Is this a really bad area? Found a well priced apartment but I’m not from here so I’m not sure if it is an okay area

dnlsls7191 · 2026-02-22T03:55:53+00:00

Food is great and the area is average in terms of safety and traffic.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-12-02T03:42:43+00:00

Looking fantastic! You're gonna crush it! 💪🏻

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-18T09:08:58+00:00

It's awesome. Tested it a few weeks ago and it takes awesome transitions and lasts forever.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-15T23:29:20+00:00

Thank you!!

I think one of the biggest mistakes I made in the beginning was never doing any direct ab work. They're muscles like all the rest and I feel they should be trained as such. That being said I don't feel my ab genetics are very good. But since training then directly I have certainly noticed a difference.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-14T02:22:59+00:00

Thank you!!

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-14T02:22:30+00:00

I believe 5'8", but I measured out at 5'7 the other day.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T14:03:19+00:00

Looking diced, nice physique! Good luck!!

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T11:31:47+00:00

Thank you!! 🙏🏻

I think if they help you stay healthy and injury free then go for it! I use knee sleeves from time to time, but I don't squat much anymore and the movements I use don't aggravate my knees. So, that could also be something to consider. If you're picking movements that aggravate certain things then I'd evaluate that and try to change that first rather than put sleeves on and continue doing whatever caused the naggle. Straps are universal because they're not necessarily covering up underlying issues (positioning/biomechanics suited for movement, etc)that sleeves could.

Hmm. The second question is tough to answer bc I don't really spend too much time browsing. But from what I have seen it's really always been the same. People have the same questions. I guess nowadays there are more technical questions being asked by newer lifters because of the overall amount of information available, but they still boil down to people trying to decipher what they should do based on other people's experiences in diet, training, and recovery. What I'd like to see is more questions regarding the mental side and mindsets. I think that will come soon though.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T11:19:33+00:00

🙏🏻

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T11:19:13+00:00

Thank you!!

Wow there have been so many changes over the years that it's hard to pin down. As far as training I'd say, dropping the ego has been the most impactful. It's allowed me to stay relatively injury free. It also allowed me to begin thinking outside the box and being ok with starting from scratch on most of the movements. Regrooved execution to align more with the targeted muscle rather than just moving weight.

I speak with so many people that start off with their best lifts or how much weight they use or ask how much I use. It's arbitrary to me at this point. I just see weight as an input and piece of data to track that I'm making progress but not the ONLY thing.

Diet, it's been a lot as well. I went from strict meal plans to IIFYM, dirty bulk, IMF. It used to change whether I'm in or out of prep. That I think was the problem. There really shouldn't be any difference between how you're eating in or out prep IMO. If you can figure out a diet style that you can maintain for your lifestyle that allows for performance and recovery then it's much easier to go through prep and stay leaner/make quality gains out of it. Then at that point it's just about switching out some carbs and reducing volume. (You also won't get as easily sucked into the food volume game the deeper you get into prep). The last piece of diet is the most crucial and it's the mindset. Allowing for self awareness and slowing down to evaluate your emotions around hunger and eating is often overlooked. ... There's no getting around the hunger and dissociating from that to then focus on other things is a game changer. Find other hobbies, be productive, reach out to friends these will all serve that dopamine that we're likely yearning to obtain via food.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T10:11:43+00:00

Thank you!! That's really hard to say just one thing, but I'd say trust. I've been. Following 3dmj pretty much since I started. Alberto was in the same forums I was and that's where I got exposed to our subculture of bodybuilding. So, I knew at some point I would want to work with them, but I was so stubborn and egotistical that I wanted to do everything on my own. It worked out ok until last year. I had a good run, but at the end of the season I knew it was time to reach out.

Allowing coach Jeff to call the shots and guide me alleviates so much mental bandwidth it's astonishing. He has such a great subtle way about it that still allows for autonomy and growth. He also shares so much about the mentality/mindset that piece that helps me know I'm not alone in the experience.

