- Level
- Intermediate
- Block lengths
- 8 or 12 weeks
- Training
- 4 or 5 days a week
- Session length
- 65 to 95 min
In short
nSuns is a high-volume take on 5/3/1 for intermediate lifters who can train 4 days a week. A session takes about 65 to 95 minutes, including warm-ups and accessories.
How the weeks change
The number of sets holds for seven weeks while the heaviest set climbs, then drops for the deload.
A typical week
Top-set days include a 1×2+ set, an AMRAP where you do as many reps as you can with good form.
Mon Bench Day, Top Set, Back-Off Volume + Close-Grip
- Competition Bench Press 3×5 · 58% · RPE 6
- Competition Bench Press 1×2+ · 85% · RPE 7
- Competition Bench Press 4×3 · 74% · RPE 6
- Close-Grip Bench Press 8×5 · 56% · RPE 6
+ 2 accessories
Tue Squat Day, Top Set, Back-Off Volume + Deficit Deadlift
- Competition Squat 3×5 · 58% · RPE 6
- Competition Squat 1×2+ · 85% · RPE 7
- Competition Squat 4×3 · 74% · RPE 6
- Deficit Deadlift 8×5 · 56% · RPE 6
+ 2 accessories
Thu Bench Volume Day, Pause Bench
- Pause Bench Press 8×5 · 59% · RPE 6
+ 3 accessories
Fri Deadlift Day, Top Set, Back-Off Volume + Front Squat
- Competition Deadlift 3×5 · 58% · RPE 6
- Competition Deadlift 1×2+ · 85% · RPE 7
- Competition Deadlift 4×3 · 74% · RPE 6
- Front Squat 8×5 · 51% · RPE 6
+ 2 accessories
Loads are a percentage of your starting max on that lift. A + after the reps marks an AMRAP set.
What you can expect
Expect long sessions from week one, with an eight-set ladder on each main lift. The first wave is for learning the day structure and the 1×2+ set. The heaviest sets arrive in the second wave, which peaks in week 7. The squat and deadlift days usually feel the hardest. Week 8 drops the volume sharply, so you start the next block fresh.
Best for
Intermediate lifters who know the main lifts, can train 4 days a week and recover well from high volume. Beginners and lifters short on time are better served elsewhere.
What to be careful about
- The 1×2+ set. This set tests the max you entered, so a grind on it means that number is too high.
- Recovery. Sleep and recovery decide how much of the 56 main-lift sets a week you can absorb. When sessions run long, trim accessories or shorten rest periods.
- A stuck AMRAP. If the 1×2+ set keeps stalling at one rep, lower the max you entered by about 10% and rebuild. Week 8 is a built-in deload, so the block ends on lighter work.