- Fitness - Moving Crew

The Moving Crew is here to take your questions, comments, stories and ideas about personal fitness.

Health section editor Craig Stoltz and assistant editor Susan Morse were online Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 11:30 a.m. ET to talk with you throughout the hour. Section contributor John Briley was unable to join the discussion.

As the Moving Crew, we specialize in helping beginners get started, regular exercisers reach the next level and everybody avoid injuries, stick with their programs and have fun.

And because the fitness world can be so intimidating to folks who are overweight and sedentary -- and since they can benefit so much from a fitness program -- we take special pride in helping them along the path to fitness.

John Briley: Howdy fitnophiles, fitnofreaks and even fitnophobes! We are here today, per usual, to chat about exercise - how to get it, when to stop, signs that you're in or out of shape and -- important -- who not to challenge to a kick-boxing session.

In today's column, we wrote about "bodyweight exercises" -- push ups, pull-ups, chair dips, etc. -- and will be happy to elaborate on that, as long as you don't ask us to drop and give you 40 (although, between the three of us, maybe we'd manage).

So saddle, up, grab a serving of spinac-- oops, we mean "gin and tonic", and let's get into it.
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Slowville: I had asked a question at the end of a previous discussion about decreasing my mile time (currently at 9:00 and want to get to 7:30), and you had suggested intervals. What are intervals?

John Briley: Hey not-as-slow-as-you-thinkville (many people would kill, or at least maim, for a 9-minute mile),

Intervals are essentially sprints: Get warmed up by jogging a mile, then start a series of 30-second bursts at, say, 85 percent max heart rate (somewhere around 90-95 percent max effort), with a 60- to 90-second recovery between each sprint. Recover at steady jogging pace.

If you've never done these, start with around 6, run another mile or two to cool down at the end, and see how you feel the next day or two.

If the intervals are easy for you, increase the time per sprint to 45 or 60 seconds, then work on boosting the number (try 8, then 10, etc.).

These help improve cardio endurance because they force your body to move oxygen to your (justifiably) exhausted muscles during and after the sprints.

IMPORTANT: Don't do more than two or three interval days a week. They are taxing and if you do them too often you will succumb to over training.

Make sense?
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Arlington, Va.: Re: today's column (using body as weights)... thank you for elaborating a bit on this topic! I've quite had my fill of weights, they're not for me, despite the fact that I value my strength. So I took a bold move about six months ago and replaced all my machine/free weight work with...yoga. And it was a good idea: I actually feel, look, and am functionally stronger for it. But here's my question for ya. I try to do some yoga almost every day of the week. Bad for muscle growth? Or okay because I'm just using body-as-weights and not weights themselves? (Oh, I generally do vigorous, ashtanga "power"ish yoga, with arm balances and lots of lunging and the like, as well as holding poses for a bit, if that makes a diff.)

Tell me it's okay. I'm addicted. But I also value my muscles' need to repair themselves. Should I do something more low-key and stretchy every other day?

THANKS, as always!

John Briley: Great Q. Okay to yoga everyday but NOT if your muscles are sore when you start a session. Or, to clarify, don't hit the sore muscles with more work until they are not sore. So you could mix up your poses (or maybe you already do) so that you don't hit the same muscle groups hard every day.

Enjoy it!
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Anonymous: I remember at one point reading a very clear explanation, either in this chat or a past column, of what METs are and how knowing the METs of an activity might be useful. I've now forgotten a lot of it and can't find the chat/column, so: What are METs and how is knowing the METs of an activity useful?

Craig Stoltz: Well good morning, nameless aerobic exerciser! Thanks for joining the fun.

This whole MET (short for metabolic equivalent) thing gets messy -- messier than I think it's worth, but that's just me.

One MET is essentially how much energy you use when at complete rest --watching an episode of "House" while prone, for example.

The intensity of aerobic exercises are often described in terms of the number of METs they require, which is to say how many times more energy you're exerting in a given activity compared to just doing nothing.

