The Method N° 06 · How a block works

The deload

A lighter week costs little. Proof that it adds anything is still missing.

Every study checked against the paper, . Each section carries its grade. Run the numbers in the app.

What a deload is

Still open

Experts agree on a definition: a planned drop in training stress to shed fatigue and get ready for the next block. They agree you can cut sets, reps or days, back off from failure, and plan it or call it when needed, but they set no percentages, no length and no schedule.1

What lifters actually do

Still open

In a survey of 246 strength and physique athletes, a deload lasted about 6.4 days every 5.6 weeks: fewer sets and reps, lighter loads, more reps left, the same exercises and days.2 Coaches report one or two sessions, one to three sets and 60 to 84% of a max.3

Overreaching, the useful kind

Still open

A dip in performance that recovers within days to about two weeks is normal overreaching. When recovery takes weeks to months, it has tipped into harm.4 In triathletes, being hard-trained but not overreached produced the bigger rebound, and far fewer infections: 20% against 70%.5

A week off costs little

Strong

A full week off in the middle of a nine-week block did not cost muscle, endurance or power; strength leaned slightly toward training straight through, within the margin of error.6 Two weeks off did not lower leg press strength in trained men,7 and three weeks off was made up by week 15.8

A lighter week, not a week off

Still open

Training a limb once a week for two sets in its deload weeks, while the other kept going, made no difference to growth or strength over eight weeks.9 A week at about 15% of the previous volume and a week of rest came out largely the same.10

Longer breaks do cost

Settled

Across 103 studies, strength losses grew with the length of the break, more so in older and untrained people.11

60% is a convention, not a finding

Still open

No trial has tested a deload at 60% of the last load with a set fewer. It sits inside what coaches report doing.3 Before a test, the evidence points the other way: cut the volume and keep the weight heavy.12

How the Vanguard app runs this

A deload in the app takes a set off most slots, never below two, adds two reps in reserve, and sets the load near 60% of your last, on a stop your equipment actually has. It comes on schedule, or early when your weekly answers say you are not recovering, and it never adds volume.

The research

The research

The 12 sources this chapter stands on, with what each one actually found.

  1. Bell, Strafford, Coleman et al., 2023 · Sports Med Open

    Delphi consensus · three rounds of expert coaches

    A deload is a period of reduced training stress to mitigate fatigue, promote recovery and prepare for the next block. No percentages, length or frequency were agreed.

    Read the paper by Bell, Strafford, Coleman et al., 2023 (opens in a new tab)

  2. Rogerson, Nolan, Androulakis Korakakis et al., 2024 · Sports Med Open

    Survey · n = 246 strength and physique athletes

    Athletes deloaded for about 6.4 days every 5.6 weeks: fewer sets and reps, lighter loads, more reps left, the same exercises and days.

    Read the paper by Rogerson, Nolan, Androulakis Korakakis et al., 2024 (opens in a new tab)

  3. De Marco, Goods, Baldwin et al., 2024 · J Strength Cond Res

    Survey · n = 204 coaches

    Typical deload weeks: 1 to 2 sessions, 1 to 3 sets, 60 to 84% of a max.

    Read the paper by De Marco, Goods, Baldwin et al., 2024 (opens in a new tab)

  4. Meeusen, Duclos, Foster et al., 2013 · Med Sci Sports Exerc

    Joint consensus statement

    Overreaching recovers in days to weeks, non-functional overreaching in weeks to months, overtraining syndrome in months or longer. Evidence for a rebound after deliberate overload is not abundant.

    Read the paper by Meeusen, Duclos, Foster et al., 2013 (opens in a new tab)

  5. Aubry, Hausswirth, Louis et al., 2014 · Med Sci Sports Exerc

    Controlled trial · n = 33 trained triathletes · 8 weeks

    The hard-trained but not overreached group rebounded 2.6% more than the overreached group; infections 20% against 70%.

    Read the paper by Aubry, Hausswirth, Louis et al., 2014 (opens in a new tab)

  6. Coleman, Burke, Augustin et al., 2024 · PeerJ

    Randomised trial · n = 39 trained · 9 weeks

    A week off mid-block: no difference in muscle, endurance or power; max strength −4.5 kg against continuous training, an interval including zero.

    Read the paper by Coleman, Burke, Augustin et al., 2024 (opens in a new tab)

  7. Hwang, Andre, McKinley-Barnard et al., 2017 · J Strength Cond Res

    Randomised trial · n = 20 trained men · 2 weeks off

    Leg press strength did not drop and lean mass was kept.

    Read the paper by Hwang, Andre, McKinley-Barnard et al., 2017 (opens in a new tab)

  8. Ogasawara, Yasuda, Sakamaki et al., 2011 · Clin Physiol Funct Imaging

    Training study · n = 15 untrained

    Three weeks off: no significant loss of muscle or max, and level with continuous training by week 15.

    Read the paper by Ogasawara, Yasuda, Sakamaki et al., 2011 (opens in a new tab)

  9. Pancar, Ilhan, Darendeli et al., 2026 · Sci Rep

    One limb each · n = 19 untrained men · 8 weeks

    Deload weeks of one session and two sets made no difference to muscle thickness or the 10-rep max.

    Read the paper by Pancar, Ilhan, Darendeli et al., 2026 (opens in a new tab)

  10. Vann, Haun, Osburn et al., 2021 · J Strength Cond Res

    Trial · n = 30 trained men

    After six high-volume weeks, a week at about 15% of the volume and a week of rest gave largely similar responses.

    Read the paper by Vann, Haun, Osburn et al., 2021 (opens in a new tab)

  11. Bosquet, Berryman, Dupuy et al., 2013 · Scand J Med Sci Sports

    Meta-analysis · 103 studies

    Maximal force fell with detraining (effect −0.46), more the longer the break and in older and untrained people.

    Read the paper by Bosquet, Berryman, Dupuy et al., 2013 (opens in a new tab)

  12. Bosquet, Montpetit, Arvisais et al., 2007 · Med Sci Sports Exerc

    Meta-analysis · 27 studies, mostly endurance

    The best taper cut volume by 41 to 60% over two weeks and kept the intensity.

    Read the paper by Bosquet, Montpetit, Arvisais et al., 2007 (opens in a new tab)

Research describes groups of people. Your coach will tell you how it applies to you.

Questions this chapter answers