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J3 University is an online education and coaching service made for bodybuilding and physique enhancement. Our podcast interviews experts in the field of research and coaching to bridge the gap between science and in the trench experience. Come and empower yourself to a higher level of physique development.
Episodes
16 hours ago
16 hours ago
Most lifters “maintain” after a bulk—and accidentally lose more progress than they realize.
In this episode, we break down what actually determines whether you keep muscle after a growth phase: training stimulus + recovery, not a magic maintenance block. We walk you through the assessment we use before the push ends, when to go straight into a fat loss phase, and when a brief hold is smarter.
If you want to stay time-efficient and keep stacking productive phases year after year, this is the framework. If you want more episodes like this — where we translate research into practical coaching decisions — subscribe and follow along each week.
4 days ago
4 days ago
If your week-to-week visuals suddenly tank, you’re not “still growing”—you’re stacking dieting debt.
In this episode, we break down the earliest signs your growth phase has stopped being productive—especially the visual shift that tells you fat gain is outpacing muscle. We also cover how prep timelines get ruined, which health/sleep markers matter most, and why “holding” (maintenance) is often the smarter move before the next push.
If you want an offseason you can actually cash in on, this is the decision process. If you want more episodes like this — where we translate research into practical coaching decisions — subscribe and follow along each week.
Sunday Feb 01, 2026
Sunday Jan 25, 2026
Sunday Jan 25, 2026
If you could only pick one exercise per muscle group to maximize hypertrophy, what would you choose—and which “go-to” movements are actually overrated? In this episode of the J3 University Podcast, John Jewett and co-host Luke Miller continue the series (following last week’s upper-body breakdown) by covering lower body and arm training through a practical lens: biomechanics, repeatability, and long-term sustainability.
They move from spinal erectors through glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, biceps, and triceps—explaining why certain patterns are easier to progress, which setups hold up best over time, and where popular choices (like rack pulls, walking lunges, seated calf raises, and more) often fall short depending on the individual. The core message stays consistent: there’s no universal “best” exercise—only the best option for your structure, goal, and ability to execute it consistently.
🎟️ Save 20% on ANY J3U Program with code J3UPOD
👉 https://j3u.site
All J3U Programs
🏋️♀️ Hourglass (Female): https://j3u.site/hourglass
💪 X-Frame (Male & Female): https://j3u.site/xframe
🏆 Olympia Prep: https://j3u.site/olympia
🎓 Courses
Level 1 — Foundations of Evidence-Based Bodybuilding → https://j3u.site/level1
Applied Hypertrophy Optimization → https://j3u.site/aho
Female Physique Module → https://j3u.site/female
🏋️ Get Coaching From J3U
https://j3u.site/coaching
💪 Join the Community
📩 Weekly education emails → https://j3u.site/newsletter
🧠 Coaching forums → https://j3u.site/forum
Sunday Jan 18, 2026
Sunday Jan 18, 2026
What’s the single best exercise for building muscle in each upper-body muscle group—and which popular movements are actually overrated? In this episode of the J3 University Podcast, John Jewett and co-host Luke Miller break down their top upper-body exercise picks using a clear, systems-based framework focused on stimulus quality, repeatability, and long-term sustainability.
They walk through what truly defines a “great” exercise, then apply that lens to chest, delts, upper back, and lats—highlighting where machines outperform free weights, why certain classics fall short for hypertrophy, and how individual structure and longevity should guide exercise selection. This is a practical, coach-to-coach discussion designed to help athletes and coaches make smarter programming decisions that hold up over time.
🎟️ Save 20% on ANY J3U Program with code J3UPOD
👉 https://j3u.site
All J3U Programs
🏋️♀️ Hourglass (Female): https://j3u.site/hourglass
💪 X-Frame (Male & Female): https://j3u.site/xframe
🏆 Olympia Prep: https://j3u.site/olympia
🎓 Courses
Level 1 — Foundations of Evidence-Based Bodybuilding → https://j3u.site/level1
Applied Hypertrophy Optimization → https://j3u.site/aho
Female Physique Module → https://j3u.site/female
🏋️ Get Coaching From J3U
https://j3u.site/coaching
💪 Join the Community
📩 Weekly education emails → https://j3u.site/newsletter
🧠 Coaching forums → https://j3u.site/forum
Sunday Jan 11, 2026
Sunday Jan 11, 2026
Most fat loss advice is either overrated or misunderstood—and it can cost you weeks in a dieting phase or contest prep. In this episode, Luke and I break down common “fat loss hacks” and explain what actually moves the needle: adherence, a controlled deficit, protecting training performance, and managing fatigue. We also cover why fasted cardio and intermittent fasting aren’t magic, how to think about carbs and intra-workout nutrition, cardio modality selection, protein targets, and the fundamentals that consistently produce the best results.
Tune in every week for new episodes from the J3 University Podcast.
