Are you pushing to failure in every workout but not seeing the gains you want? Do you think longevity in bodybuilding means constantly increasing intensity? What if smarter, more mindful training could unlock sustainable progress without constant burnout?

Philip (@witsandweights) sits down with Jeff Alberts, the “Godfather of Natural Bodybuilding,” to redefine how to train with purpose. With over 30 years of experience in natural bodybuilding, Jeff coaches athletes to build muscle intelligently through a 3D Muscle Journey. Together, they dive deep into the principles behind sustainable training, revealing why pacing yourself, prioritizing recovery, and respecting individual limitations can lead to a long-term, injury-free journey in the gym.

Jeff Alberts is a WNBF Pro natural bodybuilder with over 30 years of experience in competitive bodybuilding and coaching. Through his company, 3D Muscle Journey, Jeff has helped hundreds of natural athletes achieve their goals by emphasizing a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to training and nutrition. His philosophy focuses on sustainable, injury-free progress and efficient training, making him a trusted mentor in the natural bodybuilding community.

📲 To learn about progressive overload, why it’s important, and how to use it to maximize your muscle gains, download the free Progressive Overload guide here or go to witsandweights.com/free

Today, you’ll learn all about:

1:11 Who is Jeff Alberts?
3:56 The counterintuitive approach
6:56 Evaluating the progress
9:12 Guidelines for volume, intensity, and finding an individual threshold
12:23 Understanding principles of training
18:41 Failure: Use or Lose?
21:55 Harmonizing training-recovery and program design
27:12 Realistic expectations for natural athletes
33:05 Joint health, fatigue management, and connective tissue care
46:28 Dieting, fatigue, and pacing weight loss goals
52:16 Outro

Episode resources:

• Jeff’s Instagram: @3dmj_godfather
• 3dmusclejourney.com
• Youtube: @Team3DMJ
  
  

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Your wearable says you got 8 hours of sleep, but you're still waking up exhausted. Your sleep efficiency looks good, but your energy levels tell a different story.

Learn the 7 key sleep metrics that actually matter for muscle gains and fat loss, plus how to use Root Cause Analysis, an engineering method that reveals the true sources of poor sleep quality hiding beneath your data.

Whether you're dealing with low energy, poor recovery, or sleep numbers that don't match how you feel, this episode gives you a systematic approach to optimize your sleep for better results in the gym.

A special thank you to Aubrey from Wits & Weights Physique University who inspired this episode with her questions about sleep quality metrics!

Main Takeaways:

• The 7 essential sleep metrics and their target ranges for optimal recovery
• A simple but powerful technique to uncover your hidden sleep disruptors
• Why going to the gym at THIS time of day might be your secret weapon for better sleep
• How to test solutions for better sleep based on your personal metrics

Episode Mentioned About 5 Why's Technique:

• Thin vs. Happy (Finding Your True WHY for Your Physique Goals)

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👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

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Can you build muscle faster than we thought... WITHOUT gaining more fat as you bulk? What if the current advice to on rate of gain is actually holding you back?

Philip (@witsandweights) shares groundbreaking research that shows you can gain muscle faster than you thought - without getting bogged down by excess fat. He breaks down the latest science into simple, actionable tips for beginners, intermediates, and advanced lifters. Whether you're just starting or a seasoned lifter aiming to push past your current limits, Philip shares practical tips on tailoring your muscle-building pace based on your experience level. Tune in for a fresh perspective on building the body you want!

📲 For the exact steps to set up your next bulking phase for substantial muscle gains, download my free Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint (updated for 2025) or go to witsandweights.com/free.

Today, you’ll learn all about:

1:11 Traditional bulking advice and why it’s outdated
2:06 Philip’s muscle-building program update
3:49 Why are recommendations changing?
5:41 Gain faster now
10:41 For optimal muscle gain
14:29 Tone up smart and assess your training experience
18:30 Determining your training level and rate of gain
20:23 Consistent progression and monitoring results
21:39 Importance of quality nutrition
23:37 Nutrient partitioning abilities

Episode resources:

• FREE Muscle-Building Nutrition Blueprint (over 25 pages!)
• Greg Nuckols Article – How Fast Should You Gain Weight When Bulking?
• Try MacroFactor free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS – Apple/iPhone or Google/Android

Related episode:

• The Hardgainers Guide to Outsmarting Your Metabolism and Maximizing Muscle Gain

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Support the show

👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

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📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🏋️‍♀️ Download Boostcamp for free and access 70+ evidence-based workout programs

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Welcome to another Weird Q&A, where I answer three offbeat questions about health and fitness, covering nutrition, training, and mindset. Have a weird question you'd like answered?

Send your question as a text message and I'll answer it on the show!

Today's questions:

1. Can you burn a significant number of calories by fidgeting or tapping your foot all day?
2. Can watching horror movies help you burn calories due to increased heart rate?
3. Can you build muscle by only working out once a week?

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👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

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📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

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Can the specific foods you eat transform your mental well-being? Does nutrition hold the key to unlocking mental resilience?

