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3D Muscle Journey

3D Muscle Journey
3D Muscle Journey
Latest episode

310 episodes

  • 3D Muscle Journey

    #311: Machines vs. Free Weights

    2026/06/25 | 1h 14 mins.
    The coaches discuss the pros and cons of training with machines versus free weights, what they prefer, and how the value of specific machines differs depending on what stage of your lifting career you are in. How did the coaches view and utilize machines when they first started lifting? What are the downsides of starting with free weights? Which squat pattern does Brian think puts on the most muscle? Why does training to failure on a machine-based squat pattern often feel less demanding than training to failure on a barbell-based squat pattern? What are commonly underdeveloped muscles on those who only train with machines and how to prevent those muscles from becoming underdeveloped? Why aren’t all machines created equal? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

    Timestamps
    0:00- How the coaches viewed and utilized machines when they first started lifting
    11:33- The argument against free weights & The argument against machines
    35:27- The cost of biasing a muscle when performing a compound exercise
    40:24- Learning how to use machines to work around injuries
    46:09- The value of specific machines for intermediate versus advanced lifters
    51:11- The coaches’ top free-weight highlights from their lifting careers
    1:02:39- Some of the coaches’ favorite machines  

    Selected Links From This Episode
    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 💪 
    GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj
  • 3D Muscle Journey

    #310: Q&A Session 31

    2026/06/11 | 1h 9 mins.
    Brad, Eric, and Alberto answer seven audience-supplied nutrition and training questions. What are good strategies for hitting your protein goal if you’re in a gaining phase and your appetite is making it difficult for you to eat enough? Is it possible to grow your glutes without significantly growing your quads or hamstrings? At what point should you end a bulk? Is it possible to gain muscle eating at maintenance? Is it possible to gain muscle eating in a deficit? How do the coaches track their training when doing lengthened partials and drop sets? What is the best way to eat and track when you’re in situations where precise tracking isn’t possible? The answers to these questions and more are covered in this episode.

    Timestamps
    0:00- Introduction
    1:12- Strategies for hitting your protein goal in a gaining phase if your appetite is making it difficult for you to eat enough
    11:11- Is it possible to grow your glutes without significantly growing your quads or hamstrings?
    18:51- At what point do you pull the plug on a bulk? Is it based on a specific body fat percentage or do you wait until gym performance stalls out?
    36:33- How do the coaches track their training when doing lengthened partials and drop sets?
    46:25- Strategies for breaking through a plateau on an exercise & What to do if you get very strong on an exercise and start to become intimidated by the weight
    56:50- What is the best way to eat and track when you’re in situations where precise tracking isn’t possible?

    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

    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
  • 3D Muscle Journey

    #309: Recreational Drugs & Bodybuilding

    2026/05/28 | 1h 6 mins.
    Brad, Alberto, and Brian discuss how common drugs and alcohol can negatively interfere with your bodybuilding goals and what you can do to minimize their negative effects. What are Brad’s experiences with smoking weed and nicotine? What does Brian’s and Alberto’s relationship with and use of nicotine look like? Would Alberto say quitting drinking has been worth it? Can someone drink alcohol and still get shredded? Does a small amount of alcohol provide any health benefits? How can you consume alcohol and still stay on track with your goals? What are the pros of recreational drugs and alcohol? How does marijuana use affect progress? When are good times to get off caffeine/preworkouts? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

    Timestamps
    0:00- Introduction
    1:23- Brad’s experiences with smoking weed and nicotine
    5:10- Brian’s and Alberto’s relationship with and use of nicotine  
    11:34- Alcohol
    17:28- How to consume alcohol while still staying on track with your goals
    28:40- Myths about alcohol
    35:10- How marijuana use affects progress
    40:58- Caffeine & Preworkouts
    55:07- Be careful what you take!
    1:02:26- Final thoughts

    Selected Links From This Episode
    Coaching By Team 3DMJ- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://3dmusclejourney.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    3DMJ Podcast Episode #249: The Hidden Risks of Supplements- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dxRo582uhM
    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
  • 3D Muscle Journey

    #308: Building Your Own Bodybuilding Team

    2026/05/14 | 1h 19 mins.
    Brian, Jeff, and Brad discuss how to build a good support system so you can maximize your rate of progress and have fun doing it. What is the origin story of 3D Muscle Journey? How do you communicate what you’re doing and what your goals are so that your support system knows how to support you? What are the benefits of sharing your bodybuilding journey versus bodybuilding in isolation? When prepping an athlete, what else do the coaches focus on besides getting them lean? How far in advance do the coaches recommend telling others that you’re prepping? Where are good places to meet like-minded bodybuilders? Why is a person’s support system such an influential factor in their success? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

    Timestamps
    0:00- Introduction
    1:37- How to communicate what you’re doing and what your goals are
    6:30- Social media can be a good place to find community
    10:48- The origin of 3D Muscle Journey
    21:08- You also have to support the people in your support system
    30:42- How far in advance the coaches recommend telling others that you’re prepping
    37:11- Being able to do what you love doing for a long time
    45:14- What Brian needs for support as an athlete
    54:07- The benefits of living what you coach
    1:06:23- The benefits of sharing your bodybuilding journey versus bodybuilding in isolation
    1:09:54- Having a motivating gym atmosphere to help you get the most out of yourself

    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
  • 3D Muscle Journey

    #307: Do I Have to Learn Programming to Get Jacked?

    2026/04/30 | 1h 7 mins.
    Brian, Alberto, and Jeff discuss how much you need to know about programming in order to make continued progress. What did the coaches focus on when they first started lifting? How important is effort for making progress? What is more important, working hard or a more optimal program? What advice to the coaches have for novice lifters when it comes to how to go about their training? What movement patterns do the coaches want their athletes to become proficient at? When is an appropriate time for someone to start dialing in their reps in reserve? What are some common flaws the coaches see in people’s programs? What do the coaches recommend doing before making an adjustment to your program? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.

    Timestamps
    0:00- Introduction
    2:21- What did the coaches focus on when they first started lifting?
    12:09- A C- program with A+ effort will take you further than an A+ program with C- effort
    14:51- The beauty of a simple plan
    22:59- Start with a balanced program
    28:18- Audit your exercises that are the most fatiguing before determining volume
    31:25- Movement patterns the coaches want their athletes to become proficient at
    39:30- When the coaches think it’s an appropriate time for someone to start dialing in their reps in reserve
    47:40- Build a positive relationship with training hard
    54:10- Get rid of the noise so you can identify what works for you
    59:11- Observe and be patient
    1:03:54- Learn the fundamentals first and then build

    Selected Links From This Episode
    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 💪 
    GET COACHING AND COURSES - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.3dmusclejourney.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Watch our show on YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/team3dmj
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About 3D Muscle Journey
The 5 natural bodybuilding and powerlifting coaches from 3D Muscle Journey come together for conversations dissecting the art and science of muscle and strength. Be a fly on the wall as this collective of coaches discuss the ins and outs of helping athletes reach their potential on the stage, platform and in their personal lives. Dedication. Discipline. Desire. #Team3DMJ
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