Programme · Intermediate · 5 days a week
nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day
nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day is a common intermediate strength programme. The four-day template plus a dedicated overhead press 5/3/1 day. VALDA has it in its programme library: start it and VALDA sets up the sessions and starting weights, then works out each session's weights from your estimated maxes, which rise as you log heavier sets.
Free to start, 1 programme at a time. Already have the app? Open in VALDA takes you straight to it. In the app it's listed as “nSuns 5/3/1 (5-Day)”.
Is nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day for you?
Lifters who have run the four-day happily for a couple of months, are recovering well, and want the extra pressing frequency — or who have a specific overhead press weakness. Requires five training days a week and honest recovery capacity; the weekly progression catches up quickly.
At a glance
- Level
- Intermediate
- Goal
- Strength
- Time
- 5 days a week, ~75–90 min a session
The five-day nSuns is the four-day with the overhead press promoted to a primary lift on its own day, paired with incline bench. That single addition is the whole difference: press goes from a secondary on the bench volume day to a full nine-set 5/3/1 wave of its own.
5 sessions, rotated
| Tier | Bench Volume / Overhead Press | Squat 5/3/1 / Sumo Deadlift | Overhead Press 5/3/1 / Incline Bench | Deadlift 5/3/1 / Front Squat | Bench 5/3/1 / Close-Grip Bench |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Bench Press8/6/4/4/4/5/6/7/8+ | Squat5/3/1+/3/3/3/5/5/5+ | Overhead Press5/3/1+/3/3/3/5/5/5+ | Deadlift5/3/1+/3/3/3/3/3/3+ | Bench Press5/3/1+/3/5/3/5/3/5+ |
| Tier 2 | Overhead Press6/5/3/5/7/4/6/8 | Sumo Deadlift5/5/3/5/7/4/6/8 | Incline Barbell Bench Press6/5/3/5/7/4/6/8 | Front Squat5/5/3/5/7/4/6/8 | Close-Grip Bench Press6/5/3/5/7/4/6/8 |
Days one, two, four and five are the four-day template unchanged — bench volume with overhead press, squat with sumo deadlift, deadlift with front squat, heavy bench with close-grip bench. Day three inserts overhead press as a primary running the same 5/3/1 wave as squat (5 at 75%, 3 at 85%, 1+ at 95%, then 3/3/3/5/5/5+ back-offs), with incline bench as its secondary.
How the weights move
Identical to the four-day: the 1+ set at 95% of training max sets that lift's bump for next week — 0-1 no change, 2-3 +2.5 kg, 4-5 +2.5-5 kg, 6+ +5-7.5 kg. The press now earns its bump off its own AMRAP rather than riding along as a secondary. As on the four-day, you enter the new training max yourself under Training Maxes on the programme page; VALDA does not pick your step. No scheduled deload; cut the training max on any lift whose 1+ set fails two weeks running.
nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day, with the maths done
- Sessions set up from the programme, ready to log
- Starting weights worked out from the programme's own rules and your estimated maxes, with a default where VALDA has no history yet. You can change any of them
- Each session's weights worked out from your estimated maxes, which rise as you log heavier sets
- Log sets from your phone, Apple Watch or Wear OS watch
nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day questions
Who is nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day for?
Lifters who have run the four-day happily for a couple of months, are recovering well, and want the extra pressing frequency — or who have a specific overhead press weakness. Requires five training days a week and honest recovery capacity; the weekly progression catches up quickly.
How many days a week is nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day?
As VALDA runs it: 5 days a week, ~75–90 min a session.
How does progression work on nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day?
Identical to the four-day: the 1+ set at 95% of training max sets that lift's bump for next week — 0-1 no change, 2-3 +2.5 kg, 4-5 +2.5-5 kg, 6+ +5-7.5 kg. The press now earns its bump off its own AMRAP rather than riding along as a secondary. As on the four-day, you enter the new training max yourself under Training Maxes on the programme page; VALDA does not pick your step. No scheduled deload; cut the training max on any lift whose 1+ set fails two weeks running.
Can I run nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day in VALDA?
Yes. It's in VALDA's programme library: start it and VALDA sets up the sessions and starting weights, then works out each session's weights from your estimated maxes, which rise as you log heavier sets. You can start it on the free plan, 1 programme at a time. Automatic progression: Free: 6 sessions · Pro: unlimited.
Is VALDA affiliated with u/nSuns (r/nSuns)?
No. VALDA is not affiliated with or endorsed by u/nSuns (r/nSuns). This page describes the programme as VALDA runs it.
Where nSuns 5/3/1 5-Day comes from
The five-day expansion shipped in /u/nSuns' original spreadsheet bundle alongside the four- and six-day templates. VALDA reproduces the set and percentage tables and the AMRAP-driven training-max progression for use inside the app, but does not claim authorship of the method.
VALDA is not affiliated with or endorsed by u/nSuns (r/nSuns). The programme belongs to its author; this page describes it as VALDA runs it.
This page describes a common training programme for information. It isn't a personal prescription.