all?
emailjwr not really, but try to listen to your body. If you feel like your energylevel is low, try to do about the same weight as you normally do but cut the sets in half. Good luck
I think it all depends on wether or not the lifter follows the right nutrition and recovery plan during a program. Some people who have shitty recovery and nutrition protocols probably do need the 4 week deload. But if you do things right then Brian is spot on you are just wasting loads of training time per year.
I think it depends on the beginner and how much weight they are moving man.
For me, every week is a de load week...
Do you still eat the same calories on deloads?
No because if i am delaoding, then I am most likely cutting weight. If I didn’t need to cut to make weight, then yes. Change as little as possible last minute
Would I need to deload if im not doing any competitions or shows?
If you are lifting heavy and digging into your CNS, yes. If not then no man
Like to just for the Zelda reference
Now I'm curious about who sent you the Vatican flag.
One of the guards actually
Hey man, when starting a programme e.g. 5/3/1 when the weight is increased each week for the three main lifts...does this apply to accessories too?
Follow what the program tells you to do. Each one is different.
so that's what people mean when they say don't study before a test.
Only saw 3 Options o.o
the fourth was to do nothing. That is what I do.
portuguese flag
referenced Zelda. as if you weren't awesome enough already
My ego won’t allow 50% :(
Nolan Cong mine either. Mostly because my 95% is A LOT of people's 50% so my 50% looks (and feels) a lot like maybe I should just jump over milk crates in my basement for 30 minutes.
Your ego is going to allow it when you get hurt
then your ego is making you weaker.
Brian Alsruhe I started a submax program to keep myself in check. Less going high intensity
Brian Alsruhe ain't that the truth.
Homeboy is outta breath