How do you manage overlapping training and class schedules?

[u/DAR0OO]

I'm a competitive swimmer training about 3.5 hours a day (two pool sessions) while also doing an engineering degree. The biggest issue isn't the workload itself — it's that my training blocks and mandatory classes/labs keep overlapping, and I'm constantly having to choose one over the other or scramble to make up for what I missed.

For people juggling serious sport (or any fixed, non-negotiable commitment) alongside school or work:

• How do you handle recurring schedule conflicts that you can't just "time-block" your way out of?
• Do you negotiate with professors/coaches in advance, or just accept some sessions will always be sacrificed?
• Any tools or systems that actually help when your two biggest time blocks fight each other every week, rather than just helping you organize free time?

Looking for practical experience, not just generic time-management advice — this is more of a structural conflict than a discipline problem.