Nicole Schiavo, Hogan Lovells

A senior associate in the firm's New York office, Nicole Schiavo focuses her practice on litigation, arbitration and employment law. Her go-to exercise routine is CrossFit, which, she says, gives her energy for the day and helps relieve stress.

How often during the week do you work out? Five to six days per week.

At what time during the day or evening do you work out? 5 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends.

What's your go-to routine? I do CrossFit, which is high-intensity interval training that builds strength and conditioning through extremely varied and challenging workouts. I attend a class that has a different workout of the day (WOD). It incorporates various movements, including Olympic weightlifting and dumbbells, gymnastic movements and cardio movements, under various loads and rep schemes. One day I'll be doing handstand pushups, 400-meter runs and box jumps while another I could be finding a one-rep max back squat and deadlift.

How long does it take? One hour on weekdays, one to two hours on weekends.

Nicole Schiavo, senior associate at Hogan Lovells.

Why do you like this routine? I like working out first thing in the morning because it wakes me up and sets the tone for my day, and it allows me to get my workout in without missing out on time I could be spending with my kids. I like CrossFit because I don't have to have a plan or design a workout for myself. I just show up and do what's on the board, and what's on the board is completely different every day.

What does regular exercise do for you? Exercising in the morning increases my energy level and mental clarity throughout the day and allows me to maximize my health and fitness levels. It's also a big stress reliever.

How long have you been exercising regularly? I was a dancer and a gymnast when I was younger, so I've always been pretty active, but my exercise routines went on a bit of a hiatus when I had my kids. I started CrossFit just over two years ago and have been attending classes regularly since then.

In what ways have you changed your routine over the months or years? After about nine months of CrossFit, I wanted to make more progress with difficult technical lifts, gymnastics movements, and strength gains, so I began working one-on-one with my coach in private coaching sessions in addition to classes, and added accessory work into my weekly routine.

How do you convince yourself to work out when you don't want to? The key for me is the people I work out with. There are “regulars” at the classes I attend who have become some of my closest friends. Knowing they will be there helps motivate me to get out of bed even when sometimes I'd rather sleep. I also thoroughly enjoy working out and look forward to my time at the gym each morning—sometimes it's harder to convince myself to take a rest day!

How does working out help you with your job? Not only are my energy levels better throughout the day, but I'm more focused and able to manage the stresses of my job. There are also a lot of similarities in the way I approach a difficult work-related task and a difficult workout—thinking about the task, how best to approach it, adjusting if something doesn't go as planned, but persevering even when it's a grind. It's the same whether I'm writing a memo of law or tackling a difficult WOD—and after you spend the morning clean and jerking a barbell with more than your own body weight on it, work tasks somehow feel less insurmountable.

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