Working Out in Law School

Fitness — “The condition of being physically fit and healthy.”

-Oxford’s English Dictionary

For February, I thought I’d focus my posts this month on some of my favorite things in a variety of areas.  For the first post, I decided to talk about my favorite ways to work out and maintain a fitness routine.  Yesterday was the first day of Lent, and every year, I personally enjoy taking on something during Lent instead of giving something up.  This year, I decided to work out regularly and start being a little healthier with my lifestyle. 

My first year of undergrad, I was on my school’s varsity field hockey team.  After a concussion and course scheduling issues stopped me from continuing to play, I took advantage of my school’s fitness classes to stay in shape.  However, law school has been a different story with my fitness journey.  I got in a big fitness kick second semester 1L year after not working out first semester.  I’ve gotten a little out of my habit but as I said previously, I’m getting back into the swing of working out regularly.

Working out is a great break from spending all of my time reading during the day, especially since law school makes you sit a lot throughout the day.  I find that I can focus more after a good workout, and working out helps me fall asleep quicker and stay asleep, which is important to be your best self.  I also find that my joints like me more when I am on a regular fitness schedule.

I personally enjoy taking fitness classes instead of just going to the gym and doing a lifting/cardio combo.  My favorites are Barre3, Pound, and spinning.  So if you’ve never heard of Barre3, it’s a mix of Pilates and yoga that involves utilizing a ballet barre (or a chair if you’re like me and work out at home) to help with balance.  I enjoy it because I can really feel my muscles strengthening and transforming while I’m going through a class.  To save money, I utilize the student discount through UNiDays because a month of the online subscription ends up being a few dollars more expensive than one class at the studios near me.  If you want to see what a class is like, they typically have free classes on Facebook on Fridays, and here’s a link for $15 off your first month of an online subscription. Another favorite class of mine is Pound, which utilizes weighted drumsticks to help build arm muscles while your lower body is typically in a squat for the majority of the class.  I have a DVD set that I use, which again is a lot cheaper than actual classes.  Some gyms have both of these classes, but gym memberships around me are pretty expensive so I don’t take advantage of them.

However, if you’re looking for some free (or essentially free) options, don’t despair.  Most law schools allow you to utilize the student gyms that you pay for with your tuition or other fees.  My school also has some classes that are free as well.  I also super enjoy taking walks in the town around my apartment or even to Starbucks (gotta reward myself somehow).  I like to track how far I walk or run using MapMyRun or another similar app.  That way, I can see my statistics regarding my walk and see my progress over a period of time.

What are your favorite ways to work out, and what fitness classes should I try out?