For instance, moderate walking may be an intensity of 3 or 4 METs; running at a sustainable pace might be 6 METs; playing pickup basketball like Briley does may be at 10 METs or more (though he cheats and, I'm told, sometimes bites, which would be about 11 METs).

Essentially METs are a mathematical way of saying "how many times harder than doing nothing" an exercise is.

This is the kind of stuff exercise physiologists snack on, but it's put into the vocabulary of regular old exercisers like us because some cardio machines report how many METs you're putting out as you walk/run/elliptificate, etc. Here's what you need to know. Higher numbers mean you're humpin' harder. My guess is if the gauge says 8 or 12 your brain/body/skeleton will tell you you're working pretty dang hard without needing to look down at the MET meter.

If your a fitnotweak like me, a heart rate monitor or even the rate of perceived exertion scale (6 is inert; 13 is somewhat hard; 17 is very hard; 20 is prepare-for-gasket-repair procedures) is much more useful way to organize your workout and know you're working hard enough to improve your fitness.

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Costa Mesa, Calif.: I'm what I'd call "casually fit" -- if I write a book it will be called "Six Weeks to Fitness" meaning in six weeks I could be fit but never actually get there -- so that unlike more rigorous friends, at age 55 I still have sound knees, shoulders and back. I've run 3 to 5 K on sidewalks several days a week as part of a workout for a long time but recently started experimenting with a no-impact elliptical trainer at the gym. I am not sure how well the "mileage" and time spent on it compare to regular running in cardio and muscle benefits. Any comments appreciated.

John Briley: Hi Costa Mesa. Thanks for joining today. I wrote a column on maximizing elliptical workouts -- we will post it here soon -- and you can get the same calorie burn, cardio and muscle benefit per minute on the ellip *IF* you push yourself (the column details how). What you don't get is bone benefit -- no impact means no gains in bone density -- but you may not need that urgently (depends on your osteoporosis status) and/or you may get enough from walking and the occasional jog.

Because of that lack of impact, you do have to push harder (from a perceived-exertion standpoint) on the elliptical to get the same benefit, but it's good to mix it up, especially to help preserve knees, etc.

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Cleveland Park, D.C.: I understand that some days I'm going to have better workouts than others simple due to how tired I am, my mood, stress level, etc., but I'm finding that my 30-minute runs on the treadmill at my gym office are a lot more difficult than those I do at Bally's during the weekend or a day off. The only thing I can attribute this to is the age/quality of the equipment (the office gym being inferior - though not substantially so - to Bally's). Can that really make a significant difference?

John Briley: It might, C.P. It also might be partly due to the mental state of trying to squeeze a run in between budget meetings and/or your biorhythms at the time of day you hit either gym.

Much affects this -- hydration, sleep the night before, diet in the prior hours, air quality -- so it would be hard to pin it down without a lot more info.
Bottom line: You're getting the workouts. If your body REALLY resists on some days, it is trying to tell you something. Back down a bit or go for a walk or jog outside, where the fresh air and variable scenery might help your mood more.

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washingtonpost.com: All That Sweat Is No Elliptical Illusion (Post, April 18)

John Briley: For Costa Mesa
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Notre Dame, Ind.: As an avid reader of these chats, I've often heard you espouse the benefits of changing strength training routines to alleviate boredom and break through performance plateaus. I've taken this advice to heart, and usually will change up my workout every 6-8 weeks or so. My question is what if my current routine continues to show performance improvements? I've been using a workout I devised out of suggestions I've heard here; large, compound exercises (e.g. squats, bench press), paying close attention to form, and performing two sets to failure. Ten weeks in and I'm still achieving noticeable strength gains. Is there any reason to switch routines in the face of success?

Craig Stoltz: Hey, Our Lady (that's what Notre Dame means, doesn't it?), thanks for joining, and I'm sure I speak for Briley too when I say we're delighted to hear your following our advice, getting good results and, it appears, not hurting yourself yet (Just joking, of course! We are advocates of safety and injury prevention!).

