"Why I never deload (and why you shouldn't either)" - NATURAL HYPERTROPHY RESPONSE!

[@ElloYuchub]

Video intro was perfect.. loved it

[@EnkiriElite]

Haha thanks!

[@whitefang9758]

Ello Ello Yuchub

[@whitefang9758]

Both of you are great channels worth watching. Looking forward to watching this response.

[@EnkiriElite]

Hope you enjoy it man!

[@Hobbes250]

About to finish up my deload week. As a person with a full time physical job and a life outside of lifting, deloading is a saving grace. Full week off. It feels so good to go back afterwards too.

[@zaidalsekri1449]

Loved this vid! Two serious lifters having an in depth discussion about training = peak youtube fitness

[@EnkiriElite]

Glad you enjoyed it man!

[@freakied0550]

Watching while on a deload.

[@ElloYuchub]

Same here

[@EnkiriElite]

Muahaha The Chad Deloader appears

[@Soccasteve]

Haha just got done deloading. Two sessions back.

[@_Aaron_G_]

Deloading is a good idea. Deload = longevity and long term healthy body

[@aidanb4429]

Hey Alec, I like the change in scenery and the fact you're sitting just gives a different vibe to the video. I know this is forced right now being in a hotel room, but maybe you could implement this in the future as well, it was pretty refreshing! Great video👍🏻

[@Soccasteve]

Agreed, even something simple as changing the background keeps the videos fresh.

[@kimjong-un8543]

agreed, better lighting too

[@EnkiriElite]

@@kimjong-un8543 sad part about that is that I usually film with studio lights pointing at me. Here I just opened the blinds in the hotel room and turned the camera on lol

[@ElloYuchub]

I take a deload every 6th week. Kind of doubles up as a test week too. Gives me a lot of data about what lifts and how much weight and volume to use in the next cycle.

[@ElloYuchub]

@@Croissantrophy.meme.channel exposed

[@whitefang9758]

Fake Natty sir

[@Req566]

@@Croissantrophy.meme.channel training cycle? ???

[@purep8432]

in my opinion thats too short to get enough info I usually keep something for 4 months and then change a variable

[@Soccasteve]

Every 6-8 weeks is where most people will find they need a deload. Even if you don't feel run down by 8 weeks I think it's still probably a good idea to perform some type of deload. I usually just take 5 days off but switching exercises is another viable option. I've never been a fan of simple lowering the weight and sets.

[@angrygoldfish]

Around a year ago I commented on a video by NH of him performing a max effort deadlift. I had watched most of his videos at the time and had learned a lot from them. I'd begun including many of the training principles he preached about and found most of them to be excellent. I said in the video, "I don't know how you train like this without deloading." He commented back saying "proper programming". Another guy said "autoregulation". But neither of these answers actually answered the question. I was literally running his programs and had poured over his videos multiple times to fully understand them, and yet after 8-12 weeks of consistent training as he does, my body was beginning to suffer just as it almost always does when you train hard. And I was training with less volume and less overall weight than him because I'm not as advanced. I applied "proper programming" and "autoregulation", yet after 8-12 weeks, all I wanted to do was curl into a ball and sleep for a month. My diet is on point, my sleep is on point, my hydration is on point, I control as many variables as possible. None of these tactics precluded the need to deload. Even with the "bodybuilding deloads" that NH talks about that I incorporated, I still needed a full deload after 8-12 weeks, either because I got sick, because my mind and body was wrecked, because of lockdowns, or because of whatever circumstances beyond my control.

[@_Aaron_G_]

Not de-loading is one of the dumbest things ever. Don't listen to him, that idea is garbage. De-load whenever you need to by using autoregulation (which means listening to your body). Also, for anyone who thinks deloading isn't necessary ask yourself "why do all barbell athletes deload?"....because you aren't a machine and you need to give your body the rest it needs if you're training hard.

[@genericviking8176]

You need to program with your own body in mind. Dont just copy what NH does. I've basically never deloaded (with the exception of a few forced periods) And i haven't ran into any issues. Just program volume and intensity with recovery in mind and you should be mostly fine.

[@angrygoldfish]

@@genericviking8176 I should clarify that I've never run his exact programs. There's elements of them I don't like. I've taken things I feel work for myself and applied them. Backoff sets, evolving sets and reps, rotations, supersets, giant sets, the gentlemen split, I've applied all of this and I still need to deload. The harsh deloads aren't regular, but they are necessary for me. Most of the time I do volume ramping. I start with 2 sets and work my way up to 4 or 5 sets over the course of a few weeks, then drop down to 2 sets and decrease effort slightly. I run that cycle for as long as I can until the drop in volume is no longer sufficient. Then I take a full deload.

[@genericviking8176]

@@angrygoldfish Might be different for everyone how our bodies handle training. NH probably has very good recovery.

[@sato-kuu]

sub-optimal genetics moment lmao

[@JivecattheMagnificent]

Well well well... Often I hear people saying that NH, GVS and Bald Omni-Man are like the natty triad on KZbin right now. For sure, Alec should be included in this list. In terms of strength, he's elite; I don't know exactly how he stacks up against Butler when it comes to strength, but for sure his training is more varied. So far, really enjoying this response. Props to the both of you.

[@jananilcolonoscopu4034]

No-one can ever prove natty; people's claims of naturalness are irrelevant to any assessment of the quality of their training advice

[@Pedro_Le_Chef]

@@jananilcolonoscopu4034 Disagree. The fact that they are nattys is what makes their achievements commendable in the first place.

[@jananilcolonoscopu4034]

@@Pedro_Le_Chef prove that they're natty. Or prove that they're not. Then prove that their achievements, natty or not, are relevant to the question of whether their advice is any good or not. I'll be waiting.

[@babyyoda8351]

What is gvs?

