In a weeks time(when my stretch is over)I will def...

Think of defoliation as a last resort. First try to LST to open up the canopy and/or tuck leaves. Now when defoliating, what you want to expose is not buds (or stems), is lower leaves that are connected to those lower buds. When selecting what leaves to defoliate, be sure there are other leaves below to catch the light it was receiving and that on the point where it join a branch / stem there's smaller leaves that will continue to catch light to feed said node. If you've never done it, do a couple of leaves each time, or you might get carried away and leave a bald plant.