Ben Patton

Thoughts. Technical tips. And other things.

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Deloads For Developers

September 12, 2022

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In weight lifting and/or strength training programs, good ones will build in a deload.

The deload is a simple idea.

In a typical month workout cycle, you have 3 weeks you are progressing.

The 4th week, you drop the percentages on all exercises by 25-50%. You can also drop sets lower.

The goal is this:

In a deload, progress is not the goal, recovery is.

When I missed a deload

About a month ago we bought a house 🎉

But with the house we had to cut costs. So I cut coaching. But instead of going through my deload week I just started a new program.

After 2 weeks I was hating working out. I typically love it. Its relaxing for me. But I was dreading it and everything felt absolutely immovable.

Then I remembered last week and started my deload this week.

I have been so much happier and have had a lot more energy.

For Developers

The implications for this for developers are many, in my mind. But I will keep it to a really simple one here.

  • Have you been learning and learning and always going?

  • Do you code all day for work and code all night for fun trying to learn all the new things along the way?

Take the next week and simply build projects with what you do know

It will be hard. You will initially feel like you are not using time wisely.

But as you build, you will see how quick you can build and you will be relieving stress.

You can dive back in next week. But take time and just use what you know and start coding.