To your question: No need to change if you are not bored, plateauing or starting to hurt. Periodization (that regular-changing-of-workout thing) can be used to great effect by sophisticated athletic trainers who can help athletes maximize benefits in limited time. But mainly for us mortals that regular change up is for the reasons cited above.

One thought: Overuse injury is always a risk if you do the same thing too long. As soon as you start to feel a lingering small pain in, say, your rotator cuff, that's a good time to think about shifting to a new workout. Your body is starting to tell you to quit doing what you're doing.

Great you're getting results. You're an inspiration, Notre.
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Washington, D.C.: Briley -- I like to lift the weights so I look good 'n' huge. Question is for maximum puffage, three sets of 10 or four sets of eight?

John Briley: Hello D.C.! For "maximum puffage" I recommend 72 boxes of ho-ho's every day. Ha!

I'd say the difference would be negligible, provided you are lifting each set to "failure" (i.e., you couldn't do another rep in proper form) and you lift consistently (two to three sessions per week). Many muscleheads will tell you the four sets at a slightly heavier weight will bulk you out quicker, but the science is conflicting on this. At least a handful of valid studies have found substantial muscle gains from single-set lifting, to failure, with slow "negatives" (lowering of the weight between each rep).

Now that I've so helpfully dispensed this advice, I ask that you please refrain from pummeling me in a kick boxing session -- or on the softball field.
Arlington, Va.: This question might be more suited to an advice column (Hax, can you hear me?)

My mom is 48 years old and overweight (maybe 5 foot 6 and 180-190 pounds). I am not sure how to get her interested in working out. She is willing to diet -- she and my dad have done Atkins, etc. and been successful -- but she is quite unwilling to workout. She would never join a gym, because doing it in public is not an option. I have told her if she even just walked for 30-40 minutes a day that would be a step in the right direction. Her parents died before I was born, and I certainly don't want that to happen for my kids (who don't exist yet).

She makes excuses, and also simply ignores the problem. She has a doctor's visit in a few weeks, so maybe he'll say something to light the fire... We live 40 minutes apart, otherwise I would go and make her go on walks WITH me.

What to do?

Craig Stoltz: Tough one, Arlie. The usual recommendation is to do it with her in a way that makes it fun (like a nature trail walk, or a public garden, or exploring some cool neighborhood) rather than work.

Our own Sally Squires -- no Carolyn Hax, but very good on these topics -- has reported that studies show scare tactics don't work. So that cutaway model of clogged arteries or a picture of a tombstone won't do it.

For what it's worth, the smart money on exercise and diet says one can't work without the other, at least long term.

Losing even 10 pounds feels so good, and lets you enjoy, say, walking so much more. If you could somehow convince her to do that, and walk for even a few weeks, she'll feel the good juice. But, alas. . .

Anybody have advice here for Arlie's inert mom?
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Silver Spring, Md.: So I met some friends for drinks last night and had a couple too many. Will working out today make me feel better or worse?

John Briley: I'll answer this if you promise to post some embarrassing stories from your evening. No? Okay, I'll answer it anyway.

Initially you will feel worse, in part because you are dehydrated from the partying. I don't know all the medical explanation behind a hangover, but I've had them too (gasp!) so I speak from experience.

But (again, experience here) your hangover will recede quicker with a good workout than if you just sat around all day. I believe there is something valid to the "sweat it out" explanation.

Make sure you drink a lot of water -- before, during and after the workout if possible -- and don't push it if you really feel queasy or, especially, lightheaded.

Also, don't expect to match your standard workout performance in this condition.
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Alexandria, Va.: Once I have achieved my desired weight loss, what would you recommend I do to maintain the weight loss? I workout five to six days a week, doing high-intensity cardio five days a week for 30 minutes. Should I cut back on the amount of cardio or switch to low-intensity workouts? Keep my workout schedule the same? I have no desire to lose any more weigh once I've reached my goal even if that means I have to cut back on my workout.