Philip (@witsandweights) welcomes Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a PhD researcher and New York Times bestselling author, to discuss the powerful relationship between nutrient-dense foods and happiness. They explain how specific food nutrients can boost mood and resilience in ways supplements cannot. Learn and discover easy strategies to add nutrient-packed foods to your diets, the benefits of a diverse intake, and why eating for abundance rather than restriction may be the key to physical and emotional well-being.

Dr. Sarah Ballantyne is a scientist with a PhD in medical biophysics and an acclaimed author whose work focuses on the links between nutrition, immune health, and chronic disease. Her NutriVore framework encourages a balanced, nutrient-focused approach to food based on evidence, not restriction.

📲 Download your free Nutrition 101 Guide to Body Composition to master your nutrition plan for sustainable fat loss, muscle gain, and improved health, plus support your workouts, or go to witsandweights.com/free

Today, you’ll learn all about:

2:45 Nourish beyond restriction
8:13 Nutrients, happiness, and wellbeing
13:39 Boosting mood and stress management
18:52 Hidden compounds with big benefits
22:35 Diversifying your plate for maximum nutrients
31:57 Tips for making nutritious foods irresistibly flavorful
41:24 Breaking from food fear and diet culture
46:07 Insulin and nutrient diversity misconceptions
49:41 The importance of increasing scientific literacy on nutrition
55:24 Outro

Episode resources:

• nutrivore.com: Click “Join” to go to the free weekly newsletter (bite-sized information)
• TikTok: @drsarahballantyne
• Threads: @drsarahballantyne
• YouTube: @drsarahballantyne
• Instagram: @drsarahballantyne
• Facebook: fb.com/drsarahballantyne

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Support the show

👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🏋️‍♀️ Download Boostcamp for free and access 70+ evidence-based workout programs

🩷 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review or share on social and tag @witsandweights

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Are you quick to abandon exercises that don't feel quite right? Maybe bench press bothers your shoulders, rows don't hit your back, or squats just feel unstable.

The typical advice is to "just find another exercise." But before you give up on a movement that could be great for your goals, there's an engineering solution you need to try.

You'll learn how the engineering concept of Tolerance Analysis reveals why small, systematic modifications can transform problematic exercises into some of your best movements - all while maintaining proper form principles.

Discover how to methodically test exercise variations, know exactly which variables you can adjust (and by how much), and determine when modifications will work versus when you truly need a different exercise.

Whether you're dealing with discomfort, poor muscle engagement, or exercises that just don't feel right, this episode gives you a systematic approach to optimize movements for YOUR body.

To build your best physique through proper exercise technique (including free form video checks!), join our free Facebook community at facebook.com/groups/witsandweights

Main Takeaways:

• Maintain fundamental movement principles while making small adjustments
• Use systematic testing to find the right variations for your body
• Small, precise modifications often make the biggest difference
• Know when to modify versus when to move on to different exercises

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Support the show

👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

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📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🏋️‍♀️ Download Boostcamp for free and access 70+ evidence-based workout programs

🩷 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review or share on social and tag @witsandweights

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What if the key to maximizing your strength and muscle is based on how you vote?

No, not for president or your local politicians, but between two important choices:

Volume vs. Intensity

Let's settle the long-standing debate: do you cast your “vote” for volume—stacking up work (reps, sets, tonnage, and skill development) to build a solid foundation?

Or do you go all-in on intensity, focusing on heavy, high-effort lifts to push the envelope and increase your max force production?

Main Takeaways:

• Volume and intensity are often seen as rivals in strength training
• A periodized approach lets you get the best of both worlds
• The importance of “building a base” before pushing intensity
• How to adapt volume and intensity for sustainable, long-term gains

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Support the show

👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🏋️‍♀️ Download Boostcamp for free and access 70+ evidence-based workout programs

🩷 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review or share on social and tag @witsandweights

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Are you curious about blood flow restriction (BFR) training but unsure how to get results? Or have you tried it and felt it fell short of expectations?

Philip (@witsandweights) dives into a complete, practical guide to incorporating BFR training for maximum muscle growth. He breaks down the science and technique behind BFR, sharing tips on equipment selection, limb placement, and programming that ensure your BFR efforts pay off. Plus, he has a free, downloadable guide on BFR training with protocols, exercise examples, and templates you can start using today.

💪 Download your free Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training guide or go to witsandweights.com/free

Today, you’ll learn all about:

2:59 What is BFR training?
6:40 Equipment and cuff setup for safe, effective BFR training
11:58 Key mistakes to avoid and recommended rep protocol
16:45 Integrating BFR as a supplement to heavy lifting
20:45 Recovery benefits and advanced applications for BFR
23:27 Outro

Episode resources:

• Download your free Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training guide or go to witsandweights.com/free

Related episode:

• How Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Builds More Muscle Using Less Weight (Nick Colosi)

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Support the show

👩‍💻 Book a FREE 15-Minute Rapid Nutrition Assessment

🎓 Join Wits & Weights Physique University

👥 Join our Facebook community for live Q&As & support

✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies and bonus content!

📱 Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!

🏋️‍♀️ Download Boostcamp for free and access 70+ evidence-based workout programs

🩷 Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review or share on social and tag @witsandweights

📞 Send a Q&A voicemail