nSuns 4-Day Calculator
High Volume Powerlifting Program
Enter your training maxes for squat, bench, deadlift, and OHP — get every set, rep, and weight for the full 4-day nSuns program.
Enter Training Maxes (TM)
nSuns uses the same TM concept as 5/3/1 — set it at 90% of your true 1RM, or be conservative if you're new to high-volume training.
What Is nSuns?
nSuns is a high-volume powerlifting program originally posted to Reddit's r/nsuns community (hence the name). It derives its structure from 5/3/1 but dramatically increases training volume — where 5/3/1 has 3 working sets per main lift, nSuns has 8–9 sets including multiple AMRAP opportunities.
The program is designed for intermediate-to-advanced lifters who have stalled on lower-volume programs and need more stimulus for continued progress. It's effective but demanding — recovery is a real constraint, and lifters who underestimate it often burn out within 4–6 weeks.
The 4-Day Split
The 4-day variant runs:
| Day | Main Lift | Secondary Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Bench Press (5/3/1) | OHP (supplemental) |
| Day 2 | Squat (5/3/1) | Sumo Deadlift (supplemental) |
| Day 3 | OHP (5/3/1) | Bench Press (supplemental) |
| Day 4 | Deadlift (5/3/1) | Squat (supplemental) |
nSuns Set Structure
Each main lift follows this set scheme (using Bench as example with a 185 lb TM):
| Set | % | Reps | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65% | 5 | Warm-up work |
| 2 | 75% | 3 | Warm-up work |
| 3 | 85% | 1 | Warm-up work |
| 4 | 90% or 95% | 3+/1+ | Top AMRAP set |
| 5 | 85% | 3 | Back-off |
| 6 | 80% | 3 | Back-off |
| 7 | 75% | 5 | Back-off |
| 8 | 70% | 5 | Back-off |
| 9 | 65% | 5+ | Final AMRAP |
TM Progression in nSuns
Unlike 5/3/1's 4-week cycle, nSuns advances the TM every week based on your AMRAP performance:
- If you hit the minimum reps on the top AMRAP set, add the standard increment (5 lb upper / 10 lb lower)
- If you significantly exceed minimum reps (e.g., 8+ on a 3+ set), you can add more
- If you miss minimum reps, keep the same TM for another week
Standard weekly TM increments:
- Bench Press: +5 lb / 2.5 kg per week
- Overhead Press: +5 lb / 2.5 kg per week
- Squat: +10 lb / 5 kg per week
- Deadlift: +10 lb / 5 kg per week
Is nSuns Right for You?
nSuns suits lifters who:
- Have run a beginner program (SL5×5, SS) to completion and need more volume to keep progressing
- Can train 4 days per week consistently
- Sleep 7–9 hours and eat maintenance or above
- Have solid form on all four main lifts
nSuns is not suitable for:
- Beginners — use Stronglifts 5×5 first
- Lifters who can only train 2–3 days per week
- Anyone in a significant caloric deficit
- Lifters with poor recovery (chronic sleep deprivation, high-stress periods)
Common nSuns Mistakes
- Setting TM too high. The high volume means a 5% TM overestimate causes much bigger problems than in 5/3/1. Start conservative.
- Skipping assistance work. Back work and core are essential — the program creates significant anterior loading imbalance without it.
- Not tracking AMRAP reps. Your AMRAP performance drives your progression rate. Logging it accurately is non-negotiable.
- Running nSuns in a large deficit. The volume is too high for effective recovery when calories are low. Either run a smaller deficit or choose a lower-volume program.