Fitness + MCAT Studying

[PhysioG318]

Hello everyone! I was just wondering for the people that have taken the exam. How did you balance your work-out schedule while studying or did you just slack off during MCAT Prep! I would really like to get back to working out on a regular basis. I plan to work out maybe 3-4 times a week. That seems ideal since MCAT studying will take up most of my time. Any advice is appreciated! Oh I plan to test in January!

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[TheBoneDoctah]

Hello everyone! I was just wondering for the people that have taken the exam. How did you balance your work-out schedule while studying or did you just slack off during MCAT Prep! I would really like to get back to working out on a regular basis. I plan to work out maybe 3-4 times a week. That seems ideal since MCAT studying will take up most of my time. Any advice is appreciated! Oh I plan to test in January!

I stopped working out while studying.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Hello everyone! I was just wondering for the people that have taken the exam. How did you balance your work-out schedule while studying or did you just slack off during MCAT Prep! I would really like to get back to working out on a regular basis. I plan to work out maybe 3-4 times a week. That seems ideal since MCAT studying will take up most of my time. Any advice is appreciated! Oh I plan to test in January!

And btw, I don't recommend not working out. Doing nothing but studying will make you go psycho.

 

[bear2roo]

For the last 1.5 months i tried to go twice a week. Now it's twice every 2.5 weeks.

It's possible just set a time for it every week.

 

[IcemanMD]

One vr passage = 1 set of curls in the squat rack

 

[MedOldAge]

One vr passage = 1 set of curls in the squat rack

Wow, you are talking hard core precision 😱👍🙄

 

[BeachBlondie]

I work full-time AND study. Still manage to lift or run 4 days a week. If you're really concerned about only taking an hour of time for yourself every couple of days.... you've got bigger problems than worrying about being fit 😉

 

[AktionPOTENTIAL]

I work out everyday bro, except Sundays; I have a job and a family and it is still fine. The health benefits are themselves evident but it is also a good method to give your a mind a break w/o being sloppy. Moreover, I like to see the results in dem tropical arms haha jk.

It should be fine though if you schedule it well.

 

[Moose A Moose]

Aside from nailing out a few sets of push-ups or squats in between my study sessions, my gym time was really cut down during my two months of MCAT prep. It was terrible... Even still, finding time for a run or a quick trip to the ol' iron mill will do wonders on clearing your head.

 

[DocE305]

Hello everyone! I was just wondering for the people that have taken the exam. How did you balance your work-out schedule while studying or did you just slack off during MCAT Prep! I would really like to get back to working out on a regular basis. I plan to work out maybe 3-4 times a week. That seems ideal since MCAT studying will take up most of my time. Any advice is appreciated! Oh I plan to test in January!

Dude, Before my MCAT studying I had a patellar subluxation (God that was painful) and had to rehab my knee. Then I started MCAT studying and did not work out. I do not recommend this. Just working out an hour a day for maybe 3-4 days a week will stop you from getting burned out. I think working out 1 hour a day is more important for your MCAT studying than an hour of studying. Trust me do not even think twice.

 

[Moose A Moose]

Just working out an hour a day ...

Dude, do you even lift?
😀

 

[QuiteAConundrum]

Hello everyone! I was just wondering for the people that have taken the exam. How did you balance your work-out schedule while studying or did you just slack off during MCAT Prep! I would really like to get back to working out on a regular basis. I plan to work out maybe 3-4 times a week. That seems ideal since MCAT studying will take up most of my time. Any advice is appreciated! Oh I plan to test in January!

I'm a three season collegiate athlete so slacking off wasn't really an option for me. Tbh, I found that working out helps with studying. You're more fresh & focused, and the endorphin's keep your spirits up 😉 It's so easy to slack off but working out is a part of taking care of yourself during MCAT time.

A lot of people experience burnout during studying. "The MCAT is a marathon, not a sprint". You can wing a sprint, but you can't wing a marathon! Training for test day should encompass more than just hitting the books. You're not talking about a 30 minute quiz...it's 4-5 hours that you have to stay mentally sharp through the end.

