Table 9 Assessing the success of the deload
From: Deloading Practices in Strength and Physique Sports: A Cross-sectional Survey
Responses (n = 246) | |
|---|---|
“How would you know if your deload has been effective?” | |
Fatigue dissipates | 216 (87.8%) |
Training motivation increases | 171 (69.5%) |
Performance increases | 166 (67.5%) |
Aches and pains ease | 165 (67.1%) |
I don’t know | 5 (2.0%) |
“What caused a deload to fail to achieve its purpose?” | |
Fatigue dissipates | 216 (87.8%) |
Training motivation increases | 171 (69.5%) |
Performance increases | 166 (67.5%) |
Aches and pains ease | 165 (67.1%) |
Trained too heavy | 124 (50.4%) |
Volume was too high | 110 (44.7%) |
The deload was too short | 80 (32.5%) |
Fatigue was too high (e.g., overtraining) | 80 (32.5%) |
Life/work circumstances | 78 (31.7%) |
Trained too close to failure | 74 (30.1%) |
Didn’t adhere to the programmed deload | 73 (29.7%) |
Injury / illness | 69 (28.0%) |
I don’t know | 5 (2.0%) |