Medical School requires so much of a commitment that it is essentially a second job. While this may be true there are definitely some myths surrounding the life of medical students. One myth is that medical students do not have time to workout. In this article I will be answering the question of is there time to workout in medical school

When during the day is the best time to Workout in Medical School

Personally, I believe the best time to workout in medical school is the first thing in the morning before all of your classes have started. This is because as the day progresses, you become more and more tired and that voice in your head telling you to not go to the gym becomes louder. 

Additionally, a lot of people who just start out going to the gym have anxiety when working out in crowded spaces. Typically very early in the morning tends to be the time when the gym is the least crowded. This is another good reason why hitting the gym early in the morning may be a better option for you.

How do I fit my workout on a busy schedule?

One thing that I like to abide by is the 80/20 principle. How can I get 80% of my results with 20% input. That is not to say that you should be lazy and think that only a little bit of work is required to lose weight or get fit. But rather the principle is stressing that efficiency and effectiveness is how you should go about structuring your workouts. There are many workouts out there that can be done in less than 20 minutes that have the same if not better physical benefits as a workout which is 1 hour long.

The reality is that every one has 24 hours in a day. How you spend those hours is entirely up to you. 

Another way you can fit working out into a busy schedule is to consider changing up your workouts to suit a busy life style. For example if you like to run every morning, but you have class which starts at 8, you can schedule in your shorter runs for during the week so you don’t show up late to class. Then on the weekends or on days where class starts later in the day you can schedule in your longer runs.

Can you get in shape during med school?

Yes. it all comes down to what your individual priorities are. If you are passionate about fitness and need it to to stay sane then there is definitely time.

Just because you are starting medical school does not mean that you are automatically condemned to being unable to work out. In fact Dr. Tommy Martin, who is a well known physician influencer, has competed in a number of iron man events and has also completed a marathon in almost 3 hours flat. Additionally, he regularly mentions that his love and devotion to physical fitness began when he started Medical School. You can see more about his profile here

What are the best workout plans for Medical Students?

My personal belief is that the best workout plan is the workout plan that you are able to stick to. This could mean running, attending a yoga class, attending boxing lessons, playing intramural soccer with your friends or some other activity that you enjoy. Really anything that enhances your physical fitness that you can commit to for a prolonged period of time is the best workout plan.

If you are actually looking for some good work out plans for a busy workout plan, one that I recommend is minimalist muscle blitz which is specifically targeted to individuals who do not have a lot of free time.

In Conclusion

As you can see there are many ways to find time for working out in medical school. Although it may seem impossible, many medical students find time or make time to hit the gym. At the end of the day it comes down to you and your priorities.