Biglaw associates... time for gym? Forum

[jamais vu]

I know this is a pretty strange question, but I would really appreciate input from any biglaw associates who post on TLS.

I've got OCI coming up soon. I've looked at anonymous surveys and such from associates at the firms I'm bidding on, and most include comments like "associates are happy about the regularity of the hours. Most associates report working from 9:00 AM until 8:30 or 9:00."

Do associates have time to go to the gym 3 or 4 days a week? If so, when? With a schedule like that, it seems impossible. I'm not looking forward to being out of shape and fat/scrawny in addition to being depressed and stressed about reviewing documents 60 hours a week.

[Patriot1208]

when do most busy working people work out? Before work or during lunch.

[Lolek]

Very interested in this.

[Anonymous User]

when do most busy working people work out? Before work or during lunch.

OP here. Very possible to go before work if you're leaving the office every day at 5:30 or 6. If you've got to be in the office by 9:00, and you work til 9:00 or later every night, I don't see how it's possible to go before work unless you're constantly running on virtually no sleep.

Interested in hearing about the logistics of going during lunch by an associate at a big firm who may have some real-world insight.

[Sup Kid]

when do most busy working people work out? Before work or during lunch.

OP here. Very possible to go before work if you're leaving the office every day at 5:30 or 6. If you've got to be in the office by 9:00, and you work til 9:00 or later every night, I don't see how it's possible to go before work unless you're constantly running on virtually no sleep.

Interested in hearing about the logistics of going during lunch by an associate at a big firm who may have some real-world insight.

For NYC at least, most people get in around 9:30, and don't stay until 9pm every night (a lot of times work can be done from home). Even if you're working late, you can still be home and asleep by 11:30 or so, wake up at 6:30, go to the gym, then go to work. It's definitely doable (and most firms even pay for gym memberships).

[Anonymous User]

I'm not an associate, but I'm currently summering with a big-law firm.

I can assure you that you have absolutely nothing to worry aboutl. Almost every associate and partner (even the married ones with children) at my firm go to the gym every day or every other day and are in great shape. In fact, most lawyers I met this summer at other firms make time for the gym, but just go out less often during the weekdays.

At my firm:

Some go before work (7:30-8:30) and start work at 9 am.

Most go during lunch. The gym is located in the building of our office. The membership includes having your own locker and on-site laundry and towel service.

Another group just works out after work.

I'm working the same hours as associates at my firm: 8:00 - 7:00 pm and have stuck to the same workout routine as I had in law school.

Bottom line, you pretty much have a lot of autonomy over your working hours, so long as you meet the (unspoken) billable requirements of the firm.

[Anonymous User]

Many big-law firms don't blink an eye as long as associates roll in by 10AM. So some people go in the morning before work. Some non-early birds I know like to go in the late afternoon or early evening, and then come back to work after the gym. You end up staying at the office later, but you get your workout in. Others join office workout groups, e.g. bike riding in Central Park or a running group. Others aim for twice a week during the week when they can fit it in, and otherwise rely on the weekends.

Two things:
- It takes dedication. Very easy to fall off the wagon when things get busy and then not jump back on when things slow down
- Find a gym close to the office. The closer it is, the easier it is to sneak away or do it on the way to work.

[elmagic]

I'm the type of person that doesn't mind being around the office most of the day so the flexibility biglaw provides is pretty amazing for me. We have a gym in the same building so after seeing a few associates go to the gym for about 20 mins in the afternoon then head back to work I started doing the same thing. So if you are committed to working out it's definitely doable either before work, during work, or I guess after work. Although I guess if your firm doesn't have a gym near it might make things more difficult, but it's definitely nice being able to go a few floors down, change, work out, shower, then head back to work. It's almost like an afternoon pick me up that really gives me energy to finish off the day.

[RMstratosphere]

I'm the type of person that doesn't mind being around the office most of the day so the flexibility biglaw provides is pretty amazing for me. We have a gym in the same building so after seeing a few associates go to the gym for about 20 mins in the afternoon then head back to work I started doing the same thing. So if you are committed to working out it's definitely doable either before work, during work, or I guess after work. Although I guess if your firm doesn't have a gym near it might make things more difficult, but it's definitely nice being able to go a few floors down, change, work out, shower, then head back to work. It's almost like an afternoon pick me up that really gives me energy to finish off the day.