 

[Shjanzey]

I work fulltime, so I decided to make my commute to work my daily workout. Best thing I ever did.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I'm pretty fit, and I do powerlifting training so I try to go 4-5 times a week but to compensate for study time, I've been waking up like at 6am to get my first half of my studying done.

 

[velociraptorMD]

Hello everyone! I was just wondering for the people that have taken the exam. How did you balance your work-out schedule while studying or did you just slack off during MCAT Prep! I would really like to get back to working out on a regular basis. I plan to work out maybe 3-4 times a week. That seems ideal since MCAT studying will take up most of my time. Any advice is appreciated! Oh I plan to test in January!

I bulked up while studying. I had to change when I worked out from the mornings (10AM-12PM, normally) to when I finished studying, which was anywhere from 4:30PM-6:30PM (I started studying 8:45-9:00AM).

I worked out 6 days a week while bulking (power/olympic lifting Tu/Thurs/Sat and running M/W/F), and it generally took me anywhere from 7-9 hours on most days to get thru the SN2 schedule, so it's entirely possible to work out while studying.

Keep in mind though that I had no social life over the summer and literally all I did was eat, sleep, study, and workout.

 

[PhysioG318]

I'm a three season collegiate athlete so slacking off wasn't really an option for me. Tbh, I found that working out helps with studying. You're more fresh & focused, and the endorphin's keep your spirits up 😉 It's so easy to slack off but working out is a part of taking care of yourself during MCAT time.

A lot of people experience burnout during studying. "The MCAT is a marathon, not a sprint". You can wing a sprint, but you can't wing a marathon! Training for test day should encompass more than just hitting the books. You're not talking about a 30 minute quiz...it's 4-5 hours that you have to stay mentally sharp through the end.

Good advice! Thats one of the main reasons I want to make sure I can squeeze it in. Exercise makes me feel good and refreshes me after a tough day! I will mostly be doing cardio training. I love running so I will def continue that!

 

[PhysioG318]

Thanks everyone for all your advice!! Good Stuff!

 

[RC4L]

I had to workout everyday while studying. My thought processing and memory are so much more efficient after exercise and there is just no way I could sit for so long without sweating first. I would wake up and immediately hit the gym, take a hot shower, eat a healthy breakfast, and then hit the library for a solid 5-6 hours. Following that study session I would either take an hour break and get another 2 hours of practice or just end the day depending on how well my brain was feeling. I would end almost every study day around 8 or 9 with a good jog or bike ride. The night cardio was incredibly therapeutic and really wore me out so I could rest well and be energized for the following day. In addition to exercise, don't underestimate the value of eating healthy while studying so intensely. The difference in mental performance while eating healthy as opposed to eating crappy is pretty amazing.

 

[TopTomato]

I highly recommend working out and studying at the same time. Find some way to fit it in your schedule. The first time I took the MCAT I stopped going to the gym cold turkey. Mind you i'm the type of person who goes a minimum of 4x a week. During my time studying I never felt so depressed and out of shape in my life. The second time I took the MCAT however I decided to take a a different approach and not go "all out" with the studying. Obviously I felt much better about myself and maybe that impacted my score a little because I ended up doing much better on the exam.

 

[bear2roo]

I'll admit im no hardcore bodybuilder/workout. It can be done it's really all a matter of laziness and discipline. I just have a general fitness routine and run 3 miles everytime I go to the gym.

For me personally, I don't go everytime I say I will b/c (a) I wake up too late (930-10AM), (b) I eat at very weird times (can you say dinner at 9PM?) and (c) I like to workout after studying aka 1030/11pm.

Pretty sad considering I used to be fit and compete nationally and competitively for an NCAA sport...