[@jananilcolonoscopu4034]

@@babyyoda8351 a beardy weakling

[@LasTortugasAzules]

Over the past few years, I've just started taking a week or so off around the holidays (from work and from the gym), and a week or so in the summer to go on vacation (again no work, and no gym). That's basically my "deload" schedule, if you want to call it that. It gives me a nice physical and mental break twice a year. I think the necessity of deloading is probably unique to the person, how they train, their natural capacity for recovery, etc. It's one of those things where everyone should just figure out what they need and works for them

[@wakawaka1976]

Word

[@ryokutraining9430]

It's good to see criticism of NH, I like the guy but too often people become fan boys despite him deeply desiring then not to he

[@purep8432]

This is very true I agree with nh a lot its still sad to see people becoming fan boys

[@joebloggs6922]

Which is stupid, because he actively encourages discussion in his comments, and seems open to healthy debate

[@koleary1798]

Nice video. I'm definitely anti scheduled deloads myself (like you said, life will likely take care of it) but I do enjoy and respond to a higher weekly workload (6 days per week, maybe 70-90 minutes per day). I'd love to see your channel get some momentum this year. 2022 seems to be the year of the natty revival on YT fitness. Not knocking other channels (NH, GVS, Bald Omni Man, they all do great work) but you're an OG at this stuff, they're blow ins by comparison. Would love to see the hard work pay dividends.

[@EnkiriElite]

Hey thanks man. I appreciate that you noticed that. It's funny to me because I kind of paved the way for some of those guys in many respects, as my critiquing of the KZbin Fitness old guard really opened the door that made it acceptable allowed them do it as well. But along the way, being one of the first to do it, I became a casualty of it and so they all ran past me in the process. A fine irony.

[@koleary1798]

@@EnkiriElite all you need is a few strategic shots in the arm to get your content in front of more eyes. I'm not one to tell a man what to do, but perhaps a good suggestion would be to maybe collab more if possible? Your specific niche is growing and a rising tide raises all ships, but you can't win the game if you aren't playing it.

[@EnkiriElite]

@@koleary1798 I hear ya, and agreed. I'm not really playing the game. Have and a few opportunities for collabs. Probably should make some of them happen!

[@BGCINC]

Over years of trial and error, I have found what is the best type of programing for me (hypertrophy focused). While having a physical job and not having the best sleep schedule, I found that programing in my deloads has helped me stay on track and progress without burning out while keeping intensity high. Step loading, evolving rep ranges, waves, variations. Proper programing takes some experimenting with your body but is key to long term success. I resonated a lot with NH's video.

[@Psalms144]

3:40 "why would I want to spend this much time in the gym" I train similarly to NH's method, although if I "deload" I usually just drop the amount of reps per set for a few days to 5-7 reps, then get back to 12-15 per set. I use this method because it is absolutely the most effective way to combat the effects of chemotherapy primarily, and it helps to fight the mental fog associated with it. If I wasn't training every day, I would be emaciated and bedridden, but instead I'm the strongest and most muscular I've ever been in my life (dont get me wrong, it's still rough). So, in my experience, spending that much time in the gym (safely).. shit, if anyone can lift heavy every single day and do it safely, do it. The body is incredibly adept at maintaining homeostasis as long as you're eating/sleeping well and maintaining good form/safety protocols.

[@Emertx7]

Something I thought about when I watched this video was the way we train since I am one of your athletes. We go hard for 24 weeks periodizing different blocks throughout that time the past 12 weeks were a lot higher rep ranges and accrued a lot of volume within each training session. Now we are in a block that is ramping up the compound movement intensity and once we finish this next 12 weeks I will test some heavy singles and I think the best practice at that point is taking a bit of a break. I don't take breaks at all even if life circumstances try to make me I work around them through schedule modifications and things like that, these deviations don't come up often and I am extremely consistent and live a training orientated lifestyle. With that being said I think it is very wise to earn that week where I just go to work and come home and go for a walk or something it is a nice reset in my opinion.

[@EnkiriElite]

Exactly man! It isn't just a physical reprieve, it is also, perhaps even more importantly, a mental reprieve. The "pressure" to keep hitting heavy weights starts to add up over time and accumulates in mental stress. So a true break every now and then can be very helpful. But your program utilizes a lot of the concepts I talk about in this video, the undulating loads, variation rotations, etc. Those all provide us more productive training time with less need for fewer all out breaks.

[@youngbill06]

As someone familiar with his channel, NH is definitely a major proponent of high frequency training and believing we must do all we can to stay growing year round with no interruption. Even as someone who is primarily focused on bodybuilding (at least for now), I do think there should be room for some breaks as well as just being well-rounded in general vs. obsessing over every gram of muscle we *might* could grow, life is more than just being "big" lol

[@_Aaron_G_]

Some people are simply just stupid. Deloading is essential for long term health/longevity. It helps promote recovery for muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, central nervous system etc. You should take days off or deload whenever you need to, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[@EnkiriElite]

That's the way I see it too. The reality is you will probably make more progress in the long term by giving your body the breaks it needs. However, even if we pretend that isn't true and that you would gain slightly more muscle in the longer un by never taking a break and training for hours and hours a day...what the fuck is the point? You spent your whole life building the perfect body that you're never going to do anything with.

[@ve_rb]

Don’t shy away from long videos - we love listening to what you have to say

[@EnkiriElite]

The main problem is they take a lot of time to make...and I don't necessarily have it lol.

[@John-cena6483]

I've never deloaded, but I've planned out my program with evolving rep ranges so that I never have too much fullbody fatigue I have lower reps on my upper body and higher on lower, and vice versa. Between that and my rotating of variations, I don't need deloads, and I make constant progress. It's hard to do this, but it helps my mindset

[@Soccasteve]

You're really well spoken Alec, definitely made some good points. I personally think most people should deload every 6-8 weeks (my preference is taking about 5 full days off). Most dudes try everything in their power not to deload (as they love lifting) but eventually they have to happen, whether they like it or not.

[@EnkiriElite]

Thanks for the kind words bro. And I agree that deloading is largely misunderstood. A lot of that comes down to the fact that most guys commenting on here are teenagers or in their early 20's. As they move up the ladder they will come to understand that being able to get away with something during that short of window of time does not by default make it the optimal strategy for continued progress in the long run.

