Workout Routine for a Busy Schedule

lancing family, career, and bodybuilding can be very challenging. I've come up with a system that works for me, so I thought I'd share it. My focus right now is building muscle, so I am not doing a lot of cardio at the moment. In March I will be changing my priority to trimming fat, so I will be doing more cardio soon. But here is what I've been doing for the past six months or so.  


I workout three times a week. Two of those workouts are at home and one is at the gym. I let my gym membership expire this year in an effort to save money. I've found it's cheaper to pay for a day pass if I'm only going once per week. Each workout focuses on different muscle groups for the most part. Since I only go to the gym once per week I use it as an opportunity to mix up my workout routine so that I keep my muscles guessing. 

First Workout: Chest & Triceps:

Warm up

Flat Bench Press

Dips

Incline Flies or Flies Machine (gym only)

Incline Bench Press

Tricep Overhead Extensions or Tricep Cable Pulldown (gym only)

Close Grip Bench Press

Second Workout: Biceps, Abs, Back, & Forearms

Warm Up

Preacher Curls

Sit-Ups or Abdominal Crunch Machine (gym only)

Wrist Curl & Reverse Wrist Curl

Deadlifts or Back Machine (gym only)

Pull-Ups (gym only)

Standing Curls (with back against wall)

Third Workout: Legs, Shoulders, Traps

Warm Up

Light Squats or Heavy Squats (gym only)

Overhead Press or Overhead Press Machine (gym only)

Incline Front Shoulder Raise

Seated Leg Extensions

Side Lateral Raise

Barbell Shrugs

These workouts are not set in stone. I try to keep things mixed up from one week to the next. I'm always throwing in various other things and rotating which workout I do at the gym. I also rotate between higher weight and higher reps. I think I've been making successful gains doing this. I've added 50 pounds to my bench press in the past six months. My goal is not to compete in a bodybuilding competition. But for someone with a family and a busy work schedule, I think I'm doing pretty well with this routine. 

Why I Use Protein Powder

I use protein powder for several reasons. The main reason is because it's a convenient source of protein. We know that protein is essential for repairing muscles after a workout, but it's a hassle trying to whip up a protein-rich meal all the time. It takes about 30 seconds to mix some protein powder with water and drink it, whereas making a meal may take 30 minutes. I also like using protein powder right after a workout because it's a fast-digesting concentrated source of protein. 


There are two types of protein I like to use. The main one I use is whey protein.  There are several reasons I like whey protein. For one thing, it seems to be less expensive than other types of protein. But the main reason is because it's the best kind to use when you exercise. I like to have one scoop before each workout and two scoops after the workout. I used to use soy protein, but I heard about the possibility of soy causing an increase in estrogen levels. I don't know if that's true or not, but I decided it wasn't worth the risk. Plus soy protein tastes terrible and whey protein tastes pretty good. My favorite is the Delicious Strawberry flavor of the Gold Standard brand.
Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard, Delicious Strawberry, 2 Pound

As I mentioned earlier, there are two types of protein I use. The other type of protein I mentioned is called casein protein. Casein protein is the slowest digesting type of protein, so it's the best kind to use right before bed. Most of your muscle growth occurs while you sleep, so it's good to have protein in your system while you're sleeping. Since casein protein is slow digesting, it stays in your body longer throughout the night. I only use one scoop of this protein per day, so I don't go through it as fast as I do the whey protein. I prefer the Gold Standard brand of casein protein as well. 

Optimum Nutrition 100% Casein Protein, Chocolate Supreme 2 Pound