Not sure if serious.

I don't think OP could change into workout attire, stretch, shower, and change back into work clothes in 20 minutes.

[98234872348]

I'm working the same hours as associates at my firm: 8:00 - 7:00 pm and have stuck to the same workout routine as I had in law school.

I had a similar experience and just went to the gym after work.

[elmagic]

I'm the type of person that doesn't mind being around the office most of the day so the flexibility biglaw provides is pretty amazing for me. We have a gym in the same building so after seeing a few associates go to the gym for about 20 mins in the afternoon then head back to work I started doing the same thing. So if you are committed to working out it's definitely doable either before work, during work, or I guess after work. Although I guess if your firm doesn't have a gym near it might make things more difficult, but it's definitely nice being able to go a few floors down, change, work out, shower, then head back to work. It's almost like an afternoon pick me up that really gives me energy to finish off the day.

Not sure if serious.

I don't think OP could change into workout attire, stretch, shower, and change back into work clothes in 20 minutes.

Meant more like 20 minutes of actual working out dood, you know 20 mins a day keeps the dr away etc

[20160810]

You don't squeeze in workouts, you fit your work schedule around your workouts. The only valid excuse for skipping the gym is paralysis, maybe death too. Get your priorities straight bro.

[Anonymous User]

I'm working the same hours as associates at my firm: 8:00 - 7:00 pm and have stuck to the same workout routine as I had in law school.

I had a similar experience and just went to the gym after work.

lolz. i had a similar experience in that i worked the same hours as associates but i certainly was not leaving at 7pm. i would have 1 week of coming home at 7, and following week coming home at 11-12 every day. it was very sporadic.

i have a gym membership and try to go regularly. so for the slow weeks i went regulary and did my routine, but during my busy weeks there was just no way i could go to the gym. sure i could have snuck out during the day for an hour or so, but then that would mean coming home even later and my schedule was already f'ed up from taking really late lunches b/c of the amount of work. during these weeks its just not feasible to go the gym - the few minutes to spare you have you would rather spend time with family, or call significant other from work (esp if shes sleeping when you come home every day), etc.

in short, it's certainly possible to go to the gym, but just expect your routine to be broken up every now and then by a deal closing or "work emergency".

[robert85]

Probably gonna need to workout at home brah. With the biglaw paycheck, you should be able to afford a really nice home gym.

[Anonymous User]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

[vanwinkle]

I know this is a pretty strange question, but I would really appreciate input from any biglaw associates who post on TLS.

I've got OCI coming up soon. I've looked at anonymous surveys and such from associates at the firms I'm bidding on, and most include comments like "associates are happy about the regularity of the hours. Most associates report working from 9:00 AM until 8:30 or 9:00."

Do associates have time to go to the gym 3 or 4 days a week? If so, when? With a schedule like that, it seems impossible. I'm not looking forward to being out of shape and fat/scrawny in addition to being depressed and stressed about reviewing documents 60 hours a week.

Banned for alting.

[Anonymous User]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

eh this is not the same as going to the gym regularly. for an experienced runner, a 10k run on a saturday probably takes her an hour or two i'm guessing. most people have a couple hours every single saturday no matter how busy they are. granted most don't have the energy/ability to spend those hours running, but you can if you want. this is different from finding 1-2 hours for the gym EVERY day. any serious gym rat will need to hit the gym at least 5 days a week.

[Patriot1208]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

eh this is not the same as going to the gym regularly. for an experienced runner, a 10k run on a saturday probably takes her an hour or two i'm guessing. most people have a couple hours every single saturday no matter how busy they are. granted most don't have the energy/ability to spend those hours running, but you can if you want. this is different from finding 1-2 hours for the gym EVERY day. any serious gym rat will need to hit the gym at least 5 days a week.

6.2 miles every saturday? That's pretty standard, if not low, for any semi-serious runner. And it shouldn't take you longer than an hour at most.

[Anonymous User]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

eh this is not the same as going to the gym regularly. for an experienced runner, a 10k run on a saturday probably takes her an hour or two i'm guessing. most people have a couple hours every single saturday no matter how busy they are. granted most don't have the energy/ability to spend those hours running, but you can if you want. this is different from finding 1-2 hours for the gym EVERY day. any serious gym rat will need to hit the gym at least 5 days a week.

