Pumping Up with AJ Sloan: How & When to (de)LOAD

Hello my fellow homos and happy Friday ❤️‍ ✌ The weekend is upon us and it is truly a beautiful thing. For all of you who can’t just “release” your job (sorry Bey, sorry Big Freedia), the weekend provides us with that time to wind down and wine down from the week in hopes of keeping you from keying "cunt" into your boss’ car. The same applies to your fitness life. Our bodies benefit from planned periods of recovery that in turn help us push harder afterward. It’s time to talk about deloading (not synonymous with busting a nut, you f***in perv).
To put it simply, a deload is a pre-planned time of recovery. You still workout, but you take it lighter and can even reduce time spent on working out, and then ease back into things. A deload can last for approximately one week. This may sound like an elaborately disguised opportunity to be a lazy piece of trash, but hold your horses. A fresh & frothy deload just might be the key to take your gainz to the next level.

Probably the most simple strategy to deload is just to reduce the weight that you're using. It’s totally your call, but you can reduce the weight that you use by as little as 20% or as much as 50%. Just because the weight is down does not mean that you have to increase your reps. Take it easy. That is kinda the point.

Another strategy is to switch up your exercises. Always using barbells? Switch over to dumbbells. Are dumbbells your current jam? Try cable machines. And because you are trying out a different type of equipment, start off at a lower weight especially to ensure proper form and posture. There is nothing less productive than butchering a workout with poor form and posture.

As cliché as it may sound, listen to your body. When you start to notice that your lifts are weakening, this may be an indication that you’re overreaching and the central nervous system is not giving its all. Another sign that it may be time for a warm & gooey deload is soreness or stiffness in your joints. Of course, you’re going to experience soreness after a nice pump, but being in constant discomfort or pain is a sign that you need to take a break. Get that deload!

On that note, I’m going to close my laptop and dive into the weekend. I’ve got a brand new jock strap that’s not gonna wear itself . Whether your plans are to start a deload or take a load or twelve, have a great MFing weekend, royalty. You’ve earned it. Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do…

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