Journal - Recharge

Why are Recharge weeks so important?

Devoting a week to enhancing your skills through curiousness, play, practice, and recovery is just as crucial as the weeks dedicated to competition, testing, or anything in between. In fact, it plays an essential role in maximizing the effectiveness of a training program and in life in general.

If you have experience with designing or following strength and conditioning training programs, you may recognize the term "Deload" as a way to indicate a reduction in the overall load and intensity of training. This type of break is often used after a significant physical and psychologically demanding event in one's life or a block of training that can consist of two, three, or four hard weeks of training.

The goal is to balance training objectives and daily activities while prioritizing the rejuvenation and healing of the body and mind. This can be achieved by consuming nutritious foods, staying hydrated, establishing healthy sleep patterns, minimizing stress levels, and letting the mind wander.

To simplify what a recharge week is, it is recommended to reduce the training volume and intensity by 50% from the recent highest week within the current training block. This week or period serves as a recharge and transition phase. 

This recharge intention is actually more of a vibe or feeling than just a decrease in stress load and intensity both mentally and physically. You see, within the scope of strength and conditioning, it follows the principles of periodization, which involves managing fatigue between training sessions and lifestyle factors. Known as fatigue management. 

This principle has been tested and proven over the years to be quite effective. Managing fatigue is a unique skill that is always evolving. To improve your ability to recover efficiently, it's important to practice and remain curious about finding the right methods for your mind and body.