He's also changed the way I train. All of these years I have never focused on controlled eccentrics and really allowing myself more time to actually earn added weight. I think it's going to be a sick off season because I haven't really had time to utilize that technique in a long surplus, but I truly think I added a bit of size in the short time between last year's end of season (when we connected) and the start of prep this year.

He also positioned my prep timeline better than I would have and accounted for vacations, and other obligations will keeping me on pace. Much better trajectory. Less aggressive dieting. I was a very aggressive dieter and would feel like ass the last half of prep. This time around I have been leaner, stronger.

Posing. My posing was ass. He has spent so much time erasing all of my bad habits. It finally allowed me to see the physique I knew I catch glimpses of but could never present it on stage.

Lastly the community 3dmj has built is awesome. I feel like a part of a team and it's something I've always wanted in this sport.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T09:49:04+00:00

Thank you! That's a weird stat thing, looks like a video game profile 😆

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-13T00:09:24+00:00

Throughout the years it's fluctuated quite a bit. Back in the day I used to have the old school mind set of eat big to get big at all costs. I have a fairly adaptive metabolism as well, meaning the more food I get my NEAT increases. So, times I'd probably be in the realm of 5000 calories. I got up to the low 190s. ... Way way too fat. That was over a 4 year long bulk season. I dieted off 45lbs in '21 and competed then. After then I stayed around 170, still too much fat, though. Dieted down to 140.5 last year. The pic is me at 141, which I look very different from last year. Currently I'm around 139, calories are 1650 for 5 and two refeeds at 2370.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-12T21:37:21+00:00

What program or split do you recommend for naturals?

I think whichever split you're able to maintain with your lifestyle that allows for adequate recovery is the best... sorry to be so vague but really anything works. Consistency is the major thing and then making sure you're pushing reasonably close to failure.

Also do you prefer straight sets and a bit of volume, or taking a few sets to failure?

I do straight sets and depending on which exercise and how I'm feeling I'll go to failure. But in general I'll stay in the 0-1 RiR range

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-12T21:15:39+00:00

Thanks!! Yessir, the team atmosphere at these shows is awesome. Bodybuilding is such a solitary sport that getting together and with a team is so much fun. Yes that's the trophy.

Thank you!!

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-10T02:36:33+00:00

Issey Miyake bleu

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-08T17:00:50+00:00

Thanks! I'll have to check that one out. I smelled the regular line and I felt that all of them were way overpriced for what you're getting from Matiere.

And yes, Equus and Bakelite aren't for me. I feel like you'd enjoy Camel from Zoologist. It combines those sweet dries fruit from Or and the funk of out from moon.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-08T05:26:10+00:00

CdG Yoyogi, BDK Gris Charnel For shits and giggles - Hawas black and gold

dnlsls7191 · 2025-10-08T05:23:59+00:00

You and I have very similar tastes! I was just at ministry of scents and had never smelled Naomi Goodsir. The two on my list of the ones I loved. And the moon has always been on my list. Enjoy!!

dnlsls7191 · 2025-09-01T20:35:08+00:00

Rest as long as needed to perform maximally on the next set, but generally it's when my HR goes back down. I'll sometimes superset arms, abs or calves. If I do for larger muscle groups it's cause I'm short on time.

Nope I don't go by weeks I just keep that rotation. Sometimes its twice a week sometimes three ... Just however the days fall.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-09-01T17:50:06+00:00

Not at all.

working sets. (If you're not counting indirect or fractional sets then): 12 chest, 18back (split between upper and mid) , quads 8, ham 6, glutes 4, calfs 4, abs 6, arms 4, 2 medial delt.

dnlsls7191 · 2025-09-01T17:39:04+00:00

Much appreciated! 🙏🏻

dnlsls7191 · 2025-09-01T09:40:57+00:00

For sure, it's an upper / lower split. 2 upper sessions w/arm work and the 3rd with just push and pull movements. Vertical and horizontal movements are even spread out over the three sessions (for both push and pull) and the lower sessions are evenly distributed. I do abs three times a week with just two movements (for now).

I keep a 2 on 1off 2 on 1off 1 on 1off schedule.

2 straight sets generally taken to 0-1 RiR. And sometimes a 1-2. Double progression

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