nSuns without the spreadsheet or the math.

Where nSuns comes from

The program is named after its author, Reddit user n-Suns, who posted it in 2017 as a high-volume take on Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. It keeps the working max and the percentages, but swaps the slow monthly cycle for weekly progress and adds a lot more volume. It spread through r/Fitness and r/nSuns as a spreadsheet, and most people still run it that way.

As in 5/3/1, every weight comes from your working max, which sits below your true max. That buffer is what lets you handle all the volume and still hit the heavy set at 95%.

How a session is built

Each main lift gets nine working sets. The first three climb, and the third one is the 1+ set at 95% of your working max. The next five work back down for volume. On the last one, you do as many reps as you can.

Set	% of working max	Reps
1	75%	5
2	85%	3
3	95%	1+
4	90%	3
5	85%	3
6	80%	3
7	75%	5
8	70%	5
9	65%	5+

The original spreadsheet tweaks these sets a little from day to day and adds a second lift, the T2, with eight more sets. Strenos uses this one ladder for every main lift and leaves the rest of the session to your assistance work.

How the working max moves

This is what sets nSuns apart. Your working max can change every week, and the 1+ set decides by how much.

The original spreadsheet goes by rep brackets. Get 0–1 reps and nothing is added, 2–3 reps adds about 5 lb, 4–5 reps adds 5–10 lb, and anything more adds 10–15 lb.

Strenos is stricter. It uses the Epley formula to work out what max your 1+ set proves, then compares that with the max your working max came from. Below 95% of it, your working max drops 10%, because the set just showed the old max was too high. Between 95% and 100%, it holds. Above 100%, your new working max becomes 90% of the max you just proved.

So on a fresh working max, a couple of reps on the 1+ set roll it back instead of adding weight. To raise it, you need quite a few more. The calculator above shows the exact rep counts for your numbers.

When you stall

On nSuns, a stall usually means your 1+ set has been stuck at the same reps for two or three weeks, or you keep getting reset. Before you switch programs, check three things: sleep, food and how much assistance you've piled on.

If the lift still won't budge, take the 10% reset and build back up. Most lifters end up with a better 1+ set than before. If one lift keeps stalling while the others go up, a three-week block for that lift, like Smolov Jr, is a common fix.

Common mistakes

Grinding out the 1+ set. Every grinder pushes next week's weight up faster than your strength is actually going up.

Tacking a full bodybuilding session on top. Nine heavy sets already make for a long day.

Copying the spreadsheet by hand. One wrong cell and you're training 15 lb too heavy for weeks. Let the calculator or the app do the math.

Skipping warm-up sets. Three warm-up sets before your first working set take five minutes and keep the 1+ set honest.

nSuns, 5/3/1 or GZCLP?

5/3/1 moves once a month. It's for lifters who want slow, steady progress and short sessions. nSuns moves every week and asks for far more volume. GZCLP adds weight every session and has a clear plan for missed reps, which makes it the easier next step after a beginner program.

Can't decide between four days and five? Read nSuns 4-day vs 5-day.