3D Muscle Journey

Jeff, Brian, and Brad go through how to build a training session (exercise selection, exercise order, number of sets, rep ranges, tempo, etc.) and clarify how much flexibility there is when it comes to how you structure your sessions. In what situations can it be beneficial to do isolation exercises before compound exercises? What are the coaches’ thoughts on active recovery days? What are Jeff’s thoughts on the strategy of having newer lifters do extra volume to make up for a lack of skill? How can you manage your total volume if you like doing a lot of different exercises? What have the coaches observed is the sweet spot when it comes to number of sets per exercise? If the coaches were to build a *perfect* training day for a robot, what would it look like? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

Timestamps
0:00- Introduction
1:03- Situations where it can be beneficial to do isolation exercises before compound exercises
19:45- Structuring your split based on how many days you can train per week
23:53- How the coaches build a microcycle of training for themselves and their athletes
40:07- How to manage your total volume if you like doing a lot of different exercises
47:33- Recommendations for preserving rep quality
52:33- Jeff’s thoughts on the strategy of having newer lifters do extra volume to make up for a lack of skill
54:31- If the coaches were to build a *perfect* training day for a robot, what would it look like?
1:11:02- Programming tips for older individuals
1:13:26- Programming tips for those who have a lagging body part they would really like to improve

Selected Links From This Episode
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Hypertrophy Programming For Bodybuilders (Online Course)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/hypertrophy

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 
GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Brian, Alberto, and Jeff discuss the pros and cons of, “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM), why it’s not the cure-all the fitness community wanted it to be, and how the coaches manage their nutrition instead. Why was IIFYM such a big deal? What did the coaches’ eating look like before IIFYM? What were their early experiences with IIFYM? What are the downsides of having very precise macronutrient targets? How do the coaches start the process of educating their athletes about nutrition? Why does Jeff sometimes assign a fat limit? What advice do the coaches have on setting your macronutrient and/or calorie ranges? What are some of the coaches top IIFYM foods? The answers to all of these questions and more are covered in this episode.

Timestamps
0:00- What the coaches’ eating looked like before, and their early experiences with, “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM)
15:21- Having precise macronutrient targets is actually quite restrictive
24:35- Why IIFYM was such a big deal
27:46- How the coaches start the process of educating their athletes about nutrition
39:50- What is the lowest-hanging fruit you’ve missed?
45:14- Focus on your calorie and protein intake
52:04- Advice on setting your macronutrient and/or calorie ranges
55:52- There is life after bodybuilding
1:00:01- The coaches’ top IIFYM foods

Selected Links From This Episode
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Nutrition For Hypertrophy And Strength (Online Course)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/nutrition
Monthly Applications In Strength Sport (MASS)- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/mass

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 
GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Brad, Alberto, and Jeff discuss strategies they use to manage stress, and how they program for themselves and their athletes based on life stress at the time. What do the coaches do to help ensure they get good sleep? What can you do to improve your sleep quality and quantity? Why is it important to prioritize resting from your work and bodybuilding? How can you undulate your volume based on your schedule? What does advanced bodybuilding look like? What can you do if you’re plateaued on an exercise where you are using double progression? Why is Jeff currently lifting two times per day? What does his setup look like? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

Timestamps
0:00- The negative effects of poor sleep
3:07- Why Alberto decided to improve his sleep and the benefits he’s experienced from doing so
8:13- Strategies for improving your sleep quality and quantity
21:21- Prioritize resting from your work and bodybuilding
31:48- Undulate your workload
37:30- What advanced bodybuilding looks like
40:40- What you can do if you’re plateaued on an exercise where you are using double progression
46:41- Why Jeff is currently lifting two times per day
51:34- Deep thinking vs. Long thinking

Selected Links From This Episode
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 
GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠⁠⁠
Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Brian, Alberto, Jeff, and Brad discuss what they learned in 2025, how so many different approaches work for hypertrophy, and the things people commonly miss in their quest to be optimal that are making them suboptimal. Can cheat meals sometimes be an effective strategy to use during a fat-loss phase? How has Alberto been getting himself to eat more vegetables? How has the way Brian chooses exercises for his athletes changed over time? Are exercises that are more stable better for hypertrophy? What problems can happen when someone is doing too much volume when there is a high degree of tension in a lengthened position? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

Timestamps
0:00- Introduction
2:15- You don’t have to be optimal to make progress
16:16- Cheat meals & How Alberto has been getting himself to eat more vegetables
22:05- The importance of community
37:17- Meet people at your gym
45:20- How the way Brian chooses exercises for his athletes has changed over time
52:41- How do we even know what optimal is?
1:02:18- How much do the small details actually matter?
1:07:47- What Brad learned in 2025

Selected Links From This Episode
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Hypertrophy Programming For Bodybuilders Course- https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/hypertrophy
3DMJ Podcast Episode #275: Why You Should Gamify Your Gains-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY0aceDpeVE
WNBF Worlds Contest Prep Survey Results- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzomyA72U2U

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 
GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠⁠
Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj

Brad, Alberto, and Brian answer audience-supplied questions about pre-workout nutrition, rest periods, belt squats vs. barbell squats, muscle maturity, sleep hygiene, volume, weekly calorie targets, and more. What do the coaches consume before and during workouts when they train in the morning? What is the coaches’ advice for those who keep having unsuccessful fat loss phases? If you are struggling with cravings, hunger, and/or feeling deprived during a fat-loss phase, what can help? Are belt squats better than barbell squats and leg press for a bodybuilder? If the coaches could only do overhead pressing or lateral raises, which would they choose? What advice do the coaches have for those whose sleep is very negatively affected when they are in a calorie deficit? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

Timestamps
0:00- Tips for pre-workout meals during prep for athletes who train first thing in the morning
8:22- How long is too long to rest between sets?
14:02- If you are struggling with cravings, hunger, and/or feeling deprived during a fat-loss phase, what can help?
26:52- Are belt squats better than barbell squats and leg press for bodybuilders?
36:35- What is muscle maturity? Is it something only older lifters get?
43:47- Do the coaches include overhead pressing and lateral raises in all of their athletes’ training programs? If the coaches could only do overhead pressing or lateral raises, which would they choose?
53:03- What advice do the coaches have for those whose sleep is very negatively affected when they are in a calorie deficit?
1:03:05- How do the coaches get their clients to buy into doing less?
1:12:00- Do the coaches ever give clients a weekly calorie target instead of a daily calorie target?

Selected Links From This Episode
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks for listening to The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪 
GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠
Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj