The Ultimate Busy Schedule Workout: Dr. Galpin's 3×5 Strength Training Routine

Strength training doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. The 3×5 method — 3 to 5 exercises, 3 to 5 sets, 3 to 5 reps, 3 to 5 days per week—offers a simple, evidence-based framework that adapts to even the busiest schedule. 💪✨ Discover how this strategy kept me lifting consistently during 80-hour workweeks and why it can work for you too!

Why Strength Training Matters

What if the most powerful drug for health and performance wasn’t a pill — but a barbell?

Strength training might be just that drug – it is one of the strongest tools we have for health, longevity, and performance. A plethora of research shows that resistance training reduces fat mass, increases resting metabolic rate, improves insulin sensitivity, enhances overall metabolic health, lowers the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, strengthens both muscle and bone, improves functional capacity, increases range of motion/mobility, and even reduces all-cause mortality (1, 2, 3). The benefits even extend to the brain as resistance training has been shown to enhance cognition, particularly executive functions, and to improve mood while reducing depressive symptoms (4, 5). The evidence of benefit is overwhelming — if resistance training were packaged as a pill, it would be the most powerful drug ever developed. 

The Challenge: Strength Training with a Busy Schedule

Despite these wide-ranging benefits, many people struggle to fit consistent resistance training into their lives. Long work hours, family responsibilities, and unpredictable schedules often push exercise to the bottom of the priority list. During my anesthesiology residency, working 80-hour weeks, I experienced this firsthand. I knew the science and the importance, but carving out the time sometimes felt nearly impossible. I needed a framework that allowed me to stay committed to strength training without demanding hours that I simply didn’t have.

Dr. Galpin’s 3x5 Framework

That’s when I came across Dr. Andy Galpin’s 3×5 framework, and it became the game-changer that kept me consistent — even in the midst of 24-hour shifts and 80-hour workweeks. For those who don’t know Dr. Andy Galpin, he’s a leading exercise physiologist, PhD in Human Bioenergetics, and the Executive Director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University. The beauty of the 3x5 system lies in its power and simplicity: you follow the numbers “3 to 5” across the whole workout. It is the perfect “busy schedule workout” paradigm.

Here's how it Works

Simply implement the range of 3 – 5 for all elements of your strength training routine.

• 3–5 training days per week → Strength training doesn’t have to be daily. Aiming for 3 to 5 sessions gives you flexibility while still delivering results and maintaining consistency.

  
  

• 3–5 exercises per session → Prioritize compound lifts or bodyweight movements that hit the major muscle groups (such as squats or deadlifts). It’s ok to mix in more targeted lifts, like bicep curls or tricep extensions too, but the bulk of your chosen exercises should target the big muscles of the back, torso, core, and legs.

  
  

• 3–5 sets per exercise → Enough volume to stimulate progress without dragging the workout out forever.

  
  

• 3–5 reps per set → Low rep ranges emphasize strength and quality form over endless repetition.

  
  

An example of how to apply Dr. Galpin’s 3×5 framework: lighter days with fewer sets and reps, heavier days with higher volume. The key is flexibility — scaling your training to match your schedule and energy while still progressing over time. It's the perfect busy schedule workout routine!

You Can't Beat the Flexibility of this Plan

The 3x5 framework scales with your schedule:

• During busier times, you might design your workout with more “3s”. Like 3 lifting sessions per week, where you do 3 exercises, 3 sets of 3. That’s just 10–15 minutes —enough to maintain momentum without disrupting your day.

  
  

• If your schedule frees up, you can expand to 4s or 5s. You might do 5 lifts in a week, pick 5 exercises, and do 5 sets of 5. That’s closer to an hour-long session, giving you a more comprehensive workout.

The key is adaptability. Whether you’ve got a packed day or extra time and energy to spare, the 3×5 method flexes with you. The program is also adaptable to the gym equipment available to you. Only have access to a hotel gym while on a trip? Pick the exercises you're able to perform with the limited equipment available that will still challenge you in the 3-5 repetition range. For me, if it worked during the chaos of residency combined with serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, it can work for anyone who’s juggling work, family, and life’s many demands.

