Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Alberto, Brad, Brian, and Jeff discuss their all-time favorite lifting cues, how and why they prioritize getting a good stimulus over beating the logbook, and the usefulness of focusing on the mind-muscle connection. How do the coaches approach lifting differently in contest prep compared to the offseason? Why do decreases in strength not necessarily mean a loss of muscle? Why can changes in body weight affect how certain exercises feel? What valuable feedback can a pump give you? For hypertrophy, does the concentric phase of an exercise need to be explosive or is a slower tempo just as effective? What are some of the coaches’ favorite cues when performing Romanian deadlifts, the barbell bench press, calf raises, and back exercises? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.
Timestamps:
0:00- Introduction
1:30- How the coaches approach lifting differently in contest prep compared to the offseason
18:53- Why changes in body weight can affect how certain exercises feel
35:00- Don’t focus on the load, focus on creating a stimulus
39:35- Good cues for executing the Romanian deadlift and barbell bench press correctly
51:27- The pump & The mind-muscle connection
1:08:12- Some of the coaches’ all-time favorite cues
SELECTED LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- 3dmusclejourney.com/coaching
3DMJ Podcast Episode #238: Cutting Weight For Powerlifting- youtube.com/watch?v=TZ3B-rC5A1c
Thanks for watching The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪
SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY: open.spotify.com/show/4E61iRCD1qSZUTRactySTj?si=kiONmQJqSaC3EWUncGgfsg
SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3d-muscle-journey-podcast/id1115048476
**3DMJ COACHING & COURSES: 3dmusclejourney.com/coaching
**APPAREL & MERCH: redbubble.com/people/team3dmj/shop
**FULL WEBSITE & BLOG: 3dmusclejourney.com
**FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
Team 3DMJ: instagram.com/team3dmj
Jeff Alberts - instagram.com/3dmj_godfather
Brad Loomis - instagram.com/3dmjcoach
Alberto Nuñez - instagram.com/nunez3dmj
Eric Helms - instagram.com/helms3dmj
Brian Minor - instagram.com/bdminor
Alberto, Brad, Brian, and Jeff discuss their all-time favorite lifting cues, how and why they prioritize getting a good stimulus over beating the logbook, and the usefulness of focusing on the mind-muscle connection. How do the coaches approach lifting differently in contest prep compared to the offseason? Why do decreases in strength not necessarily mean a loss of muscle? Why can changes in body weight affect how certain exercises feel? What valuable feedback can a pump give you? For hypertrophy, does the concentric phase of an exercise need to be explosive or is a slower tempo just as effective? What are some of the coaches’ favorite cues when performing Romanian deadlifts, the barbell bench press, calf raises, and back exercises? The answers to these questions and many more are covered in this episode.
Timestamps:
0:00- Introduction
1:30- How the coaches approach lifting differently in contest prep compared to the offseason
18:53- Why changes in body weight can affect how certain exercises feel
35:00- Don’t focus on the load, focus on creating a stimulus
39:35- Good cues for executing the Romanian deadlift and barbell bench press correctly
51:27- The pump & The mind-muscle connection
1:08:12- Some of the coaches’ all-time favorite cues
SELECTED LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Coaching By Team 3DMJ- 3dmusclejourney.com/coaching
3DMJ Podcast Episode #238: Cutting Weight For Powerlifting- youtube.com/watch?v=TZ3B-rC5A1c
Thanks for watching The 3D Muscle Journey Podcast 💪
SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY: open.spotify.com/show/4E61iRCD1qSZUTRactySTj?si=kiONmQJqSaC3EWUncGgfsg
SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3d-muscle-journey-podcast/id1115048476
**3DMJ COACHING & COURSES: 3dmusclejourney.com/coaching
**APPAREL & MERCH: redbubble.com/people/team3dmj/shop
**FULL WEBSITE & BLOG: 3dmusclejourney.com
**FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:
Team 3DMJ: instagram.com/team3dmj
Jeff Alberts - instagram.com/3dmj_godfather
Brad Loomis - instagram.com/3dmjcoach
Alberto Nuñez - instagram.com/nunez3dmj
Eric Helms - instagram.com/helms3dmj
Brian Minor - instagram.com/bdminor
