Brad and Alberto go into detail about what to expect when prepping for a bodybuilding competition, the importance of having people you trust to give you honest feedback on how you're acting, and some of their top tips for a successful prep. How does prep help you learn more about yourself and become a better version of yourself? Should you chase feelings of hunger? How do the coaches recommend dealing with the common side effects of prep such as being overly preoccupied with food, sleep deprivation, and decreased sex drive? How can the recovery process differ between those who never plan to compete again and those who plan to return to the stage? The answers to these questions and many more are discussed in this episode.

Timestamps

0:00- Your filters come off when you go through the deep dark periods of contest prep

6:15- Things Brad and Alberto have done during past preps that they are embarrassed of

28:36- The recovery process is just as important as the prep

32:34- Why every prep and every recovery phase should get easier

35:04- What to expect when prepping  

Selected Links From This Episode

Programs For The Platform (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/programs-platform

The 3DMJ Vault- https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip

The Recovery Diet (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/the-recovery-diet

Coaching By Team 3DMJ- https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching

Monthly Applications In Strength Sport (MASS)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/mass

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

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Andrea, Brad, and Brian host an audience-supplied Q and A session covering a wide range of interesting topics. Deep in prep, do the coaches ever have athletes experience serious medical issues? When training for hypertrophy, how many reps should you leave in reserve when doing compound exercises? What about isolation exercises? What is the difference between a movement’s RIR and a target muscle’s RIR? Is it more important to have carbs before your workout or after? Is it necessary to feel the mind-muscle connection when doing RDLs? Which food tracking apps do the coaches recommend? What are the coaches’ thoughts on calorie cycling for noncompetitors? The answers to these questions and many more are discussed in this episode. 

Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

2:18- Deep in prep, do the coaches ever have athletes experience serious medical issues? How often do they request someone get blood work done and in what situations do they request it?

10:07- When training for hypertrophy, how many reps should you leave in reserve when doing compound exercises? What about isolation exercises? 

19:44- What is the difference between a movement’s RIR and a target muscle’s RIR?

24:16- Is it more important to have carbs before your workout or after?

35:06- Is it necessary to feel the mind-muscle connection when doing RDLs? Should you feel it more in your glutes or hamstrings?

49:15- Which food tracking apps do the coaches recommend? 

1:00:11- Things coaches can do that algorithms cannot do

1:03:55- For those who only train 1-3 times per week, are axially-loaded exercises that involve a lot of different muscle groups (such as deadlifts, squats, and standing overhead presses) good exercise selections?

1:10:33- The coaches’ thoughts on calorie cycling for noncompetitors 

Selected Links From This Episode

3DMJ’s Instagram Account- @team3dmj

3DMJ’s Twitter/X Account- @team3dmj

3DMJ Podcast Episode #256: Is Using RPE Worth It?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb0X87odRlQ

Programs For The Platform (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/programs-platform

Why The Calories In Your Nutrition Tracking App And Your Spreadsheet Do Not Match (Article by Brad Loomis)- https://3dmusclejourney.com/macro-discrepancies/

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

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Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Eric, Jeff, and Alberto discuss how they program their own and their athletes’ training differently than they used to. The coaches talk about how to apply new training techniques and understandings, the benefits of being open-minded, exercise selection, managing fatigue, range of motion, and a lot more. If you’ve been wanting to learn more about training at longer muscle lengths and lengthened partials, this is a great episode to listen to. The coaches go through how to train at longer muscle lengths, potential reasons behind why doing so is beneficial for hypertrophy, and which muscles might benefit the most from lengthened partials.

Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

3:15- How Alberto’s programming is different today than it was in 2010

5:54- The shift from tracking volume as total tonnage to tracking volume as hard sets

10:46- How Jeff’s programming is different today than it was in 2010

16:47- How Eric’s programming is different today than it was in 2010

46:50- Range of motion

54:58- Being open-minded and observing things in a dispassionate way

1:05:28- Overthinking vs. Thinking and actually learning

1:12:06- How to apply new techniques and understandings

1:14:00- How to train at longer muscle lengths and potential reasons behind why doing so is beneficial for hypertrophy

Selected Links From This Episode

Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES

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Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Nick, Jeff, Brian, and Alberto discuss how to manage your athletic and lifting goals while still being present for your children and partner. The guys talk about how they stay highly-competitive bodybuilders with kids, how they’ve learned to be flexible, how they’ve gotten good at getting the most out of the limited amount of time they sometimes have to train, being a “good selfish”, and a lot more. The dads also share how they talk about or plan on talking about bodybuilding when the time comes with their kids, to help ensure they have a healthy body image and a healthy relationship with food. This episode is full of takeaways for all current and future parents.

Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

4:01- Both fatherhood and bodybuilding are about the journey

27:52- More context about the guy’s situations

37:39- Staying poised in stressful situations

48:53- Balancing bodybuilding and parenthood

1:00:04- Optimizing within your constraints

1:10:20- How the dads talk about bodybuilding with their kids to help ensure they have a healthy body image and a healthy relationship with food

Selected Links From This Episode

Coaching By Team 3DMJ- https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching

Nick’s Website- https://www.strengthtogetheronline.com

Nick’s Instagram- @nicklicameli

Nick’s YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAWFe5BmaJ_WFAh2aqsOg8g/featured

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

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TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Eric, Steve, and Brad have a unique conversation about tracking and bringing mindfulness to a behavior. The coaches discuss the distinction between tracking to learn more about what you’re currently doing versus tracking to change a behavior. Sometimes just tracking a behavior is enough to get the desired outcome and sometimes *not* tracking something can lead to better outcomes. Along with discussing the different types of tracking, the coaches also go through how to choose what you should track, behaviors and nutrients they have tracked or had their athletes/clients track, moving towards/approach goals versus moving away from/avoidance goals, facilitative versus nonfacilitative perfectionism, what you can do if you want to lose body fat but tracking your calorie intake causes a lot of stress, and a lot more.

Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

2:30- Tracking to learn more about what you’re currently doing vs. Tracking to change behavior

8:56- Learning to track before trying to hit specific nutritional goals

15:08- Sometimes just tracking a behavior is enough to get the desired outcome

26:46- Sometimes *not* tracking something can lead to better outcomes

37:43- Behaviors, nutrients, and other data the coaches have tracked or had their athletes/clients track

55:18- Moving towards/approach goals vs. Moving away from/avoidance goals

1:00:43- Leveraging the client’s knowledge, creativity, and getting them involved in the goal-setting process

1:04:10- Sometimes tracking something can lead to undesirable outcomes

1:11:00- Tracking body weight and the palatability of foods

1:18:23- Regular breaks from tracking calories and what you can do if tracking your calorie intake causes a lot of stress

Selected Links From This Episode

Monthly Applications In Strength Sport (MASS)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/mass

Transitioning Away From Tracking (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/transitioning-away-from-tracking

Should You Weigh Meat Cooked Or Uncooked?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH-5oSP0O5E&t=1s

Steve’s Website- http://stevetaylorrd.com

Steve’s Instagram- @stevetaylorRD

Steve’s YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfVYx4ck3pY275XlkiumGQ

Steve’s Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/stevetaylorRD

Steve’s Mailing List & Newsletter- http://eepurl.com/diZ6Gz

The Energy Balance Model Of Obesity: Beyond Calories In, Calories Out- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35134825/

The Complex Pattern Of The Effects Of Prolonged Frequent Exercise On Appetite Control, And Implications For Obesity- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36754171/#:~:text=There%20are%20multiple%20effects%20of,improvements%20in%20eating%20behaviour%20traits

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

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Jeff, Brian, and Brad discuss training to failure, RPE-based programming, and percentage-based programming. What is RPE and RIR? Should you use RPE-based programming? If so, when and how should you use it? How do the coaches help their athletes get better at rating a set’s RPE? What approaches do the coaches use for prescribing proximity to failure with bodybuilders? Can training to failure and leaving reps in reserve both work? Why isn’t all training to failure the same? The coaches answer these questions, plus many more in this episode.

Timestamps

0:00- What is RPE and RIR?

2:11- Why rate a set? Why not just train to failure?

12:22- Percentage-based programming vs. RPE-based programming

16:00- Approaches the coaches use for prescribing proximity to failure with bodybuilders

37:07- Managing recovery based on the structure of your program

46:20- Not all training to failure is the same

1:01:55- What the coaches think about when they are near the end of a set and it starts getting hard

1:10:03- Rest-pause techniques

1:12:49- Red-light, yellow-light, and green-light sets

Selected Links From This Episode

Free Newsletter (3DMJ Thursdays)- https://3dmusclejourney.com/

3D Muscle Journey’s Instagram Account- @team3dmj

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Nick, Alberto, and Brad discuss the necessity (or lack of) of specific exercises for maximizing the development of your lower body. Are there fundamental movements everyone should do? Does squatting and deadlifting make your muscles more dense? What are the group’s thoughts on hip thrusts, glute bridges, and RDLs? What are some fun exercise modifications you can try to get a similar or better muscular stimulus using less weight? Along with answering all of these questions, this episode has the potential to provide a ton of relief for those who are dealing with pain, injuries, have limited equipment, or just don’t like barbell squatting or deadlifting off the floor.

Timestamps

0:00- Thinking objectively about your lower-body training

18:54- Recent revelations Alberto has had about lower-body training

30:52- Are there fundamental movements everyone should do?

38:57- Fun exercise modifications

54:06- Do the coaches think the concepts discussed in this episode will someday be mainstream advice?

