A beginner using 5/3/1 CNS

[landonb82]

I have lifted for a while but never ate enough, took a short break and now i'm back at it. I was previously using a Chest Back Legs Shoulder Arms 5 day split for just two weeks that I just picked up from lifting with my friend, and before that, which would be a while ago, I used ws4sb 3. The link to that log is in my signature. So I'm still tiny but my form on the 4 big lifts is solid. I made a previous thread asking if what I was doing optimal and one the programs recommended was 5/3/1 CNS so I chose that one.

The 90% weight of my real maxes i'm going to start out with are

Bench 110 lbs
OHP 85 lbs
Squat 175 lbs.
Deadlift 165 lbs.

The only thing I am undecided on is accessories. I am wondering if I would be better served working all upper body both days instead of just working chest on bench days like 5/3/1 CNS says to do. I enjoy hitting a certain muscle one day better than full body or upper lower splits, but i'm willing to do whatever will get me the best results. Looking for your guys knowledge and opinions.

I am going to workout 5x a week probably, I might try 6 if i'm feeling good. I benched yesterday (not the 5/3/1 way) so I'm going to start on deadlifts or squats today. And then I can end this week with a 5/3/1 style bench session. I'm not going to set any goals because I tend to rush myself when I do that and I understand getting strong takes patience. I'm just going to focus on getting five pounds stronger every 2-3 week cycle. I'll update with my workout later today! If you guys have any advice please let me know.

[landonb82]

First workout was good! Very similar to what I was doing except deadlifts were added and there was no lat pull downs machine rows or rear delt flys. I also subbed db rows for bent over bb rows

11-24-15
Deadlift 115 x5 135x5 145x12
Chin-ups 4x4
1 arm db rows 45 lbs. 3x10 cheated last 2 with left arm
Cable rows 70 lbs. 3x10
Barbell curls 3x8
Hammer curls 20 lb. dbs. 3x5-6 (there were no 15s)

Solid workout. Wondering if adding a couple more accessories would help my back grow or actually hinder progress.? I can see not overdoing chest accessories because you need to recover and bench more next week but for upper back wouldn't I be better off getting a full pump? Or would that be too much volume?

[landonb82]

11-25-15
Press 45 x5 55x5 65x8 ????? Thought I would get atleast 12 but I did do the first two sets one after another with no rest which taxed me a little
Paused bench press 65 lbs. 3x10 chest was still sore and benching in two days, went light.
DB OHP 35 lbs. e/a 4,6,4 usually do as first exercise but was too tired to handle that weight for 8 reps. will go lower next time
DB lateral raises 10 lbs. e/a 3x12
Shrugs 40 lbs. e/a 3x10
Face Pulls 60 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

11-26-15
Squat
45 x5
115 x5
130 x5
155 x10

SLDL 135 lbs. 3x8

Skipped ATG high bar squat cause my regular squats are high bar and I felt sick.
Calf Raises
Leg Curls
Leg Extensions

Good workout. Low on protein so far all i've had is turkey and milk really. Cooking some eggs rn but now sure how i'm gonna hit 130-140 grams today.

[landonb82]

Missed last two days due to life getting in the way. Wasn't gonna miss 3 days in a row and needed to get my first 5/3/1 style bench session in so i could move to week 2 but my parents are mormon and they won't let me exercise on sundays so i faked sick for church snuck out of my house with my church clothes lifted, changed back into my church clothes at the gym and showed up at church for the end because my mom always goes home 1 hour early and goes back and she would have seen my empty bed and if she called me i could have said i felt better and went to church it was a hard workout to get in but I found a way and I was crafty AF lol.

11-29-15
Gym was crowded af so some of the accessories I just couldn't do I was waiting too long for an incline bench so I just subbed for other exercises.

Bench
45 x5
65x5
85x5
95x10

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Pec Fly Machine 3x12 70 lbs.

Machine Chest Press 2x10

Dips 6,5

Tricep Pushdowns 3x10 70 lbs.

[landonb82]

11-30-15
Deadlift 115 x5 135x5 150 x12
Chin ups 5,4,3,2
1 arm db row (more ROM than last week) 45 lbs. 3x8
Cable Rows 70 lbs. 3x10
Barbell curls 3x10

Done.