[@curlean-x4443]

I said this on Prophet Fear’s channel as well: I think NH’s views on deload a hinge on something he says early on: “am I a mythical creature with an amazing recovery ability?” And given that he trains relatively frequently with high(er) volumes and 0-2 reps in reserve and also does heavy sets on powerlifts for 3-8 rep sets, … I think he is indeed one of those people with a great recovery ability. I think your point about him possibly having made more efficient gains is interesting and definitely justifiable. But I think even to maintain baseline levels of adaptations and not fall into extended overreaching /REDS periods, you need reductions in stress. Any stimulus that is stressful enough to cause adaptation will result in a fatigue cost, and session-session recovery doesn’t bring you back to 100% as you neatly explained with the “70-80 but not 100 due to cumulative fatigue” point. If he’s always been close to 100 and assuming he’s actually training as hard as he claims (which I do because it’s on display on his channel), he most likely is a recovery outlier since he isn’t regressing at all. I think establishing a clearer definition of various kinds of deloads and their intentions and pros/cons would be helpful for everyone but of course everyone’s going to use different definitions, and different implementations will result in confusion too.

[@EnkiriElite]

Very astute as always, my friend. It's quite possible that he is a recovery outlier and that has affected his perspective. These are concepts I have had to amend as I have gone along as I would sometimes *expect* certain adaptations to happen in other people...and then they just didn't. That's why building a wide base of experience in many different people can be very helpful as it broadens your perspective about how things can or might occur. And even then, I cannot recover how he described in his video! Mid 400's on the deadlift is in the 75-90% range for me, but I cannot do that week in and week out indefinitely without ever waving the load. I mean...I can, but I can feel myself digging the hole deeper and deeper and I can feel the impact it has across other categories. So, I though that piece was interesting because he says that holding that load steady perpetually is what keeps him strong for secondary and accessory movements, but in my experience, that's not really how it works. And yes, if we were to establish clear definitions that would make everything less confusing (and this entire video of mine would probably be unnecessary!).

[@its_james_fitness]

Well said

[@jonashuovila9287]

And that same person says he has "average genetics". Hes amazing recovery ability is called steroids plain and simple. ;)

[@bitplayer7092]

He's almost certainly an outlier, but I think atleast a good bit of it is training history, and not just genetic. So really the questions are the extent to which its trained, and if it's worth training your recovery to that extent.

[@ProphetFear]

Also he doesn't just train with low reps, he programs sets of 2 on a conventional deadlift. Never mind that volume is more fatiguing than intensity, but this is a combination of high volumes and high intensities - you'd think such training would need _more frequent_ deloading than a pure strength or hypertrophy protocol.

[@ccjames5001]

It seems like yt fitness (or atleast a subsection) leveled up recently, really enjoying the respectful back and forths that are going on.

[@ifgwelf]

Subscribed to both of you homies. Like that you guys kept it civil.

[@MonkeyBarsEveryday]

i wish i could spend more than 20hr in the gym per week without completely destroying my body

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

NH does a lot of pump and fluff stuff like crunches and he supersets leg raises with every set. i think his number is inflated because he spends a lot of time in his garage just hanging out, he's not just doing heavy singles

[@joebloggs6922]

@@AcceleratingUniverse Since when was ab work fluff and pump?

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

@@joebloggs6922 how are crunches any different from biceps curls or other "pump and fluff"? it's a bodybuilding oriented isolation exercise

[@thegamechanger3317]

The systemic fatigue is real thing. I was training legs with my freind in the last session before a scheduled deload and we went aaallll out, the next day he felt sick and needed the whole week to recover from his sickness and 1 week to reintroduced to training gradually fearing sickness relapsing.

[@TheStrengthClassroom]

I deload every 6-10 weeks. I just cut volume intesity or anything else to make my workouts less stressful for a week

[@fluorophoremusic3679]

This is an older vid, but I agree with Enkiri on just about everything here. I can say over the years of my training history...you can either preemptively take a deload on your own terms, or you can be forced to take one eventually due to pain/illness/injury. I've experienced this in my years of strength-based training from 2010-2016...and perhaps even more so in my endurance/marathon training from 2021-2024. I pushed running volume up to a consistent 80-100miles/wk for nearly a year straight for my last marathon prep...and sure I did well in the marathon--but I missed my goal of a 2:55 finish by about 7 minutes. Why? I never tapered volume...I trained through every chronic overuse pain...I showed up on race day with chronically sore hips, toes...hormonally all over the place. I tapered briefly after the marathon for 2 weeks and went right back to 70-100mpw and within a month I had such extreme sciatic pain that it has since literally pushed me away from running and into cycling & weights only...that's been for nearly a half year. In my powerlifting endeavors back in the 2010s..I was chronically pushing intensity...smolov...squat every day ... excessive volume. I got strongER, but it wasn't until I trained under Michael Zourdos (DUP...MASS).. at FAU that I was FORCED to have taper/deloads, get rid of excessive fluff volume/work, that my squat blew up more in a few months than it had in the years prior. Listen to Enkiri. If building muscle is your goal...then, strength is going to come into play--you at some point need to get significantly stronger on the lifts you're utilizing for hypertrophy. In order to continually increase your strength (which, again is a major progressive stimulus for hypertrophy...as well as a SIDE EFFECT of hypertrophy in its own right), you need to learn to manage fatigue. Managing fatigue is most readily and easily accomplished by strategic/regular "baked in" deload/taper weeks. You will have less injuries, you'll run into overuse less often, you'll stagnate less as well. This all equates to more hypertrophy and greater general gains over time. You certainly CAN get by without a traditional deload...but, it's a safer bet (based on the literature and practical application of many coaches/athletes over many decades) to utilize purposefully planned deloads/tapers in your training.

[@KurokamiNajimi]

Would make more sense to refer to strength training as strength peaking bc we’re always training for strength

[@JesusSaves42]

Love your energy brotha! Keep the content coming 🤙🏽

[@EnkiriElite]

Thanks man!

[@lusitanus6504]

Two of my favourite fitness channels exchanging ideas!

[@DNO_Fitness]

I rarely deload with hypertrophy focused training. I will train in higher rep ranges when incorporating different exercises to establish the mind muscle connection then after a couple weeks bump the weight back up and working in rep ranges that I feel the target muscle with good form.

