3D Muscle Journey

In this episode, Brad, Jeff, and Nick discuss insecurities and how they affect our life. They share some of their insecurities, what they do to deal with them, and talk about the benefits of insecurities. What got Brad, Jeff, and Nick into bodybuilding? Is it normal to have insecurities? How do the coaches create an [...]

In this episode, Eric, Nick, and Jeff discuss what to do when you're experiencing pain. They talk about what causes injuries, how to modify your training and lifestyle in response to pain, and helpful attitudes to adopt during the recovery process. What is an injury? How does our capacity in regard to volume and intensity [...]

In this episode, Brad, Jeff, and Alberto answer a wide variety of questions from the 3DMJ community. Topics covered include: Mini-cuts, refeeds, breaking plateaus, cardio recommendations, estimating your stage weight, and a lot more. If someone is new to resistance training should they cut, gain, or maintain their weight? Do the coaches prefer their athletes [...]

In this episode, Alberto, Brad, and Andrea discuss the decision all serious lifters face at some point in their journey, whether or not to use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). They talk about why they chose the natural route, why they continue to choose that route, and how the enhanced side of the fitness industry has changed [...]

In this episode, Eric, Brad, and Steve (the team dietitian) have an in-depth discussion about plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan diets. They cover why people choose to consume a vegetarian or vegan diet, vegetarian diets vs. diets that include animal meat, and key nutrients those consuming a vegetarian or vegan diet need to be mindful of. [...]

In this episode, Eric, Andrea, and Amanda (the team's mental health consultant) take a close look at confidence. They discuss what it is, what it is not, and how to become more confident. What is self-efficacy and how can you increase it? What is the difference between confidence and arrogance? What are some of the [...]

This episode is the most comprehensive episode to date when it comes to teaching yourself or others how to lift. During the conversation, Eric, Jeff, and Brad discuss the tools and strategies they use to teach their athletes how to lift and pose. What is the difference between an internal cue and an external cue? [...]

In this episode, Jeff, Alberto, and Andrea discuss the different divisions of physique sport. They cover how to choose your division, what the judges are evaluating, and how to best present yourself on show day. What four things are the judges evaluating when you're on stage? Can you be too lean? Is asymmetry between one's [...]

In this episode, Jeff, Brad, and Andrea discuss how the coaches design their athletes' protocols. What questions do the coaches ask a new athlete before designing their protocol? What details do they want to know? How do they design protocols for athletes who are multiple years away from competing? How do the coaches utilize tracking? [...]

In this episode, Jeff, Brad, and Alberto discuss what to do if your bodybuilding competition has been postponed. The coaches cover altering your game plan, ending your prep prematurely, and an alternative to competing. What are your options moving forward? What do the coaches think is a good length of time to be in peak [...]

In this episode, Alberto, Andrea, and Eric thoroughly discuss the relationship between strength and hypertrophy. They cover programming strategies for physique athletes, how to ensure overload is happening, and the necessity of 1-RM testing. Is it possible to increase muscle size without increasing your one-rep max? What should you do if you're getting stronger but [...]

In this episode, Eric, Alberto, and Nick discuss how to efficiently and effectively transition from your home training routine to your pre-quarantine routine once gyms reopen. Where is a good starting spot for volume? Where is a good starting spot for intensity? How is Alberto going to go about his first week back in the [...]

Thank you for your support over the past 150 episodes! As a way to show our appreciation, Jeff and Eric answer a collection of your questions in today's episode. What can you do if you've regained all the weight you lost during prep, but are still struggling with controlling your appetite? How can you train [...]

In this episode, Alberto, Brad, and Jeff discuss how to set yourself up for a successful prep. How can you accurately determine how much weight you need to lose? What simple formula can help you estimate the length of your prep? How far out from your show do the coaches recommend you start working with [...]

In this episode, Jeff, Brad, and Steve (the team dietitian) discuss factors that play huge roles in your ability to be a successful bodybuilder. The coaches discuss how to take the evidenced-based guidelines many of us are familiar with and put them into practice. What do the coaches do to help their athletes minimize stress? [...]

In this episode, all four coaches (Jeff, Eric, Brad, and Alberto) share their thoughts and feelings about the current coronavirus pandemic. They talk about recent experiences they've had, their perspectives, and how you can modify your training program during this time. What are the benefits of continuing your prep if your show has been cancelled? [...]

In this episode, Eric, Alberto, and Amanda (the team mental health consultant) thoroughly examine body dysmorphia. The group discuss what it is, who it affects, and what you can do if you're suffering from it. How can someone manage behaviors that have both negative and positive roles in their life? Why does someone continue to [...]

In this episode, Alberto, Eric, and Brad discuss how powerlifting has changed over the past decade and how they coach their powerlifters differently than they used to. What were the "dark days" of daily undulating periodization? What is the lost element of powerlifting? How do the coaches program differently for their athletes than they did [...]

In this episode, Andrea, Alberto, and Nick (the team injury reduction and management specialist) discuss the current state of the fitness and health-care industries. They cover how trust is formed, present issues with content creation and social media, and how to discern credible from uncredible sources of information. What are red flags to watch out [...]

In this episode, Jeff, Brad, and Alberto discuss how to have a successful off-season. The coaches talk about common off-season errors, factors that are conducive for a good off-season, and times they've gotten it right and wrong. Where should your body weight be in the off-season? How long should your off-season be? What is a [...]

Jeff, Brad and Eric begin with an in-depth discussion about how refeeds originated, and how they were initially practiced based on anecdotal feedback. The guys then get into the real science of refeeds and the intricate relationships between energy intake, energy expenditure, appetite, and hormonal feedback. And finally, they end the episode with some practical [...]

In this episode, Andrea, Alberto, and Eric discuss where to start if you're overweight, obese, "skinny-fat", or later in life, and you are interested in competing in bodybuilding. What nutritional suggestions does the group have for people who are overweight or obese? What is "skinny-fat"? What are the reasons someone can be "skinny-fat"? What are [...]

In this episode, Jeff, Brad, and Eric reflect on Jeff's 2019 bodybuilding season. The coaches break down his fourteen-month prep from start to finish, how he handled various situations, what aspects could have been better, and what kept him going through his marathon prep. How has Jeff and Brad's training changed as they've gotten older? [...]

In this episode, Brad, Jeff, and Alberto conduct an audience-sourced Q&A session. The topics covered include: deloading, measuring progress, constipation when dieting, programming recommendations, and more. Is it possible to shape your muscles without gaining muscle tissue? Does reducing cardio create enough of a deload to offset an increase in stress outside of the gym? [...]

In this episode, Alberto and Eric sit down with Nick (the team's injury reduction & management specialist) to discuss physical therapy, popular modalities for pain relief, and pain itself. What is pain? What do we really know about the different modalities for pain relief? Does joint manipulation work? What are Nick's thoughts on foam rolling? [...]