Planning Training Blocks and Deloads
If you are training with a significant enough volume that it builds up overall fatigue, which can negatively impact training, you should utilise training blocks and deload weeks.
An average member at a CrossFit gym simply does not need this type of structure in their training. The likelihood is that life and a lower training frequency mean they can maintain a more consistent training intensity over long periods. There might, however, be a need for change due to boredom or the desire to mix things up.
When needed, using strategic deloads will help maintain results for longer, avoid burnout, and keep the athlete engaged.
In this blog post, I am going to explain multiple ways of structuring your training—some rigid and traditional, others more dynamic—so that you’ll be able to better organise your training or that of your athletes.
If you want to check out some practical examples of this then check out this video where I break down some of these key concepts about training blocks and deloads.
Factors such as competition events, competitive/training seasons, and injury are the main reasons why deloading would take place from a training perspective.
However, many more factors in day-to-day life can affect this: holidays, illness, work deadlines, and unexpected events that might take you away from the gym.
For a long time, I would write out annual plans for athletes, only for them to change and usually be abandoned within six months. They were useful thought experiments but not very practical.
Most of the time, it was day-to-day lifestyle factors that influenced and determined the length of a training cycle—something would come up, so I’d use a deload. At times, multiple factors trending in the wrong direction (illness, small injuries) would make a reactive deload necessary.
Ultimately, for busy individuals, optimal training isn’t always realistic. For most people, the goal should be to accumulate consistent and productive training over a long period. This will have the greatest impact on performance—not optimising everything for several weeks, only for it to fall apart for just as long.
That being said, it doesn’t mean you should disregard all training principles—understanding how these things work will give you the tools to create a structure that suits you.
I’m going to lay out several ways of structuring training blocks and deloads and discuss the positives and drawbacks of each method.
Others may use different terminology, but for the scope of this article, I believe this is the simplest and easiest way to name these elements.
Linear Progression:
Each week, training intensity, volume, or both are increased.
In accumulation-style training (off-season, developmental), volume is the main driver.
In intensification-style training (pre-competition, in-season), intensity is the main driver.
Static Progression:
Generally, intensity, volume, and the training prescription remain the same week to week.
Repetitive training focuses on finding and exploiting the right training adaptation.
Progress comes from training itself rather than forcing progression.
Deload Week:
The same movements and similar training pieces are prescribed, but at a dramatically reduced volume or intensity.
E.g. The last training block ended with 5x5 at 85%, so the deload is 2x5 at 60-70% (lower volume and intensity).
Pivot Week:
Overall training intensity, volume, and the “feel” or difficulty of the training are slightly reduced, but different movements, qualities, and systems are used.
E.g. After a block focusing on classic snatch and clean & jerk, a pivot week might include split snatches and kettlebell clean & push press (different variations, different implements).
Transition/Bridge Week:
The first week of the next training block is turned into an intermediary week performed between training cycles.
It could even merge with the final week of the previous training block.
Very adaptable and workable with all types of progression.
Method 1: Just Train
No planned deloads—just train until something prevents you from doing so (holiday, illness, work deadline, busy schedule).
Training is varied, so no particular progression method is used.
Better for beginners and hobbyists who don’t have much structure in their training.
Doesn’t work well if training volume and intensity are high (4+ days per week of 60-minute + sessions).
Training fits around life rather than life fitting around training.
Method 2: Traditional Periodisation
Training is planned with a preset block length, culminating in some form of peak or test.
Requires a deload at the end.
Uses a linear approach to progression.
Backed by history and training literature.
Good for beginners as they will respond well to increased training load.
Works well for those with fewer external commitments.
Does not work well if unforeseen events arise during a training block—workarounds exist, but they fundamentally change the approach.
The block duration may not always align with an athlete’s rate of adaptation.
Method 3: Time to Peak
This approach, taken from Mike Tuchscherer of Reactive Training Systems, designs training blocks and pivot weeks around an individual's time to peak.
Training progression remains fairly static, and once the athlete reaches their peak weeks (which vary between individuals), they take a pivot week.
Initially requires some exploration, where an athlete is pushed beyond their peak performance for 1-2 blocks to determine their individual “time to peak.”
Works well for strength training or static conditioning progressions (such as rowing intervals), but is harder to manage with CrossFit due to its inherent variability.
Best suited for mindful and experienced athletes who don’t mind repetition.
Method 4: Iterative / Linear Approach
Start with a 3-week linear build, followed by a 1-week transition.
The next block increases to 4 weeks with 1-week transition, continuing until performance declines.
Very adaptable and good for those with fewer external commitments.