[@vivalaviva2334]

Alec, you're doing great work here. I'll be sure to try a program!

[@tpap6827]

I would love to hear about his strength levels. If you have good strength levels you can train optimally with far less volume. Well I agree that Volume drives Hypertrophy to an extent, I don’t agree that a beginner should train with super low volume unless the beginner is on some minimalist program using to much weight With poor form. As a beginner, I believe your long-term strength and muscular balance will actually be enhanced if you don’t concern yourself with building insane strength in your first few months of training. The reality is as most people know that strength developed before any muscle is packed on the body is nothing more than neural adaptations. The problem with a lot of beginners is because they develop strength from learning how to synchronize their body to do the movement correctly, They get overzealous and are always putting weight on the bar when they might achieve better long-term results if they do a variety of movements and learn to do the variety of movements per muscle group well. Beginners usually bench, squat and deadlift And they always do it first in the routine when they’re freshest intend to put all their energy into these movements with your grade for building strength of your power lifter and great generally, In bodybuilding you need to be proficient at nanny exercises and develop solid strengths-based and then he exercise if you want your development to be side to side top to bottom. If you’re a bench junkie and squat junkie as a bodybuilder, You’re gonna probably end up with heavy lower pecs That dwarf your upper and inner chest development. Also you’re usually gonna find if your squat junkie That your butt, trunk and upper thighs are disproportionate to the muscle around the knee joint. Certain genetically blessed individuals, convention squat and do nothing else and get aesthetic development throughout their entire physique because they have full muscle bellies and balanced strength levels throughout the body. As a result, they tend to squat and bench With a medium to close Stance or grip Through a full range of motion. Most people have some structural flaws such as Oh really long torso or over the long limbs, Perhaps they have A dearth of muscle cells in their upper chest, and triceps near the elbow And maybe they have a low muscle cell count around the knee, or it may not be a muscle cell issue it may be that structurally they simply are using the wrong exercises to stimulate the muscle cells in the critical areas. In bodybuilding they always say work your lowers and what that basically means is having a lot of muscle near the knee, near the wrist, the elbow and the neck Is going to give you a much more rugged appearance and athletic like that if you a pencil neck and skinny lower limbs. Heavily muscled upper limbs dovetailing into dainty lower limbs was little muscle as well as having a pencil neck immediately use the appearance that you lift weights but are unathletic. That is a shit look. That’s why I believe the beginners should try to get strong at many exercises and angles and then rotate the exercise at the end of the beginning of the routine on a regular basis. By doing this, deloading may be less Important because you are not plateauing based on repeated Effort in the same neural pathway. Having said that, if you were training at intensity levels in with you to find out his intensity of effort or a certain percentage of one rep max take him to a number of reps where are you are close to failure or your form is breaking down overtime will lead to overreaching. There isn’t anyone who has legitimate strength Pully does not follow some sort of recycled approach they take a couple steps forward and one step back or the stick with a weight that’s less than what they can perform comfortably and stick with it until they just totally dominate it Prior to increasing the weight but when they make increases it’s not 5 pounds ii more like 20 pounds or 30 pounds. The reality is periodization which Is a fancy way of talking about planning and arranging a training block is critical Periodization based on load is obviously more critical With respect to strengths-based sports like weightlifting powerlifting and strongman. When you planning of idling program often already the planning she relate to the photographs of yourself that you should be taking every several months to see where you need to work with my students are more responsive to training and so forth. However, and this goes for naturals especially, attempting to do nothing but train for hypertrophy without regard to getting brutally strong is a recipe for a small weak physique. The best way to tell if somebody lacks the kind of strength that is important on the field, the Mat or ring Is to check out their neck development, their posterior development especially with the buttocks meet the spinal Erectors, Trap, ab ( not a pretty small waist But having dense muscle in the midsection) and forearm element is also something to look for him. If a guy has a pencil neck and big pecs And upper arms and quads, that doesn’t tell you much about how strong is or how athletic he is. So when I look at a natural bodybuilder with a skinny neck, and the other hallmarks of what does eke that she will never find on a great football player wrestler, shot putter, gymnast etc. it’s usually a telltale sign that the guy is all show muscle and no go muscle. When I see a bodybuilder with a neck that looks like it’s never even seen inside of a gym or a wrestling room football field etc. I have a pretty good idea that that guy is never going to be much of a athlete including a great bodybuilder. When I go train Street four hours a day how intense do you think he’s training? I’ll go ahead and gas that he’s training with garbage intensity or he’s training with so much intensity that he needs to rest 20 minutes between sets. The reality is that every strength athlete including bodybuilders who use pounds is a metric with everything else being equal, obviously bodybuilders must lift the weight with pure muscle contraction At least some exercises per body part. If a bodybuilder is using consistent form and the weight stays the same for a year or more than it’s pretty clear that the guy is not making progress and will not get inside unless he’s an anabolic drugs and eating a ton and he’s on Annabella trucks and eating a ton he’s going to get a lot stronger so the weight will go up who in Gods name doesn’t want to be stronger ? Like I said a guy to train six days a week for 3 to 4 hours a day with no time off ever and never lowers the resistance except for occasionally better look like freaking Mr. Olympia or at least the best natural violets ever set foot on stage because if he looks anything less than that he is wasting about 15 hours a week. You don’t need to train 18 hours a week to get bigger 3 to 4 will suffice and you’ll probably get much bigger and stronger keeping it somewhere between three and six hours. The only time I would say then you should go beyond this amount of time is if you are super strong and you are a competitive lifter who needs 5 to 7 minutes between work sets, And you were also incorporating rehab or prehab work and conditioning work. I can’t name any athlete in a skill-based sport spends 3 to 4 hours a day six days a week 365 days a year training. That amount of time training is What someone might do when they’re preparing for a fight or an Olympic event for 12 to 16 weeks and a good deal that time Is pure skill work where there is very little output in terms of energy expenditure. For some reason I just think the sky is either full of shit or would be so much bigger and stronger if he trained in a more sane manner. Training for size and strength It’s not the same thing as putting in time outside of class when you are a student. Studying 3 to 4 hours a day is probably gonna result in you being one of the better students in school, but training like that while you are in a jam the entire time he’s going to lead to physical and mental burnout faster than the same person can imagine. A psychopath Aaron may just love being in the gym and not realize that he is gains are about 10% of what they would be

[@nicolasklug2311]

Solid video Alec appreciate it !