1:01:03- The group’s thoughts on hip thrusts, glute bridges, and RDLs

Selected Links From This Episode

Nutrition Fundamentals For Lifters (Vault Course)- ⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/nutrition-fundamentals-for-lifters⁠

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching/⁠⁠⁠⁠

TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Brian and Eric address many common questions and misunderstandings around body fat set points. Is it possible to change your set point? Are your genetics really the thing holding you back? Along with answering these two questions, Brian and Eric discuss leptin, modifying your environment, metabolic adaptation, low energy availability, some really interesting research on the Amish, and a lot more. This episode is full of takeaways for both competitors and noncompetitors.

Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

2:24- The lipostatic model, leptin, and the duel intervention point model

12:35- Is it possible to change your set point?

23:56- Modifying your environment

34:30- Capitalize on the time period you are motivated

38:45- Overshooting and metabolic adaptation

46:48- What is low energy availability?

48:50- At what body fat percentage should experienced competitors be at in the offseason?

1:01:32- Living life slightly below your lower intervention point

1:08:00- What is a healthy body fat percentage?

1:13:44- Where you make the best progress in regard to the rate you put on muscle might not be where you want to be

Selected Links From This Episode

Nutrition Fundamentals For Lifters (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/nutrition-fundamentals-for-lifters

Monthly Applications In Strength Sport (MASS)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/mass

2023 International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Consensus Statement On Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport (REDs)- https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/17/1073

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES

- ⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching/⁠⁠⁠

TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS

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Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Amanda, Alberto, and Eric discuss disordered eating, eating disorders, body-image concerns, and how they relate to both competitive physique athletes and noncompetitors. They talk about common issues they see and how they deal with them, the importance of framing, the influence of biology, research on tracking and physique checking, and a lot more. The same behaviors can be facilitative or debilitative depending upon how they are framed and what they result in in someone’s life.

Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

3:06- Scope of practice

7:13- Some of the most common issues Alberto sees and how he deals with them

27:30- The way we frame things is extremely important

29:46- Is the coping mechanism facilitative or debilitative

36:10- Clinical definitions

40:15- Research on tracking and physique checking on disordered eating and eating disorders

49:25- The influence of biology

57:43- Orthorexia

1:02:27- How Amanda deals with nonclassified disordered eating

1:09:59- Bodybuilding and competing for those who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder in the past or are in the process of recovering

Selected Links From This Episode

Nutrition Fundamentals For Lifters (Vault Course)-

https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/nutrition-fundamentals-for-lifters

Minnesota Starvation Experiment-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment

Amanda’s Email- [email protected]

Amanda’s Instagram- @rizo_amanda_

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES - ⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching/⁠⁠

TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS - ⁠⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip⁠⁠

Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Brad, Jeff, and Brian discuss what the ultimate goal of a person’s training should be if their primary goal is muscular hypertrophy. The coaches talk about when to add volume and when to wait, slower reps versus faster reps, training volume across a training career, longevity, and caution against putting the numbers ahead of the stimulus. Progression should be dictated by the rate you’re adapting and not something that should be forced.

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Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

1:30- What Jeff has observed about his volume and absolute strength over his training career

8:01- The ultimate goal of training when primarily training for hypertrophy

19:45- Progression should be dictated by the rate you’re adapting and not something that should be forced

32:08- Slower rep tempo vs. Faster rep tempo

47:44- Will performing high amounts of volume come at the expense of longevity?

50:12- Practical takeaways

59:08- Assessing plateaus

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Selected Links From This Episode

Pro Bodybuilder Case Study (Vault Course)- ⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/pro-bodybuilder-case-study⁠

------------------------------

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES - ⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching/⁠

TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS - ⁠https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip⁠

Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Eric, Alberto, and Brad discuss the things they feel every powerlifter who wants to be successful needs to understand. The coaches talk about how beneficial being intentional with your nutrition can be and a few simple nutritional strategies they recommend. Other topics discussed include, the best way to make weight for a meet, the coaches’ thoughts on cutting to make a weight class early in your powerlifting career, and the ideal situation to be in from a nutritional perspective as you’re getting close to meet day.

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Timestamps

0:00- Introduction

8:20- There is a cost to cutting down to make a weight class early in your powerlifting career

20:44- What the coaches have observed with their performance in the gym and recovery as they’ve gotten older

29:28- Some of the first nutritional changes Alberto has his powerlifters make

44:54- Develop structure for how you eat throughout the day

48:51- Making weight

1:00:50- The benefits of having good nutritional habits year-round versus only when you’re cutting for a meet

1:11:27- Key performance indicators

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Selected Links From This Episode

Pro Bodybuilder Case Study (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/pro-bodybuilder-case-study

The Default Diet (Vault Course)- https://www.3dmjvault.com/courses/default-diet

Monthly Applications In Strength Sport (MASS)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/mass

------------------------------

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 

SIGN UP FOR ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SERVICES - https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching/

TAKE OUR VIDEO COURSES FOR SERIOUS LIFTERS - https://www.3dmjvault.com/bundles/vip

Watch our show on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj