I get a lot of questions about how to cruise so I figured I would detail what I do.  If you need to cruise you can take ideas from what I do and construct a cruise protocol that you need for your specific training protocol.

 

First, the term "cruise" is a term taking from DC Training.  I use it because it is a pretty universal word known for taking time to allow the body to recover and "catch up", so-to-speak.  There are other terms that could be used like "deload" or "active rest", etc., but I use this term because almost everyone knows what it means.

 

When I cruise, I do it in 2 different ways:

1.  A week of light workouts to get a pump and then get the hell out of the gym.

2.  A complete week with no training.

 

Whether I cruise one way or the other depends on where I am when it is time to cruise.  Ideally, I prefer only using the first option where I still train but train light and easy so that I am still in my routine of training because  I don't like to change my structure if I don't have to.  This type of cruising is taken proactively so that when you come back the following week you are even stronger.  This is before any aches or pains creep in, any tweaks, any feeling of being run down, low energy or strength dropping off.  Appetite should still be good, as well.

 

When I take a complete week off to cruise, it is because I have been going too long and I now am having signs that I am starting to feel beat up and I need even more recovery time and training light may not accomplish that.  If my strength has dropped, my joints ache, my appetite is down, etc., I will take the entire week off.

 

This last week I was going great as I started the week off putting up some numbers that I haven't put up in years.  Appetite was strong and everything felt really good.  By the end of the week, though, I was struggling for the last workout of the week.  Now, struggling from time to time may not indicate that a cruise is needed but for ME, I have been doing this 32 years so I know when I have gone too long and I knew that I needed to cruise.  Appetite was way down, shoulders were achy, pump wasn't anywhere near where it was earlier in the week and I could tell my head wasn't in it so  I had to work extra hard to focus and get the session done and have it be as productive as possible.

 

This last week my cruise week was a light week where I hit all muscle groups once and I only used about 60% of my usual weights.  I also do not go to failure and I do the reps even more deliberately than usual.  I do no partial reps or 3/4 reps (where I might do that for a press set or for a leg press set, etc.).    I am usually stopping a couple reps short of failure and I do nothing but straight sets.  I keep the same volume, usually, but I move a lot quicker simply because my breathing isn't as labored when not training balls out.

 

When I come back the week after I do not hold back, either.  I figure I am fully recovered, full of energy and even my psyche is at 100% because of the bit of a mental break you get during a cruise week from not having to smash each set and best previous numbers.  By the time the next week rolls around I am ready to smash shit and destroy weights for another 6 to 9 weeks.

 

Hopefully, this gives you a good idea of what I do with cruises so that you can formulate a plan to put together your cruises to benefit from allowing your body to recover by training in phases.  Sure, you can go old school and say that "light days" are for women's periods but no one can benefit from training 100% all the time.  Something has to give and when you control when you are taking time off and allowing your body to recover, your injuries will be less frequent, your injuries will tend to be less severe when they do happen and your progress will be better over the long haul.