[@EnkiriElite]

Thank you sir.

[@AntoineLifts]

2-3hours of which 1hour is basically warmups..to reach your working sets with majority of the work being compounds, not to forget training multiple muscle groups

[@Ckjohn77kg]

i like your new filming setting!!!

[@nunchukGun]

Love NH, but I have to admit my joints are taking a beating on his programs.

[@rizqibayumantari6769]

The background is cool Alec

[@WolfStreak]

I love your point about deloads being more than tool to manage muscle fatigue. The CNS is a huge factor is overall fatigue and stress management. It is important to understand that no matter how much you enjoy training, it is a stressor. In drops into the same bucket as other life stressors: physical (being on your feet all day at work), emotional (divorce or losing someone), and psychological (depression, trauma). A person could very well be maintaining a healthy level of stress from training, but if other aspects of their life exceed the limit, that training can actually be detrimental and dangerous. Plus, even if we look at it from just a muscle recovery standpoint, we just consider how much overlap there is with compound movements. Look at the bench press: still need to engage your back, grip and legs significantly as stabilizers. Yes, they are not being targeted as prime movers, but they are still being worked. It can still effect your deadlift or lat pull down the next day.

[@ScEscapism]

Great video! Overall i agree with both of you on some things and disagree on others, got to say tho you've swayed me on a couple things! especially regarding nervous system

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

He will change the tuned as he grows older. Trust me, I'm 52

[@SadBheeseChurger]

Idk but when I tried to dealod the first time my lifts went down significantly like 5-10lbs difference, also when I did my squats (after the deload week) I got extremely gassed after which wasn't the case before deloading. So i don't know if I did it wrong or not but what could be the problem

[@EnkiriElite]

Many things could affect that! In my own experience, I "decided" when I was younger that deloading was stupid because it made me weaker...same as what you are experiencing right now. You are not weaker, I can assure you that. Your body just lost a little bit of proficiency at the motor pattern because you stopped doing it for a little while. When you become more experienced and the motor patterns become more "cemented" this will not be an issue. Another possible cause is that you simply did not need to deload! Maybe you had no recovery debt to undo so you lost a tiny step by resting when you didn't need to. *How* you deloaded also matters. How long did you rest? Did you do anything in the gym during that time? Did you do any physical activity at all or just sit on the couch? What about sleep and diet and hydration? A lot of times when we stop working out we feel less hungry so we eat less calories but that is not setting yourself up to come back into the gym strong. So there are many potential factors at play here, but I can assure you that you did not actually get weaker or lose muscle over a week of not lifting.

[@SadBheeseChurger]

@@EnkiriElite Thank you for the reply! I really appreciate it coming from elite lifters. Yeah I just tried it because I read on the internet that it should be done every month for a week. So i tried it. And the way I did it is I cut all my lifts in half so from benching regularly 145 5x5 I did 95 3x8. I forgot to mention that Im just a beginner so maybe deloading at this stage isn't really needed.

[@EnkiriElite]

@@SadBheeseChurger deloading every 4 weeks in that fashion will set you back more so than be helpful at this stage. I'd have you go at least 8 weeks before doing anything like that.

[@freakied0550]

@@SadBheeseChurger as a person who deloads every 4-5 weeks, it's definitely not necessary at your level. You likely read that from a very seasoned powerlifter, likely one who trains in gear, or someone parroting their information. These were some of the first people putting legitimately good information in regards to training on the internet, however, so their word was taken as gospel.

[@jermaineayivoh8263]

@@SadBheeseChurger Deloads don’t work IF the stress you placed on your body during your training cycle is not high enough for your body to need to really recover from. So basically you just lost a bit of “fitness” temporarily.

[@leinekenugelvondoofenfocke1002]

NH tends to square peg round holes... I don't think he tries to, but he does.

[@EnkiriElite]

This would certainly be an example of trying just that, yeah.

[@Ak353-d7u]

Instead of taking an entire week to deload use a 5 day per week or even 4 day per week split it will give you 2 extra rest days

[@Dark89Avenger]

I really enjoy NH's content, but his fitness information is one thing that I dont care about. That aside, I think that if you train mostly with higher volume and lower weights(like a bodybuilder) you barely need to deload, because the overall stress of the CNS is much lower. Personally I take a week off, like 2 or 3 times a year, but I compensate with mini deloads that generally last only 3 days. And it is important to program them before hand, because very often the way you feel is misleading. Like yesterday I felt beaten down, sore and pretty much every part of my body was in pain and I really didnt want to train, but I still did my squats and actually felt much better after that.

[@EnkiriElite]

I know he does heavy squats and deadlifts. That in and of itself necessitates the need for periodic deloading, regardless of whatever else you may be doing in the gym. I agree that mini deloads are probably ideal, especially if you take a few weeks off throughout the year anyway. Also agree that the way your body feels is misleading, however, I've been ignoring how my body feels for years now. When you are trying to achieve advanced goals I would argue that is a requirement even. It's not how you feel that signals the need for more recovery....it's how you perform. When performance dips for a week and doesn't bounce back you probably need a break of some sort.

[@Dark89Avenger]

@@EnkiriElite Yeep, I absolutely agree, specially about the last part. Thats why, most of the advanced systems and programs, actually have some sort of a regulating fatigue mechanism like the conjugate or those that use the heavy, light medium, method so that you can perform at your best for as long as possible, without grinding yourself into the ground after three weeks. As you said consistency over a long period of time, is the most valuable factor. Then again, this is very nuance topic, because lets say, if your performance never drops or stagnate, because you are some sort of a recovery freak(or on roids), technically you dont need to deload at all, but then, in my opinion you still will be always on the edge of your recovery capacity and at some point, everything will fall apart. Thats why a lot of the steroid lifters, get injured so catastrophically actually. So in that regard it is still best to deload from time to time, just as a precaution. And yeah, NH actually kinda deloads, as you said, he simply doesnt phrase it that way.

[@john_m3619]

I personally deload by cutting my number of sets in half for about a week or two. So 2 Sets of weighted chins instead of 4. I keep my load and rpe the same as before the deload. This satisfies my urge to always keep pushing myself and cuts fatigue at the same time.

[@EnkiriElite]

That's a viable way to do it if you find that it works well for you.

[@lakhshyalakey8078]

Great response, love you both 🤝🏻🤲🏻

[@EnkiriElite]

Thanks!

[@lucamaltempo723]

love the new set up

[@OGfromGst]

Good video with a lot of great points. On a side note I just wanted to say that I really like this more "bro talk" style video instead of you standing in front of that big screen. Keep the videos coming Alec!

[@EnkiriElite]

I'm glad you enjoyed it man. I have found a similar setup as this in my own house when I do the Patreon q and a's. So i could use this format in future videos as well!

[@deathrager2404]

dude do you take a week off every once in 3 months? alot of people say its good for your body to recover but what the fuck is the weekend for? do these people train every day of the week? i dont take a week off unless i got an injury or something serious coming up that i cant avoid. otherwise i dont take a fuckin break. i have rest days on the weekends.

[@ProphetFear]

I take one every 7th or 8th week. Works great.

[@deathrager2404]

@@ProphetFear i dont feel any difference man i can add reps and sets without taking a week off. maybe im lucky i dunno.

[@ProphetFear]

@@deathrager2404 Probably means you are either not an experienced lifter or you aren't pushing the bleeding edge.

[@deathrager2404]

hahahhahaa ok.

[@ProphetFear]

@@deathrager2404 Not funny, it's a serious statement.

[@Je66384]

I never deload, but usually what i do is just stick with the same difficulty to basically take a "break" from progressing

[@darkclownKellen]

Just took a week off of work to build a stone patio in my back yard. Spend 5 days straight sweating balls in the sun, shoveling gravel, packing stones around, sitting on my hand and knees on gravel and stones. Wasnt sure if I would work out or not at the start of the week, decided day one, nah fuck that, the reason why I work out is because I dont do this everyday. The reason why I work out is to make shit like that easier, not harder. Glad i did take a week off from working out tho.

[@MissionJesus370]

Well exercise rotation might be a deload technically. It is a much better option for me. I rather take a week off from the gym then go deload. I end up pushing sets too hard anyway by accident. I might actually go to the gym and do exercises I never do, maybe the lower the volume a little

[@sioux7420]

I think i once read a study where a group was training 6 months without deloads and another group trained for 4 weeks at a time followed by 3 weeks off for 6 months total and hypertrophy was similar. Ill see if i can find it.

[@whitefang9758]

Nice new background. Where you at bro?

[@EnkiriElite]

Doing a bit of traveling. Filmed this in my hotel room.

[@watsonkushmaster3067]

he bought a new crib out of that crazy youtube money he makes

[@TheShadoXxWAVE]

I think the whole debate of deload comes down to which way is more efficient practically and whether the extra gains matter in the long run. To my understanding, NH's method is more complicated because it requires you to manipulate your program very precisely so you always stay on the higher side of MAV but never go overboard, which also requires a lot of experience and knowledge. In real life situations not all lifters are willing to spend that much time and energy perfecting their training program. Traditional deload on the other hand is more instinctive and can be used by any level of the lifters without too much brainstorming. Both methods have their pros and cons. By using "Bodybuilding deload" you risk spinning your wheel and hardly making any progress in the end. By using traditional deload you might go too hard and unfunctional overreaching happens, which risk injury and overcompensation aren't guaranteed. The whole topic is like the bulking/cutting/maingaining(very slow bulk) debate, they all can fulfill your goal, but you need to try them and see which suited your training style and lifestyle better. Personally, my goal is bodybuilding but I use traditional deload because I like to push myself hard every single set. When I go to a certain amount of fatigue I took some volume off and progress from there. Gains seem decent.

[@EnkiriElite]

I think the "traditional deload" method that you describe is going to work better for most people most of the time. Not only does it give you a greater margin to work around but it also gives you time to enjoy your life as well. Just sounds like a better idea to me.

[@eucharistenjoyer]

NH has great content, but on this video he seemed to have chosen one of the "worst" versions of a deloads, taking a scheduled week completely off the gym, the one farthest from his own concept, as if this was the most commonly prescribed deload there is. Hell, even on reddit routines you'll see people suggesting active deloads with maybe half of the sets shaven off your routine while keeping the intensity. It felt like a strawman and being different for the sake of it. Probably not intentional, but it did feel like it.

[@_Aaron_G_]

Probably intentional

[@BUFFALO_cougar_slayer]

Some people need a mental break from the training environment just as much as they need the physical rest

[@neyfidelrosario]

I normally deload every few months I still train but just light

[@Soccasteve]

Totally reasonable way to deload

[@_Aaron_G_]

Great tactic 👍🏼💪🏼💪🏼

[@bruh2970]

Haven't deloaded in literally years I feel like one might help but in terms of muscle growth I've seen great progress

[@chicagobearsfan2334]

I only deload when i feel i need it, and with smart training and good recovery i dont feel the need often.

[@alexanderhoh5767]

Great video all in all. You are kind of mixing CNS fatige and centeral fatige... that is not really the same thing. And CNS fatige is not really a concern in weight training. It is the centeral fatige that can be a problem.

[@BUFFALO_cougar_slayer]

True. CNS fatigue is much more likely after a long, arduous day of roofing than it is after most any day in the gym

[@nah3771]

Nice video. I didn't watch NHs video because I disagreed with the title. Another factor besides CNS is the fatigue you're going to be carrying in your joints especially the stronger you get. Advanced level strength and total load are going to factor into deloads as well. I'm also not a fan of doing an "active" deload where you reduce volume and load by like 50% or whatever. Just take the week off imo.

[@ElloYuchub]

8:55 deload on some food maybe

[@wakawaka1976]

Best audio yet

[@6pac.]

Who is Ello? What is Ello?

[@its_james_fitness]

Ello yewchub 👍

[@ElloYuchub]

Consider this as an ARG and find out

[@6pac.]

@@ElloYuchub Top 10 anime entrance of all time.

[@suefitness5613]

I take a deload if I have a holiday or if it’s a week when I’m very busy (end of semester or so) or feeling too beaten up.

[@EnkiriElite]

That's a good way to do it, imo. Kind of plan for it loosely, and then let life handle it.

[@Turglayfopa]

Conclusion: A different kind of deload. Not traditional deload which most think of when seeing the word.

[@anyadhra]

Algo comment from yuchube Ello elec!

[@ElloYuchub]

Man of culture

[@EnkiriElite]

ello!

[@matriaxpunk]

What do you think about this?? "You commonly hear the saying that while your muscles may be recovering in between workouts, your CNS may not. Over time this accumulation of fatigue could result in overtraining. Cool theory, but let’s see some data. Latella et al. (2016) studied the time-course of CNS recovery after strength training. They managed to induce a whopping 46% decrease in corticospinal excitability (measured by motor-evoked potential). This means major CNS fatigue. How many days do you think it took for the CNS to recover? It took 20 minutes for the CNS to recover. There was already no more significant loss of MEP after 10 minutes. Other research confirms that CNS fatigue is only evident directly post-workout even though muscle soreness and peripheral neuromuscular fatigue took over 3 days to recover from. This probably explains the lack of CNS fatigue in the elite athletes study we discussed earlier: Howatson et al. measured CNS fatigue 10 minutes post-workout. That may have already been too late. Interestingly, Latella et al. also found evidence that there was upregulation of the CNS rather than fatigue in the days after the workout: see the graph below. MEP = motor-evoked potential, which is roughly the strength of the signal sent by the motor cortex to the exercised muscle. A decrease suggests that the CNS can no longer fully activate the muscle, i.e. CNS fatigue. All other measures of central fatigue in Latella et al’s study (ICF, LICI and SICI) showed no impairments at any point during the studied 72-hour recovery period. Even directly post-workout they were unaffected. So only certain aspects of CNS functioning seem to be susceptible to fatigue. In conclusion, CNS fatigue is largely acute. It normally doesn’t take days for the CNS to recover. The CNS can recover within minutes."

[@ProphetFear]

He meant central fatigue, systemic fatigue.

[@matriaxpunk]

@@ProphetFear ??

[@ProphetFear]

@@matriaxpunk CNS fatigue is a misnomer, Alec meant something else.

[@matriaxpunk]

@@ProphetFear there are just two types of fatigue: central and peripheral, that's it. Systemic fatigue is central.

[@ProphetFear]

@@matriaxpunk I used them synonymously. Systemic fatigue doesn't go away from decreasing volume on a muscle or 2.

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

idk why but it is weird to see you with a lamp. i never thought of you as a guy who owns a lamp. i guess i imagined you as just having a garage that isn't even attached to a house.

[@EnkiriElite]

Well, this was filmed in a hotel room hahaha

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

oh thank goodness it's not your lamp

[@PeteQuad]

Lol I agree. I assumed he just lived in the garage and driveway. Roll off the bench in the morning and start overhead pressing and jumping.

[@BeaterCar]

Kinda makes me question what kind of supplements he is taking to be able to train that much without overtraining.

[@ElloYuchub]

He spends a lot of time on isolation exercises

[@BeaterCar]

@@Croissantrophy.meme.channel not talking about those kind of supplements and only creatine works the rest are gimmicks

[@purep8432]

proper programming

[@psilocybinenthusiast3695]

@@purep8432 even a good program you can get burnt out....

[@purep8432]

@@psilocybinenthusiast3695 it either means your program is not good or you lack the work capacity to handle the program

[@mrhuangsta]

I bet someone who trains 4 days a week at 90 minutes per session will make at least 95% of the gains vs what's proposed.

[@EnkiriElite]

Agreed, at a minimum. In reality though, my bet is that it all averages out over the long run.

[@Copeman9999]

Ello Alec and ello YuChub

[@ElloYuchub]

I like how the video started with NH sir's intro

[@mortonmckoy1787]

Wait why does he only have 16% the amount of subs of AD? Good fitness channels are so damn underrated

[@drdoomgoat38]

What is NH's real name?

[@krys421]

Ellio Yuchube

[@wakawaka1976]

Training is fun? Man… I’m not sure in my case. I want to look good and be strong but I’m afraid of hurting myself every time. I’m fairly careful but fear of injury is always there. I’ve been wanting to go lighter thinking it will help with longevity but I can’t seem to force myself to actually do it. We aren’t talking huge lifts… everything in the 300’s range for compounds. I just started deadlifting in January and wow it’s the hardest and spookiest. Anyone else worried about injury? My forearms and biceps have had tendon pain for months so I’ve quit working biceps.

[@purep8432]

its foolish to completely avoid bicep exercise instead to very light weights get the blood flowing and stop as soon as you feel discomfort and slowly increase the load. Injury is going to happen in anything in life. Almost 3700 people die everyday in car accidents and many many more are injured but is that a reason to avoid ever crossing a street or driving a car? No

[@wakawaka1976]

@@purep8432 I tried doing the voodoo bands and 10lbs dumbbells 4 days a week for about 2 months but that didn’t seem to do any good. I figured pulldowns and rows over time would get enough blood pumping after that if blood flow really helps.

[@Soccasteve]

Dude as long as you're using weights within you're means and controlling the weight even a little bit, and not on drugs there really is no reason to fear getting injured. Are you pretty new to the lifting game?

[@wakawaka1976]

@@Soccasteve started back a year ago after 20 years off. Lifted for about 5 years total maybe. Only seriously this past year. I used to basically only focus on benching. I could curl a lot more in my 20’s and never had any tendon issues. I’m 45 now so I’m afraid of getting snapped up. I’m benching, squatting, and now deadlifting more than ever but my arms and grip are weak points. I’m afraid issues will spread. 🤷🏻‍♂️ guess I’ll never know until I see for myself.

