How to deload

A deload is a short, planned period of recovery. When deloading you will be working out less. This can include: Shortening the time of a workout, lightening the weight and training with less intensity. You should deload when you have been consistently working out for a couple of months, if you feel demotivated or you are stuck in a training plateau. A deload can increase your gains and goals by promoting proper recovery. If you feel you are getting weaker and your joints and muscles take too long to recover then that is a sign  you definitely need to take a deload. 

Rock bottom reality check

Very often people reach a point where they realise that minimal to no progress is being made. This is known as a plateau. Perhaps you signed up to a gym to lose fat and build muscle but its been quite some time now and you've only just gained more fat or can't build anymore muscle. If you're reading and this is you. Continue reading.

Fitness 24 hour lifestyle

Being fit is not a hobby. To be fit requires 24 hours of dedication every day. What you do each second of each day will determine how you look, feel and perform. People make excuses with lack of time being the most common. All your excuses are lies. You don't make time for fitness, fitness makes time for you if you show it the respect and discipline it deserves. There's no easy way out. I'm not going to sugar coat it or tell you what you want to hear. But I will tell you it's worth it.

Hypertrophy and strength

"It's not about the weight you are using, it's about how hard you make the muscles work." Yuri Boyka (Scott Adkins). There is a key difference between hypertrophy (enlargement of muscle size) and strength. Training for hypertrophy requires high volume (sets and reps) with light/moderate weight in contrast to low volume/ heavy weight strength training . This means training specifically for hypertrophy, you probably won't be as strong as someone who trains for strength but you can have even more muscle than someone stronger than you. Muscle doesn't necessarily mean strength.