3D Muscle Journey

Regardless of how it's done, contest prep dieting is tough. We're hungry, tired, stressed and at some point, even loading up the bar becomes a struggle. With all of that said, there are still ways to help mitigate our drops in performance, loss of sleep, and progressively increasing hunger levels. How? Well that is exactly [...]

Tracking training progress comes about as close to watching paint dry or the grass grow as it gets for advanced lifters. Something that starts off as so much fun during our early lifting days, progressively tapers to something that we have to squint, and turn our heads to the side, to even kind of see. [...]

Program hopping. This is one of those things that many of us aren't even aware could be hurting our "gains". We are so used to seeing the latest 8-week program offered on bodybuilding.com, that's easy to think that this is what training is all about, drastically changing up your routine, every 8 to 12 weeks. [...]

Although traveling while dieting isn't ideal, it's not always avoidable. This week Eric, Andrea and Alberto sit down to talk about things one can do while traveling, to help them stay on track with their protocol. The group further subdivides this topic into three main categories: those who have a lot of weight to lose, [...]

Welcome back to part 2 of our Coach Influences Series. This week, Andrea sits down with Jeff and Alberto to go through the people, and icons, who helped shape who they are today. Who was Alberto's and Jeff's FIRST influence? Which famous and highly successful athlete, did Alberto get his extraordinary work ethic from? At [...]

Join us this week for part one of our 3DMJ Coach Influences Series. Today's episode begins a two-part series on the figures, mentors, and major influencers in each of the 3DMJ coach's lives. This week, Andrea is joined by Brad and Eric, to discuss who their childhood heroes were, who they first looked up to [...]

Unlike many other sports, bodybuilding is something one can not only compete competitively in, but arguably peak at, well into their 40's and sometimes 50's. In today's podcast, Andrea Valdez sits down with Brad Loomis and Jeff Alberts, to discuss what it's like training and bodybuilding at the age of 45, compared to years prior. [...]

In the world of bodybuilding, what does it mean to be "natural"? In today's episode, Andrea, Eric and Alberto, sit down together to discuss what it means to be drug-free, and why each of them chose this path. What is the typical drug-free timespan required by most natural organizations? What is the group's stance on [...]

"What is the optimal way, to use both science and experience, to get results for you or your client." These words, quoted from coach Eric Helms, do a great job of summarizing today's podcast. Andrea, Eric, and Jeff, sit down together this week to focus on the notion that, it's not science vs. experience, but [...]

In this episode, Brad Loomis, Alberto Nunez, and Andrea Valdez chat about what they do on show day and meet day for our athletes. BODYBUILDING-SPECIFIC questions that are addressed: How do they pick shows for athletes when we can? How do they manipulate the physique in accordance with certain judging criteria? What planning protocols do they feel like people miss? How do they make themselves useful back stage in terms of physical and emotional management of the athlete? POWERLIFTING-SPECIFIC questions that are addressed: How do they select attempts before the meet day, and what would cause them to change our mind? When does the total matter more than a certain weight lifted and vice versa? What is their role on the platform, and how do they become the "soccer mom" for all athletes at big meets? How does this entire planning process change based on athletes experience level and whether or not they've competed before? Join the conversation by leaving comments, reviews, and insights throughout any and all social media outlets using the handle @team3dmj. For the full video interview, show notes, and links discussed throughout in this episode, visit our site at 3DMuscleJourney.com