Hopefully, you’re able to use some of this information to give your training structure and shape in the long term, while also staying flexible and continuing to progress
Planning Training Blocks and Deloads
If you are training with a significant enough volume that it builds up overall fatigue, which can negatively impact training, you should utilise training blocks and deload weeks.
An average member at a CrossFit gym simply does not need this type of structure in their training. The likelihood is that life and a lower training frequency mean they can maintain a more consistent training intensity over long periods. There might, however, be a need for change due to boredom or the desire to mix things up.
When needed, using strategic deloads will help maintain results for longer, avoid burnout, and keep the athlete engaged.
In this blog post, I am going to explain multiple ways of structuring your training—some rigid and traditional, others more dynamic—so that you’ll be able to better organise your training or that of your athletes.
If you want to check out some practical examples of this then check out this video where I break down some of these key concepts about training blocks and deloads.
Factors such as competition events, competitive/training seasons, and injury are the main reasons why deloading would take place from a training perspective.
However, many more factors in day-to-day life can affect this: holidays, illness, work deadlines, and unexpected events that might take you away from the gym.
For a long time, I would write out annual plans for athletes, only for them to change and usually be abandoned within six months. They were useful thought experiments but not very practical.
Most of the time, it was day-to-day lifestyle factors that influenced and determined the length of a training cycle—something would come up, so I’d use a deload. At times, multiple factors trending in the wrong direction (illness, small injuries) would make a reactive deload necessary.
Ultimately, for busy individuals, optimal training isn’t always realistic. For most people, the goal should be to accumulate consistent and productive training over a long period. This will have the greatest impact on performance—not optimising everything for several weeks, only for it to fall apart for just as long.
That being said, it doesn’t mean you should disregard all training principles—understanding how these things work will give you the tools to create a structure that suits you.
I’m going to lay out several ways of structuring training blocks and deloads and discuss the positives and drawbacks of each method.
Others may use different terminology, but for the scope of this article, I believe this is the simplest and easiest way to name these elements.
Linear Progression:
Each week, training intensity, volume, or both are increased.
In accumulation-style training (off-season, developmental), volume is the main driver.
In intensification-style training (pre-competition, in-season), intensity is the main driver.
Static Progression:
Generally, intensity, volume, and the training prescription remain the same week to week.
Repetitive training focuses on finding and exploiting the right training adaptation.
Progress comes from training itself rather than forcing progression.
Deload Week:
The same movements and similar training pieces are prescribed, but at a dramatically reduced volume or intensity.
E.g. The last training block ended with 5x5 at 85%, so the deload is 2x5 at 60-70% (lower volume and intensity).
Pivot Week:
Overall training intensity, volume, and the “feel” or difficulty of the training are slightly reduced, but different movements, qualities, and systems are used.
E.g. After a block focusing on classic snatch and clean & jerk, a pivot week might include split snatches and kettlebell clean & push press (different variations, different implements).
Transition/Bridge Week:
The first week of the next training block is turned into an intermediary week performed between training cycles.
It could even merge with the final week of the previous training block.
Very adaptable and workable with all types of progression.
Method 1: Just Train
No planned deloads—just train until something prevents you from doing so (holiday, illness, work deadline, busy schedule).
Training is varied, so no particular progression method is used.
Better for beginners and hobbyists who don’t have much structure in their training.
Doesn’t work well if training volume and intensity are high (4+ days per week of 60-minute + sessions).
Training fits around life rather than life fitting around training.
Method 2: Traditional Periodisation
Training is planned with a preset block length, culminating in some form of peak or test.
Requires a deload at the end.
Uses a linear approach to progression.
Backed by history and training literature.
Good for beginners as they will respond well to increased training load.
Works well for those with fewer external commitments.
Does not work well if unforeseen events arise during a training block—workarounds exist, but they fundamentally change the approach.
The block duration may not always align with an athlete’s rate of adaptation.
Method 3: Time to Peak
This approach, taken from Mike Tuchscherer of Reactive Training Systems, designs training blocks and pivot weeks around an individual's time to peak.
Training progression remains fairly static, and once the athlete reaches their peak weeks (which vary between individuals), they take a pivot week.
Initially requires some exploration, where an athlete is pushed beyond their peak performance for 1-2 blocks to determine their individual “time to peak.”
Works well for strength training or static conditioning progressions (such as rowing intervals), but is harder to manage with CrossFit due to its inherent variability.
Best suited for mindful and experienced athletes who don’t mind repetition.
Method 4: Iterative / Linear Approach
Start with a 3-week linear build, followed by a 1-week transition.
The next block increases to 4 weeks with 1-week transition, continuing until performance declines.
Very adaptable and good for those with fewer external commitments.
Hopefully, you’re able to use some of this information to give your training structure and shape in the long term, while also staying flexible and continuing to progress