Some Examples of the 3x5 Paradigm in Practice 

To get the ball rolling, I’ve listed a couple of routines that fit the 3x5 paradigm. These are just ideas. There are countless possible routines.

Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
Squat, 3x3 (3 sets of 3 repetitions)	Pullup, 4x4 (do a weighted pullup if bodyweight is too easy)	Deadlift, 5x5
Deadlift, 3x3	Front Squat, 5x5	Clean, 3x3
Bench Press, 3x3	Dumbbell Shoulder Press, 3x3	Bicep Curl, 5x5
	Snatch, 3x3	Tricep Extension, 5x5
		Incline Bench Press, 3x3

Consistency Beats Perfection

At the end of the day, the biggest win is showing up consistently. The 3×5 method works because it takes away the “all-or-nothing” mindset. You don’t need the perfect 90-minute gym session to make progress — you need a repeatable, consistent framework that adapts to your life.

Progress Comes From Challenge (Progressive Overload)

That said, consistency doesn’t mean staying in the same place forever. To keep getting stronger, you’ll want to apply the principle of progressive overload — gradually making your workouts more challenging over time. This is where keeping track of your workouts becomes powerful.

Write down your sets, reps, and weights — in a notebook, a Word doc, an Excel sheet, or whatever modality you prefer. Then look for small ways to increase the challenge with each lift. For example, if in week one you did 3x3 front squats at 135lbs, in week two you could try 3x3 at 140lbs, or 4,3,3 at 135 lbs. Progress can come from adding more weight, more reps, or more sets — the key is to nudge the bar increasingly forward as you get stronger while still listening to your body and respecting your limits. You want your workouts to be challenging, but still at a level where you can perform all movements safely and with optimal form.

Ways to Progress: 

• Add weight (135lbs → 140lbs)

• Add reps (3 sets of 3 repetitions → 3 sets of 4 repetitions)

• Add sets (3 sets of 3 repetitions → 4 sets of 3 repetitions)

• Improve form, control, or range of motion

  
  

(Stay tuned: in future blog posts we’ll dive deeper into the concept of progressive overload, and how it applies not just to lifting, but to almost every area of growth and improvement.)

Try It Yourself

The 3x5 framework is simple, scalable, and most importantly — doable. Start small, experiment with it for a few weeks, and watch how consistency builds momentum. Remember, this is about optimizing health in real life, not chasing unrealistic fitness models. Dr. Galpin’s 3x5 workout strategy is the perfect busy schedule workout routine. 

Your Partner in Getting Better — Evidence-Based Fitness

At BlissElla Physiologic Arts, our mission is to bring frameworks like this — simple, evidence-based, and adaptable — into your life. We help you cut through the noise, track the right metrics, and build habits that last. We are here to be your guide in implementing lifestyle changes that stick — training strategies, nutrition, biomarker testing, and recovery protocols that help you get better every day. 

👉 Visit our website, read more of our blog, and follow us on Instagram (@blissandella)/TikTok (@blissella_phys_arts) for more tips on strength, health, and performance. And if you ever need ideas, motivation, or help crafting a personalized plan, don’t hesitate to reach out — we’d love to connect.

📧 blissellaphysarts@gmail.com📱 Call/Text: 857-728-8871

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Disclaimer: The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not create a physician–patient relationship with BlissElla Physiologic Arts, PLLC and/or the medical providers working for this practice. Always consult your personal healthcare provider before making medical decisions. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.

Sources:

1.     Westcott WL. Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012;11(4):209-216.

2.     Alizadeh S, Daneshjoo A, Zahiri A, et al. Resistance training induces improvements in range of motion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2023;53(3):707-722.

3.     El-Kotob R, Ponzano M, Chaput JP, et al. Resistance training and health in adults: an overview of systematic reviews. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020;45(10 (Suppl. 2)):S165-S179.

4.     Landrigan JF, Bell T, Crowe M, Clay OJ, Mirman D. Lifting cognition: a meta-analysis of effects of resistance exercise on cognition. Psychol Res. 2020;84(5):1167-1183.

5.     Wang H, Liu Q, Pan Y. Impact of combiner aerobic and resistance training on depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025;17(1):10.