[landonb82]

Press
55 x3
60 x3
70 x7

Paused Bench Press 75 lbs. 3x10

DB OHP
35 lbs x6
30 lbs. 2x8

Face Pulls 60 lbs. 1x15
70 lbs. 2x10

Lateral Raises 10 lbs. 3x15

Shrugs 40 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-2-15

Squats
45 x5
120x3
140 x3
160 x8

Goblet Squats 65 lbs. 3x8

SLDL 135 3x8 can go higher next workout

Calf raises on leg press machine 2 plates each side, 3x15

Leg extension 85 lbs. 3x10

Leg curls 85 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-3-15

Bench 45x5 75 x3 85 x3 100 x10

incline db bench 35 lbs. e/a 10,10,8

Pec Fly machine 90 lbs. 3x10

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Rope Tricep extensions 1x10 @ 60 2x10 @ 70lbs.

Machine Chest Press 40 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-4-15

Deadlift 125 x3 150 x3 165 x12

Pull-ups Last week was burnt af from pushing to the max for weeks on end and actually got weaker so this week got more sets in with different types of grips without pushing it to the max to where i'm struggling and burning out.

3 Neutral
2 Overhand
3 Chinups
3 Neutral
2 Overhand
3 Chinups

1 arm db row 45 lbs. 3x8

Cable Rows 70 lbs. 3x10

"21s" with barbell curls 3 sets

DB hammer curls

[landonb82]

12-6-15

Had to sneak to the gym again. This day was much easier though.

Press
45 x5
55x5
65 x5
70 x9
90 % sure i got nine, mightve been 8, not bothered by the 1-2 rep improvement because I had much more warm up sets that taxed me this workout than last workout.

Paused BP 85 lbs. 3x6

DB OHP 30 lbs. 3x8

Lateral raises 10 lbs. 3x15

Face Pulls 60 lbs. 3x10

DB Shrugs 40 lbs. 3x10

Solid workout.

[landonb82]

12-7-15

Squat 45 x5 130 x5 150 x3 165 x6

Goblet Squat 65 lbs. 3x8

SLDL 135 lbs. 3x10

Leg Extensions 70 lbs. 3x10

Leg Curls 85 lbs.

Seated Calf raise 135 lbs. 4x10

[landonb82]

12-8-15

Bench
45x5
85x5
95x3
105x7

Incline do bench 35 lbs. 3x8

Machine pec fly 80 lbs. 3x10

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Tricep pushdown 70 1x10 80 3x10

Machine Chest Press 50 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-10-15
Felt sick today, went (kind of) light

Deadlift
115 x5
135 x5
150 x12

Chins 2x3
Oh pull-ups 2x2
Neutral grip 2x3
Superset of all 3

1 arm db row 45 lbs. 3x8

Cable rows 60 lbs. 3x10

Barbell curls empty bar 3x8

Db hammer curls 2x10

[landonb82]

12-11-15

Press
45 x6
60 x5
65 x10

DB OH Press 30 lbs. 3x8

Paused BP 65 lbs. 3x10 little rest, will go higher next workout

DB Lateral Raises 10 lbs. 3x15 little rest, will go higher next workout

DB Shrugs 45 lbs. 3x10

Face Pulls 60 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-12-15

Squats
45 x5
120 x5
140 x5
155 x12

Goblet Squat 70 lbs. 2x8

SLDL 135 lbs. 3x10 little rest, will go higher

Leg Extension 85 lbs. 3x10

Leg Curl 85 lbs. 2x10

Calf Raises 135 lbs. 3x10

Making solid progress really happy.

[landonb82]

Bench
45 x5
75x5
85 x5
100 x12

Incline DB bench 35 lbs. 3x8

Pec fly machine 85 lbs. 3x10

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Tricep pushdowns 80 lbs. 2x15 70 lbs 1x10

Chest Press Machine 3x10

[landonb82]

12-15-15
Deadlift
120 lbs. x3
140 x3
160 x12

Pull-ups
Chin-ups
Neutral Grip
Superset 2x3 each

1 arm db row 45 lbs. 3x10

Cable rows 80 lbs. 3x10

Barbell curls empty bar 3x8

DB Hammer curls 3x10

[landonb82]

12-16-15

Press
45x3
55 x3
65x3
70 x8 ??????