 

[aesculapian]

I know OP's question has already been answered extensively, but something else to consider is that when you exercise you're increasing blood flow-- and thus oxygen-- to your muscles and brain. And I'd imagine that increasing oxygen to your brain would have positive effects on memory/concentration; in any case, I doubt it would worsen cognitive function.

I have no data whatsoever to back this claim up. It'd be so fun to test it out, though. If only we could run an experiment on SDN pre-meds.. have some people exercise and study and others study only.. and see if one group does better on the MCAT

 

[YouEvenLiftBro]

One vr passage = 1 set of curls in the squat rack

BroTip: Don't do curls in the squat rack.

 

[bear2roo]

BroTip: Don't do curls in the squat rack.

Lol how convenient...you were waiting for this thread weren't you?

 

[Elevencents]

If you don't have time to workout every day due to MCAT studying you're doing it all wrong.

 

[YouEvenLiftBro]

Lol how convenient...you were waiting for this thread weren't you?

Perfect bropotunity for me to help out.

 

[victoriax87]

Working out helps get your blood pumping, and hormones get released which help you relax and concentrate better. I went to the gym every other day (for the most part) for treadmill/elliptical mostly. I saw huge improvements from the last time I took the test!

 

[phunky]

I work 45 hours a week, work out 3-4 days a week, and do plenty of studying. You've got serious time management issues if you can't find 5 hours a week to exercise.

 

[Synapsis]

I woke up every morning at 6 and did a ~30 minute run. Then lifted for ~30 minutes. I listened to EK Audio Osmosis at the same time. I was also apprehensive about working out during this time, so I just combined them lol.

 

[Gauss44]

I bought a stepping stool from the hardware store, a heavy duty one, watched MCAT videos, and stepped up and down for an hour three times a week. I went to the gym twice a week.

Occasionally, I would shift my schedule and take an MCAT practice test overnight (non-disrupted), and go to the gym 6 days a week at 5am (when it's cool outside and not busy), then come home and sleep.

 

[fuser]

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[IL Pre Med]

I went 4-5 times a week because it made me feel better and I really needed that added boost especially towards the end. Remember no curls in the squat rack and don't skip leg day.

 

[fuser]

.

 

[NontradCA]

I would've worked out, but I needed someone to hold my hand so much that I actually forgot to eat and ended up too malnourished to exercise =(.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I usually work out after studying/doing passages then do my corrections answer checking after my workouts. Also do verbal practice at night when I'm most "calm"

 

[PhysioG318]

Workout every day and eat well. Seriously. Its like going into a time capsule and coming out stronger and smarter.

My day plan for the 1.5 months of studying:

7 am - wake up get coffee and start studying
12 pm - lunch
1 pm - resume and drink something to keep awake
5 pm - workout/eat dinner afterwards
7 pm - resume studying? depended on the days.

Think of this as a time to better yourself. Take advantage of it!

Thanks Fuser! That is a great idea! I really want to challenge myself and I 'm not taking class and I only work 2 days out the week! This leaves plenty of time for studying and working out! I just got a membership at anytime fitness! I'm excited and ready for this journey!

 

[velociraptorMD]

For a velociraptor, I'm impressed that you were able to do olympic lifts. You must be a formidable predator.

It's all about 'dem glutes.

 

[Marine to MD]

Get up early, get to bed early.

5 AM: wakeup, warmup, stretch
5:30 AM: 2 to 10 mile run (depending on day) or cross fit WOD
7 AM to 8 PM: class, study, eat, etc.
8 PM to 9 PM: do nothing involving thinking. Just relax.
9 PM: Hit the rack.

I followed this general schedule this past spring semester. I had 15 credit hours (BioChem 2, Physiology, Physics 2, and Endocrinology) and studied for the MCAT. Maintained my 4.0 and got a 33.

 

[GraMaire]

Maintain sanity above all else.

Im an M2 and training for the marathon, definitely doable to workout.
Morning runs, planning long runs around exams, occasionally listening to lectures while running or cross training.

I also find I study better after I work out in the morning and the energy boost is a huge pkus.