J3U Resources
🎟️ Save 20% on ANY J3U Program with code J3UPOD
👉 https://j3u.site
Programs
🏋️♀️ Hourglass (Female) → https://j3u.site/hourglass
💪 X-Frame (Male & Female) → https://j3u.site/xframe
🏆 Olympia Prep → https://j3u.site/olympia
Courses
Level 1 — Foundations of Evidence-Based Bodybuilding → https://j3u.site/level1
Applied Hypertrophy Optimization → https://j3u.site/aho
Female Physique Module → https://j3u.site/female
Coaching
Get coaching from the J3U team → https://j3u.site/coaching
Community
📩 Weekly education emails → https://j3u.site/newsletter
🧠 Coaching forums → https://j3u.site/forum
Sunday Jan 04, 2026
Sunday Jan 04, 2026
Most amateurs train hard, eat well, and still never reach IFBB Pro status. In this episode, Luke and I break down the real reasons talented bodybuilders stall at the amateur level. We cover controlled aggression, training skill, lifestyle constraints, offseason comfort, and why long-term consistency—not short bursts of effort—is what actually drives elite-level progress.
🎟️ Save 20% on ANY J3U Program with code J3UPOD
All J3U Programs
🏋️♀️ Hourglass (Female): https://j3u.site/hourglass
💪 X-Frame (Male & Female): https://j3u.site/xframe
🏆 Olympia Prep: https://j3u.site/olympia
🎓 Courses
Level 1 — Foundations of Evidence-Based Bodybuilding → https://j3u.site/level1
Applied Hypertrophy Optimization → https://j3u.site/aho
Female Physique Module → https://j3u.site/female
🏋️ Get Coaching From J3U
💪 Join the Community
📩 Weekly education emails → https://j3u.site/newsletter
🧠 Coaching forums → https://j3u.site/forum
Sunday Dec 28, 2025
Sunday Dec 28, 2025
You can train hard, eat perfectly, and still feel run down… if your sleep is off.
In this episode, Luke and I break down why sleep becomes such a common bottleneck for bodybuilders, what’s actually causing it (environment, stress load, stimulants, PED-related sympathetic drive, and sleep apnea), and what you can change tonight to improve sleep quality and recovery.
We also cover what to track so you actually know whether sleep is improving, why wearables can be misleading, and the practical “non-flashy” fixes that move the needle the fastest.
If your energy is flat, your training performance is slipping, or your physique isn’t responding the way it should… start here.
Sunday Dec 21, 2025
Sunday Dec 21, 2025
Progress isn’t built during perfect weeks, it’s built during the chaotic ones.
In this episode, John and Luke walk through how to navigate holidays, travel, family events, and busy seasons without letting weeks of progress slip away. Instead of pretending life won’t get messy, they show you how to build a process that still holds when it does.
They discuss:
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Why different athletes tolerate “off-plan” time very differently
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The danger of comparing your flexibility to someone else’s genetics or lifestyle
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How to plan around holidays so you can enjoy family time and stay aligned with your goals
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Practical strategies for flying, changing time zones, and long travel days
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Backup food options, weighing in, and tracking steps so you can make informed adjustments
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How to modify training on the road, when to skip the travel-day session, and when to pivot to different splits
If holidays and travel have been the recurring hole in your offseason or lifestyle phase, this episode will help you create standards and systems that survive real life.
Tune in every week for new episodes of the J3 University Podcast.
J3U Resources
🎟️ Save 20% on ANY J3U Program with code J3UPOD
👉 https://j3u.site
Programs
🏋️♀️ Hourglass (Female) → https://j3u.site/hourglass
💪 X-Frame (Male & Female) → https://j3u.site/xframe
🏆 Olympia Prep → https://j3u.site/olympia
Courses
Level 1 — Foundations of Evidence-Based Bodybuilding → https://j3u.site/level1
Applied Hypertrophy Optimization → https://j3u.site/aho
Female Physique Module → https://j3u.site/female
Coaching
Get coaching from the J3U team → https://j3u.site/coaching
Community
📩 Weekly education emails → https://j3u.site/newsletter
🧠 Coaching forums → https://j3u.site/forum
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Most bulks fail long before training does.
In this episode, John and Luke break down why so many lifters either push body fat far too high or stay so lean they stall progress completely. The goal is finding the middle ground that actually builds muscle without losing control.
They walk through the common mistakes made during massing phases, how to set a productive rate of gain, and what the post-show phase should look like if you want 20–24 weeks of real progress.
They also dig into the lifestyle factors that quietly determine whether your surplus is productive at all — digestion, sleep, stress load, cardio, food accuracy, and training performance.
If you want a clearer framework for running a lean, efficient offseason, this episode will help you rethink how you grow.
Tune in every week for new episodes from the J3 University Podcast.
J3U Resources
🎟️ Save 20% on ANY J3U Program with code J3UPOD
👉 https://j3u.site
Programs
🏋️♀️ Hourglass (Female) → https://j3u.site/hourglass
💪 X-Frame (Male & Female) → https://j3u.site/xframe
🏆 Olympia Prep → https://j3u.site/olympia
Courses
Level 1 — Foundations of Evidence-Based Bodybuilding → https://j3u.site/level1
Applied Hypertrophy Optimization → https://j3u.site/aho
Female Physique Module → https://j3u.site/female
Coaching
Get coaching from the J3U team → https://j3u.site/coaching
Community
📩 Weekly education emails → https://j3u.site/newsletter
🧠 Coaching forums → https://j3u.site/forum