Disclaimer:
I would appreciate an answer from someone who actually has experience with this practice and not someone who has just read what a "deload" is on the Internet.
I recently read up on DOMS after a three-day-long multi-muscle-group 2-to-3 hour routine (basically just doing everything in multiple sets of 3, 5, and 8), and when you get to the point where picking up lint off the floor pierces your leg muscles to the bone or lifting things off the top shelf of the pantry is difficult you kinda begin to consider the practice of deloading. I usually try to keep my gym patronage to 2-to-3 times a week. Anyway, I mention DOMS because the idea there (supposedly) is that practicing on top of the pain promotes muscle growth, which I've seen progress in personally, but what my main concern is is this:
Is it better to reduce reps/weight by some percent (deload) after DOMS or take a rest day (or couple of days) and continue at a full load after recovery (or even more days with an upped load)?
I'd like an answer that covers two types of people:
(1) 85kg bulking cross-fiter type just trying to stay healthy and strong (no competition stress)
(2) 85kg olympic weightlifting type (competition stress)