Nick, Alberto, and Eric discuss common perceptions about back injuries, their personal experiences with back pain and nerve symptoms, spine anatomy, and more. How did Alberto hurt his back in 2008 and how did that affect him? When does Alberto tend to get injured? Are the discs in your spine really similar to soft jelly [...]

#188: All About Back Pain

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

Fitness

Health & Fitness

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 

#258: Dads Who Lift

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 

#257: You Could Be Tracking The Wrong Nutrition Data

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 

#256: Is Using RPE Worth It?

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 

#255: How To Leg Day

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 

#188: All About Back Pain

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