[@LucasFortunato-c7f]

Its like he uploaded this video knowing that there were so many flaws but didn’t care

[@Oi-mj6dv]

As much as i love NH, ill keep my deloads thank you.

[@EnkiriElite]

Good idea!

[@BigJamesGraham]

No days off bro

[@leevickers5747]

In all the time I worked out I've never needed a deload. I work out evryday too. If you feel okay carry on.

[@American_Moscovite]

Deloads are for lifters who cannot manage loads. CNS and fatique are evident.

[@ProphetFear]

Yeah that is straight up untrue.

[@American_Moscovite]

@@ProphetFear Works for me, and many others who run a non linear program.

[@ProphetFear]

@@American_Moscovite I used to program non-linear too, but still deloads then.

[@Hrchjfjd]

Oh I didn't even realize he got his channel back

[@become_alex]

Hey I have some feedback, your hand movements are super distracting. If they are slow they would be fine, but you move so fast, I get tense from all the fast movement and quick changes in facial expressions. I know this is probably very hard to change, but please try to reduce it at least by a little bit. I am enjoying your content a lot btw!

[@CC-mp1wk]

Videos like this are good for when you’re doing cardio etc. I never sit and watch videos like this, where someone is just talking, I just have them on while I’m cleaning the house or doing laundry, or during my rest periods training. It’s only necessary to sit and watch intently during training demonstrations etc

[@EmperorPenguinXRemas]

Never deload, my elbows, my knees, my shoulders, baby please

[@beepboop4037]

No one that actually trains HARD can train this much. If you dont believe me go try those marathon workouts

[@devininaraine]

do you take pre workout before you record haha

[@EnkiriElite]

na just naturally spazzy

[@omegads3862]

Very useful for perspective of natural lifter. Great legend John Grimek also stated the importance of giving a week of deload in a month.

[@mads918]

I never deload either, I just get injured

[@euclxd8033]

maybe this is a legitimate youtube title tactic. the eugene teo's "why I don't *insert thing* (and why you shouldn't either!)"

[@EnkiriElite]

Yeah, I'm gonna give it a go. "Why I don't like Bodybuilding (and YOU Shouldn't Either!)"

[@CameronZemek]

Enkiri please do.. legit made me lol. But I am in your ideology camp of training for performance. And I don't even train be all rounded like yourself. But I don't get training for purely appearances, want the body be able to perform functions.

[@flight8286]

Hes not getting bigger every year, quite the opposite actually. Just look at his older videos.

[@Seb4asti4n]

So when natural hypertrophy says he doesn't deload and you shouldn't either it's an interesting concept, but when Eugene teo says you shouldn't use barbells it's inflammatory click bait and he's an Edgelord? Come on man, you're better than this. This is unfortunately pure bullfit territory where it's okey if your friends do it, but not when other people do it. I'm not hating Alec, this is constructive criticism and everyone makes mistakes, peace.

[@EnkiriElite]

I give NH the exact same tone I gave Teo. You are clearly biased. Do not compare me to Kevin again.

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

that other dude's video was like "i spent 15 years building a base with barbells but now i don't need them so you shouldn't use them either", whereas this one is more of a semantic disagreement, so i don't really think you're right

[@Seb4asti4n]

@@EnkiriElite I only watched the intros. If you do then I'm sorry. If I'm biased, then it's literally towards you man. I recommend friends your channel and what not. Take a step back and look at how this looks to people who haven't consumed any of your content. As a side-note, why shouldn't people be allowed to compare you to Kevin? I can't stand the guy, and you two as individual personalities are nothing alike. That doesn't mean even though people aren't alike, that they can't do the same thing and in this instance it's my honest opinion that your behaviour reminded me of the the whole pure bullfit fiasco thing.

[@wezedwards234]

@@Seb4asti4n so why bother commenting at all if you haven't listened to the discussion, then? This is why you kids don't do well in school!

[@joebloggs6922]

@@Seb4asti4n Bro. You can't criticise if you haven't watched the full video. Come on

[@killranger15]

Eylo Yuuchube

[@magnusdanielsson2749]

Mike Israetel also did a video on training volume last week. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGi3nZina8x6jtk Also I know weight lifters cycle their training, doing most lifting with ”sub optimal” weight..

[@EnkiriElite]

Yes, all weightlifters and powerlifters undulate the loading across their training blocks.

[@magnusdanielsson2749]

@@EnkiriElite its the same with cross country skiers. They do something like 70% of their training at ”low intensity”. After the Swedish skier Per Elofsson burned him self out all the skiers now have a peronalized ”training dose” every year that they must keep. Per was quite incredible with a resting heart rate of 30 bpm. He trained around 6 hours a day but eventually burned out at 28. Not sure if its connected but he suffered a stroke years later.

[@lazo3251]

Ello Yuchub

[@welp5970]

Just have a boxing match already

[@OneBadDadTV]

IF YOU ARE NATTY AND STRONG UPLOAD VIDEOS ON YT TO COMBAT GEAR USERS!!!! NATTYS TOGETHER, NATTYS STRONG!

[@joeyjaime3746]

Cuz it's us against them, right ?

[@OneBadDadTV]

@@joeyjaime3746 ALL DAY LONG BABY

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

i'm above average for sure

[@OneBadDadTV]

@@AcceleratingUniverse NIIICEEE!!

[@its_james_fitness]

👀👀👀

[@EnkiriElite]

Prophet fear sent my your guys video and you made some very good points!

[@its_james_fitness]

@@EnkiriElite thanks for watching 👍👍

[@bigsmoke4]

Ello Uchube

[@ProphetFear]

I forgot all about mentioning to this lol

[@EnkiriElite]

It was worth talking about. He brings up a lot of good stuff. And terminology is important, which ends up being a large aspect of this video.

[@thewaterbear]

Maybe I was brainwashed by Dr. Mike Israetel, but who are these people claiming that a deload means using less weigh? Everyone that I hear preaching deloads for bodybuilding prescribes /more/ weight and fewer /sets/!

[@EnkiriElite]

Cutting intensity for a brief period of time is a commonly accepted method of deloading.