Consider a deload only if all of the following apply:
You've been training hard consistently for at least a couple of months
Your strength and power numbers have been going up
You've been jumping at least once per week
Your vertical has been trending downward for multiple weeks
Jumps feel slow or ground contact times are increasing
Don't deload if you've been inconsistent with training lately — a deload only works if there's accumulated fatigue to recover from.
Target peak date:
Your Deload Week
Do light stretches every day leading up to your jump day — keep tissues loose and blood flowing without adding fatigue.
Expanded Jumping Phase
Important: If you have 2 bad jump days in a row, stop the deload immediately and go back to hard training — your body has likely recovered and needs the stimulus again.