BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, CSCS
It’s the end of March, and 2026 is now a full 25 percent in the books. You’re mentally tired, and your muscles ache just a bit more, and maybe it’s just a bit harder to lift your heaviest weights.
But no, you don’t need a deload week – and new research backs that up. A February 2026 study had a group of men train one side of their body to failure for eight weeks. They trained the other side with a deload week that included just two sets per muscle group every fourth week. After two months, both sides had relatively similar strength and muscle thickness. The deload didn’t do much.
The fatigue you may be feeling as March draws to a close isn’t something that’ll be solved by a week of light training. What you likely need is a training changeup, something that’ll let you push a bit harder. Because very often, people struggle to see results more because their effort has dropped off.
The solution: This double-dropset workout, which capitalizes on the ultra-quick-changing twist-lock mechanism on the SMRTFT adjustable dumbbell. Point blank, I’ve never used an adjustable dumbbell that shifts loads faster, which can often make for even faster changes than what you’d get with a full set of hex dumbbells.
The double-dropset is exactly like it sounds. On each set, you’ll do reps with a heavy weight (ideally, something that lets you do 6 to 8 reps), then lower the weight by 10 to 15 pounds, and do reps again (ideally, hitting 3 or 4). You’ll then drop again, and push for a few more reps.
Do just 2 sets of each exercise, using the double-dropset method on each set. You’ll get a time-deload out of it (each workout should take under a half-hour) while still pushing your muscles to new levels of fatigue, critical for growth. Do it three times a week next week – then return back to your normal training.
STAGGERED-STANCE GOBLET SQUAT
This squat variation biases the planted leg slightly while still letting you lift heavy weight. Aim to max out your SMRTFT bells and do as many reps as possible on the first phase, then drop 20 to 30 pounds for 5 more reps. Repeat this for 5 more reps. Do 2 sets per side.
HALF-FULL DUMBBELL PR
Each rep here pushes you to spend extra time with your pecs in the stretched position, a key mechanism for growth. Start with a weight that lets you do 6 to 8 reps, then drop 20 pounds and hit 5 more reps. Repeat for 3 to 5 more reps. Do 2 sets.
ALTERNATING INCLINE ROW
Focus on getting a good stretch at the bottom of each rep, lowering slowly before rowing up. Start with a weight that lets you get 8 to 10 reps. Then drop 10 to 15 pounds and do another 5 reps per side. Repeat for 2 sets.