Coping with stress: the workout

If barristers spent as much time working out as they do talking about how important it is that they get some exercise than they would probably rank as one of the fittest professions around. As it is, many an ambitious training programme has been carefully outlined over a pint at the pub, but sadly remained lodged in the brain rather than in reality.

There are of course vast numbers of exceptions to this general rule. There are a number of barristers who compete in marathons for charity. Some just about limp home, some manage impressive times, but whichever it is they would all rank as pretty fit. Some play football (although team games tend to be a bit of a challenge insofar as they require a regular commitment since knowing when you will in fact have a free evening is a bit of a mystery for most barristers), others go for tennis whereas for others cycling or a trip to the gym is what they do. There are also a number of dedicated fell walkers or climbers.

Whilst there are a small number of very fit and dedicated people, and a very large number of people who never do any exercise, there are a large number who are willing to give it a go with various degrees of effort or ability. One of the funniest things I ever saw (this because it was funny, not because the subject of the story was ridiculous, to the contrary I admired him for what he did) was a particular barrister in the gym. He had been a reasonably good prop forward in his day and was known as uncompromising scrapper in court. Although not particularly unfit, he had a tendency to put on a little weight and so was looking for cardiovascular exercise. Therefore he went on the running machine, and although he was not a fast runner, he really gave it everything. So much so that after 30 minutes of sustained effort at about the maximum of his capabilities, when he got off the treadmill he effectively collapsed in a panting, almost groaning, strange looking and extremely wet heap on the floor around which a conspicuously large puddle of sweat was growing.

This was one of those many gymnasiums that combined various different clienteles, one of which were the female models. Some worked very hard in the gym, others just floated around concentrating on looking good. To watch a couple of the latter category try and "float" round the still groaning sweaty puddle on the floor was quite a sight to see. It was the sort of moment when if you had a camcorder would probably regularly feature on comic TV compilations.

However the laugh was really not on that particular barrister but on those barristers who don't bother exercising. Exercise is a proven method of relieving stress. If you are lucky enough to be able to exercise outdoors and get some fresh air (which tends to be lacking in courtrooms and Chambers and legal offices) then so much the better. Often when you are struggling with a knotty problem, the extra flow of blood to the brain that exercise stimulates can help you think of the way to cut the Gordian knot. If you are feeling wiped out after a day in court, then having some exercise can effectively allow a sort of "system restore" for the brain and body. That can mean that after some exercise and then a break you can return to work mentally refreshed, rather than plodding on when you are too shattered to really use your brain to its best effect.

The great irony is that for reasons of health and to alleviate stress you often need exercise the most when you have the least time for it. However having an exercise routine is crucial. If you do not, although you might save a few hours from the time you are not exercising, there will be a very bad effect on your overall efficiency. Those lawyers who exercise regularly are pretty clear that, even before you consider health reasons, their overall efficiency and work output and quality is better when they are exercising them when they are not.

One of the hardest things for the young barrister to realise is that when you have an evening of work ahead of you, an hour's exercise is a key part of that. All too frequently fear of not finishing the prep causes people to skip exercise time and time again. However they have to remember that the Bar is a marathon not a sprint. Only if you are mentally and physically fit to last the course will you ever get the practice you need. That of course is not to say that the level of fitness is what is key. It certainly is not true to say that the fitter you are the better you will perform in court. What is true is that unless you are reasonably fit, and unless you get a reasonable amount of exercise, your body and brain will not allow you to produce your best work, whether that be paperwork or court performances.