The Deload Dilemma
What exactly is a ‘deload’? Everyone has their own perception based on their style of training, and previous positive/negative experiences. Typically, a deload is defined as ‘a period of lowered training intensity and volume alongside additional recovery techniques’. This comes after a period the athlete/lifter has participated in ‘overreaching’ (or slight overtraining). The deload is not a familiar period at Westside, as we constantly rotate the main lift(s) and auxiliaries in order to avoid accommodation as well as overuse injuries. Also, athletes train at over 90% 2 days a week with this rotation of exercises which allow us to keep them at a competition state year round (barring additional conditioning and GPP). The only time we come close to what the rest of the powerlifting community calls a delaod would be at certain times of Circa Max. As during this period max effort lower work shifts around (weeks 1&2 shift from Monday to Friday) this leaves 2 additional days for pure auxiliary/prehab/rehab work. Heres’s a quick list of our top 4 auxiliaries we use for just such occasions…
1) Sled Pull (forward, reverse)
2) Banded Walk (forward, lateral, reverse)
3) Reverse Hyper (<90lbs)
4) Banded Shoulder Traction (30-60sec)
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