Deload......can I hit arms/ small muscles hard?

[Pinggolfee96]

I hate deloading so much! I just wanna train hard lol but I definitely needed it right now. But do you think keeping my same volume and intensity on arms would be okay since they're smaller muscles or should I just still cut my volume and weight? Thanks!

 

[Rad83]

I know the feeling,...but I tend to suck it up and let my arms/tendons etc rest...I think of it as 'catching up on some growth' ...You'll come back stronger and fresh. Arms take a beating if you're hitting compounds hard!
But again, it's up to you if you wanna hit some dips/chins or more throughout the week...

Everybody loses a little 'fullness' when taking time off and/or not training as hard...it's part of the game, so we can stay in it for the long haul'

 

[AntM1564]

Take a deload, all muscle groups need to be deloaded. Remember, you're not just giving your muscle rest, but you're also giving you joints, ligaments, and tendons a rest as well. Do not forget about your CNS either. Although you want to train mall muscle groups hard, doing so will not allow your CNS to fully recover.

 

[Mowglisml]

Current program was the first time I ran into actually doing a deload... and i actually needed it. My cns was getting battered. I reduced weight on everything and it helped me so much. No dropsets or failure reps, but wasn't tempted from hitting it hard the previous weeks

 

[PaulBlack]

My vote goes to the "full" deload / back off crowd.
It is probably quite normal to want to keep pushing something so we don't feel like we are losing ground, but truthfully, I have learned the hard way, that taking a week off or, reducing loads and intensities, can have a positive effect on the entire, body's systems.
It also has you learning, that "more" is not always better.

 

[AntM1564]

Also, you could go one of two ways. You could keep your weights the same, but cut back the volume. Or cut the weights and keep the same volume (minus drop sets and rest pause sets)

 

[Angrypolak]

Also, you could go one of two ways. You could keep your weights the same, but cut back the volume. Or cut the weights and keep the same volume (minus drop sets and rest pause sets)

I use the reduced volume approach myself. It's really all mental, but keeping weight high and reducing volume just feels less like a deload to me, but it gives your body a break all the same.


You also don't have to deload everything at the same time.

My routine is based on PHAT. Upper, lower, (power) push, pull, legs (hypertrophy).

If I stall on a lift on my power day, I perform one less set on all related lifts for the whole week. I also remove any drop sets or forced reps if part of my routine.

Example, I stall on BB flat bench (my primary power chest lift). Any chest/tricep/anterior deltoid exercise gets reduced by one set.

Usually if I stall it's because my diet or sleep was subpar. So I also focus on that and make sure I get back on track.

 

[AntM1564]

I use the reduced volume approach myself. It's really all mental, but keeping weight high and reducing volume just feels less like a deload to me, but it gives your body a break all the same.


You also don't have to deload everything at the same time.

My routine is based on PHAT. Upper, lower, (power) push, pull, legs (hypertrophy).

If I stall on a lift on my power day, I perform one less set on all related lifts for the whole week. I also remove any drop sets or forced reps if part of my routine.

Example, I stall on BB flat bench (my primary power chest lift). Any chest/tricep/anterior deltoid exercise gets reduced by one set.

Usually if I stall it's because my diet or sleep was subpar. So I also focus on that and make sure I get back on track.

I also prefer the reduced volume over reduced weight. If I go light with the weights, they feel so damn heavy the following week.