Paused bench press 75 lbs. 3x10

DB OH press 30 lbs. 3x6

Lateral raises 15 lbs. 3x8

Face pulls

DB shrugs 45 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-18-15

Bench

45 x5
80 x3
90x3
105 x8

Incline DB bench 35 lbs 3x10

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Pec fly machine 85 lbs. 3x12

Tricep Pushdowns 80 lbs. 3x15

Machine Chest Press 60 lbs. 2x10

[landonb82]

12-19-15

Deadlift
135 x5
150 x3
165 x12

Pull-ups
OH
Chins
Neutral
Superset 2x3

1 arm db row 50 lbs. 3x8

Barbell curls empty bar 3x8 Strict

Cable rows 80 lbs. 3x8

Hammer curls 15 lbs. e/a 3x12

[landonb82]

12-21-15
Press
55x5
70x3
75x6

Paused bench 85 lbs. 3x10

Db OH press 2x8 or10 30 lbs.

Lateral raises 15 lbs. 3x8

Face pulls

Shrugs 40 lbs. 2x10

[landonb82]

12-22-15
Squat
45x5
140 x5
155 x3
175 x6

Goblet Squat 70 lbs. 2x10

Sldl 145 lbs. 3x8

Calf Raises machine with 35 lb. plate 3x12

Leg extensions 80 lbs. 2x15

Prone leg curls 85 lbs. 2x10

[landonb82]

12-23-15

Bench
85x5
95x3
110x8

Incline DB bench 35 lbs.3x8

Pec fly machine 85 lbs. 3x12

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Tricep Pushdowns w/different bar 70 lbs. 2x15, 1x8

Chest Press Machine 60 lbs. 2x10

[landonb82]

12-24-15

Deadlift
115 x5
135 x5
160 x15

Pull-ups Chins superset

1 arm DB row 50 lbs. 3x8

Cable rows 80 lbs. 10,8,8

Barbell curls empty bar 3x8

Hammer curls 15s 2x10

[landonb82]

12-26-15

Press
55x5
65x5
70x8

Paused bp 85 lbs. 3x8

DB OHP 30 lbs. 3x10

Lateral Raises 15 lbs. 3x8

Face Pulls 70 lbs. 3x12

Shrugs 45 lbs. 3x10

[landonb82]

12-28-15

Squat
45 x5
125 x5
145 x5
165 x8

Goblet Squat 70 lbs. 2x10

SLDL 145 3x8 Struggle, gonna go lighter on this exercise

Leg Extensions 85 lbs. 3x10

Leg Curls 85 lbs. 2x8

Seated Calf Raises 2 35 lb. Plates 3x8

[landonb82]

Making some decent gains so far. Friends all say I look bigger. Start at 138 and weighed in today at 148. Upping Cals. from 3,000 to 3,300 as weight gain has stalled this past week.

Current Meal Plan:
Smoothie Containing 1 banana 1 serving strawberries 1 scoop protein powder 2 cups milk 2 tbsp pb

Total: 45 G Protein 600 cals.

Lunch
Peanut Butter and Nutella Sandwich with 1 cup milk and 1 serving carrots

20 G Protein 700 cals. I DONT COUNT VEGETABLE CALORIES

2nd Lunch
1/2 Cup Rice w/3 chicken tenders and barbecue sauce and a cup of milk
A bowl of Corn and Peas

30 G Protein 600 cals.

Dinner: Whatever my mom makes.. if she doesn't make anything I will just eat whatever.. sometime I will get fast food sometimes I will make a protein shake or find something else. Usually make this a bigger meal. I just gauge off this at the end of the day and make sure I get 3,300 I make sure I get my 3rd vegetable here

5th Meal: 1 Cup Oatmeal with strawberry jam and 4 eggs Total: 700 cals. 40 G Protein

Totals Each Day 3,300 Cals. At least 145 G Protein usually go over.

5-6 Servings of fruits and veggies.

On another note currently reading 4 hour workweek by tim ferris. Very interesting book. Makes me want to start up a website.

[landonb82]

12-29-15

Bench 45 x5 85 x5 90 x5 100x12

Incline DB bench 40 lb. dbs 3x6

Pec Fly Machine 85 lbs. 3x10

CGBP 65 lbs. 3x10

Tricep Pushdowns 80 lbs. 3x15 last 5 were a struggle

Chest Press Machine 60 lbs. 1x10 50 lbs. 1x10

[landonb82]

12-30-15
Just realized at 1 am that I was supposed to be on the beginning of week 2 instead of week 1 so I did the same weight for deadlift in my workout today that pisses me off.

Deadlift
135 x5
145 x5
160x10

Pull-ups with different grips a lot of sets

1 arm db row 55 lbs. 3x6

Cable rows 80 lbs. 4x8

Barbell curls 3x8