Titan
All programs
intermediate

nSuns 5-Day Linear Progression

u/nSuns' 5-day high-volume 5/3/1 linear progression: 9-set main lifts, 8-set secondary lifts, weekly TM increases

Start in Titan Get the app
program length
12 weeks
program length
sessions per week
5×
sessions per week
exercises
21
exercises
average session
100 min
average session

About this program

nSuns 5/3/1 LP is a high-volume, weekly-progressing take on Jim Wendler's 5/3/1, written by Reddit user u/nSuns and shared on r/Fitness in 2016 with an all-in-one spreadsheet of 4, 5 and 6-day versions. This is the 5-day version. It suits intermediate lifters who have outgrown a novice program and can recover from a lot of barbell volume.

Weekly structure. Every day pairs a main (T1) lift with a secondary (T2) lift. The T1 lift gets 9 sets: on Tuesday to Friday they ramp up to a 1+ set at 95% and then work back down to a final AMRAP set, while Monday's bench is a volume day of 9 sets topping out at 3x4 at 85% and finishing with an 8+ set. The T2 lift gets 8 sets, ramping to a working weight that is held while the reps vary.

  • Monday: bench (volume day) and overhead press
  • Tuesday: squat and sumo deadlift
  • Wednesday: overhead press and incline bench
  • Thursday: deadlift and front squat
  • Friday: bench and close-grip bench

Training max. Every percentage is of a training max (TM) set at 90% of your true one-rep max. In Titan, enter a TM for each barbell lift. The second lift of each day is loaded off a main lift's TM, so give it the same TM as the lift named in its notes: incline and close-grip bench use your bench TM, sumo deadlift uses your deadlift TM, front squat uses your squat TM.

Progression. The 1+ set at 95% is the one that drives progress. After the week, raise that lift's TM based on how many reps you got on it:

  • 0-1 reps: no change
  • 2-3 reps: +5 lb
  • 4-5 reps: +5-10 lb
  • more than 5 reps: +10-15 lb

The second lift of each day is loaded off its parent lift's TM, so whenever you raise a TM, raise it on the paired second lift too.

Assistance. After the two main lifts, do bodybuilding-style assistance for the muscle groups the spreadsheet lists for that day (Monday chest, arms and back; Tuesday legs and abs; Wednesday shoulders and chest; Thursday back and abs; Friday arms and anything else). The accessories here are suggestions: swap them for anything that hits the same areas.

Length. The program has no fixed end. It is laid out here as 12 weeks; keep running it for as long as your TMs keep climbing. Sessions are long, often 75-120 minutes with assistance.

Based on the nSuns 5/3/1 LP spreadsheet by u/nSuns, linked from The Fitness Wiki.

Program structure

Every week, session, exercise and set, exactly as Titan runs it.

1Week5 sessions · repeats 12×

Monday - Bench & OHP

5 exercises
  1. Bench Press (barbell)
    8@ 65% TM6@ 75% TM3 × 4@ 85% TM5@ 80% TM6@ 75% TM7@ 70% TM8+@ 65% TM
  2. Overhead Press (barbell)
    6@ 50% TM5@ 60% TM3@ 70% TM5@ 70% TM7@ 70% TM4@ 70% TM6@ 70% TM8@ 70% TM
  3. Lat Pulldown (cable)
    3 × 8–12
  4. Chest Fly (dumbbell)
    3 × 10–15
  5. Bicep Curl (dumbbell)
    3 × 10–15

Tuesday - Squat & Sumo Deadlift

5 exercises
  1. Squat (barbell)
    5@ 75% TM3@ 85% TM1+@ 95% TM3@ 90% TM3@ 85% TM3@ 80% TM5@ 75% TM5@ 70% TM5+@ 65% TM

    Add to this lift's TM next week from the 1+ set: 0-1 reps +0, 2-3 reps +5 lb, 4-5 reps +5-10 lb, 6+ reps +10-15 lb

  2. Deadlift - Sumo (barbell)
    5@ 50% TM5@ 60% TM3@ 70% TM5@ 70% TM7@ 70% TM4@ 70% TM6@ 70% TM8@ 70% TM

    Percentages are of your conventional deadlift TM

  3. Leg Press
    3 × 10–15
  4. Seated Leg Curl
    3 × 10–15
  5. Hanging Leg Raise
    3 × 10–15

Wednesday - OHP & Incline Bench

5 exercises
  1. Overhead Press (barbell)
    5@ 75% TM3@ 85% TM1+@ 95% TM3@ 90% TM3@ 85% TM3@ 80% TM5@ 75% TM5@ 70% TM5+@ 65% TM

    Add to this lift's TM next week from the 1+ set: 0-1 reps +0, 2-3 reps +5 lb, 4-5 reps +5-10 lb, 6+ reps +10-15 lb

  2. Incline Bench Press (barbell)
    6@ 40% TM5@ 50% TM3@ 60% TM5@ 60% TM7@ 60% TM4@ 60% TM6@ 60% TM8@ 60% TM

    Percentages are of your bench press TM

  3. Lateral Raise (dumbbell)
    3 × 12–20
  4. Face Pull
    3 × 15–20
  5. Chest Fly (cable)
    3 × 10–15

Thursday - Deadlift & Front Squat

5 exercises
  1. Deadlift (barbell)
    5@ 75% TM3@ 85% TM1+@ 95% TM3@ 90% TM3@ 85% TM3@ 80% TM3@ 75% TM3@ 70% TM3+@ 65% TM

    Add to this lift's TM next week from the 1+ set: 0-1 reps +0, 2-3 reps +5 lb, 4-5 reps +5-10 lb, 6+ reps +10-15 lb

  2. Front Squat (barbell)
    5@ 35% TM5@ 45% TM3@ 55% TM5@ 55% TM7@ 55% TM4@ 55% TM6@ 55% TM8@ 55% TM

    Percentages are of your back squat TM

  3. Seated Row (cable)
    3 × 8–12
  4. One Arm Row (dumbbell)
    3 × 8–12
  5. Ab Wheel
    3 × 8–15

Friday - Bench & Close-Grip Bench

5 exercises
  1. Bench Press (barbell)
    5@ 75% TM3@ 85% TM1+@ 95% TM3@ 90% TM5@ 85% TM3@ 80% TM5@ 75% TM3@ 70% TM5+@ 65% TM

    Add to this lift's TM next week from the 1+ set: 0-1 reps +0, 2-3 reps +5 lb, 4-5 reps +5-10 lb, 6+ reps +10-15 lb

  2. Bench Press - Close Grip (barbell)
    6@ 40% TM5@ 50% TM3@ 60% TM5@ 60% TM7@ 60% TM4@ 60% TM6@ 60% TM8@ 60% TM

    Percentages are of your bench press TM

  3. Bicep Curl (dumbbell)
    3 × 10–15
  4. Triceps Pushdown
    3 × 10–15
  5. Face Pull
    3 × 15–20

Run nSuns 5-Day Linear Progression with Titan

Free on iPhone and Android. Every set, weight and rest timer, planned for you.

Download on theApp Store 4.9 rating
Get it onGoogle Play 5.0 rating
Start on the web