It is good practice to have a lighter week every month. In a period of training you will generally only be resting for one day at a time. Taking a week off will have negative results on your progress. However, a slightly lighter week is recommended. This will not only help your body recover, but also help to consolidate gains.
A training program should also have a degree of flexibility in it. For example, if your life dictates that you will not be able to recover so well because of an increased workload in your job then your training will be affected. Sufficient planning will allow for you to move your deload week to this period. Influencing factors that can affect training are discussed HERE.