She runs 10ks on the weekend (and actually wins some -- this is more than just a hobby to pass the time) and runs for an hour or two every morning (did you miss the part where I said that she runs every morning?). Maybe I'm more impressed by this than I should be. But anybody who can run in races competitively and find time to run an hour plus every morning while working in biglaw is, IMO, doing a good job of being able to balance career and fitness.

[thelawguy]

When I was a summer in Boston last year, the Equinox in the financial district was crawling with biglaw associates from 6:30-9 every morning. I think they were mostly from Ropes and Proskouer.

[tomwelling]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

eh this is not the same as going to the gym regularly. for an experienced runner, a 10k run on a saturday probably takes her an hour or two i'm guessing. most people have a couple hours every single saturday no matter how busy they are. granted most don't have the energy/ability to spend those hours running, but you can if you want. this is different from finding 1-2 hours for the gym EVERY day. any serious gym rat will need to hit the gym at least 5 days a week.

Anyone running competitively will run 1-2 hours a day. An hour a day for a reasonably fit female might be 50 miles/week (7 miles a day) -- decent mileage, but not huge. Then you have to take into account workouts -- running intervals can take significantly longer than just an easy 7 mile run. And any serious runner will need to run at least 6 days a week (most run 7 days a week). Running is a far more regular time commitment than going to the gym, if you are serious about it.

And many guys (and some women) who want to run decent times will run far more than 50 miles a week.

Of course, it is also easy to be a rec runner and run 4 days a week. But not if you want to be remotely competitive.

[swc65]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

eh this is not the same as going to the gym regularly. for an experienced runner, a 10k run on a saturday probably takes her an hour or two i'm guessing. most people have a couple hours every single saturday no matter how busy they are. granted most don't have the energy/ability to spend those hours running, but you can if you want. this is different from finding 1-2 hours for the gym EVERY day. any serious gym rat will need to hit the gym at least 5 days a week.

She runs 10ks on the weekend (and actually wins some -- this is more than just a hobby to pass the time) and runs for an hour or two every morning (did you miss the part where I said that she runs every morning?). Maybe I'm more impressed by this than I should be. But anybody who can run in races competitively and find time to run an hour plus every morning while working in biglaw is, IMO, doing a good job of being able to balance career and fitness.

Hmmm female biglaw associate that runs all the time= money+in shape. You all should be trying to get her number and not bickering over whether she is a "serious runner." Just my advice.

Tons of attys went to the gym at the firm where I summered. Some did in the AM (by far the most popular) other slipped away during the day. The consensus there was that evening workouts were the hardest because of late night/unexpected assignments.

[rayiner]

I'm seeing quite a spread here between "staying in shape" and "being a serious gym rat that goes for a couple of hours 5 days a week." The former is definitely doable. The latter might be a stretch. It's not hard to get in a few hours of something a week in big law. It's hard to keep a consistent schedule of something, however.

[Eco]

To me it sounds like the most reasonable time would be after work. A lot of gyms are open till 11pmish. You could go at 10, work out, then go home eat and sleep.

[RMstratosphere]

Just spoke with a biglaw associate who pretty much runs a 10k race every weekend (I am neither kidding nor exaggerating). She runs with a group of friends in Central Park every morning. Certainly doable, but it's probably going to depend somewhat on your firm and the workload that goes along with it.

eh this is not the same as going to the gym regularly. for an experienced runner, a 10k run on a saturday probably takes her an hour or two i'm guessing. most people have a couple hours every single saturday no matter how busy they are. granted most don't have the energy/ability to spend those hours running, but you can if you want. this is different from finding 1-2 hours for the gym EVERY day. any serious gym rat will need to hit the gym at least 5 days a week.

Anyone running competitively will run 1-2 hours a day. An hour a day for a reasonably fit female might be 50 miles/week (7 miles a day) -- decent mileage, but not huge. Then you have to take into account workouts -- running intervals can take significantly longer than just an easy 7 mile run. And any serious runner will need to run at least 6 days a week (most run 7 days a week). Running is a far more regular time commitment than going to the gym, if you are serious about it.

And many guys (and some women) who want to run decent times will run far more than 50 miles a week.

Of course, it is also easy to be a rec runner and run 4 days a week. But not if you want to be remotely competitive.

I have a hard time believing that competitive runners have to dedicate far more time to training than a "gym rat," let alone a competitive lifter or bodybuilder.