Craig Stoltz: Congrats, Alex. Hitting a goal like that has to be very gratifying. It's one of the hardest acts in show business, and you've done it. Let's have a big Moving Crew round of applause for our friend.

[insert "woooo!" and "you da gal!" and enthused clapping sounds here]

Now: the trick is to find a long-term sustainable workout routine that torches just as many calories as you've been burning off. High intensity cardio (I assume you mean intervals? or fastish tempo runs?) are an acquired taste and frankly few people can commit to doing them forever. If you torch (say) 325 calories per workout now (using the fake/approximate calorie counters on cardio machines), you may find that you can burn the same number by (say) walking briskly for 60 minutes while watching Robin & Co. on Headline News (oops, vice exposed), or listening to Dylan's "Modern Times" you downloaded on your iPod (another one exposed). Or mix jog-and-walk. Or do some rowing to mix things up.

Maintaining the legs muscle you've developed via high intensity cardio is key--if you lose that tissue, you're resting metabolism will drop and your weight will upcreep even if you don't eat more food. So you may want to do strength training two days a week, and some of the slower-burn cardio stuff mentioned above the other days. Anyone else out there have a suggesting on maintaining a goal weight?
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Arlington, Va.: How do I blow the whistle on my gym?

I go to a health club in Alexandria that's falling apart. This week I counted 15 machines that are out of order. Four of the seven stationery bikes don't work. One of the steam rooms has had a sign stating "temporarily out of order" for about eight months now. The track has water damage and there's even a spot marked "Don't step here" because you'll sink right through. The anti-skid rubber on the step benches is peeling off and I once tripped on a corner. I continue to go to the club because I like the classes, but I've noticed lately that if anyone in the offices above goes out for a cigarette, the smoke comes through the club's ventilation system and you breathe it in during the class. A fellow member told me he heard a howl in the locker room one day and found a man had been hit in the head by a locker door that had come off the hinges. Things get marked "out of order" and the signs stay up for months, and for at least a few machines, the entire two years I've been a member. I've asked the management and all they say is, "We're working on it."

I don't know if this is a bad business practice -- I'm not getting what I'm paying for -- or a health code violation. I'd really rather see the club improve rather than join another one. Any advice?

John Briley: Get in management's face a little more forcefully -- writing a letter to a VP, for example, explaining everything you mention here, including contact with "management" -- and tell them you are reporting them to the Better Business Bureau. If you get nothing, sorry to say, start looking around for other gyms.
Execs may care only about the bottom line and if management continues to deliver solid membership numbers, management will be rewarded from on high and will be less inclined to respond to complaints.

This is a highly competitive industry and many other clubs have good classes. Most will give you a free trial for a week or two. I can relate to the feeling of comfort with an established routine but nothing speaks louder than taking your business elsewhere, provided you don't get a response from pestering executives.
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Springfield, Va.: For Arlie's mom...I get advice on health and wellness from "RealAge" twice a week. Recently they wrote that research suggests that if a physician actually wrote out a prescription for exercise (how much, how long, what kind, and why) folks were up to 6 times more likely to do it and follow it. This was for folks 65 and older, but it can't hurt and might help...I have my own physical today and am going to ask for a "prescription" to keep me on target.

Craig Stoltz: Springfield, that's brilliant. I too am a big fan of realage.com. It can really be a wake-up call -- and a great set of tools to help people move forward.
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Arlington, Va.: Hi,

My husband and I are over 40 and we usually eat right and exercise at least five days a week. But we would like to lose about 10 pounds just to be at our desirable weight. We've never dieted but that diet (it doesn't seem like a typical diet book to me) book by Dr. Ian Smith from VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" looks good. Have you seen it and is it like other popular diets, since we're not familiar with other diets?

Craig Stoltz: Anybody know about the diet being offered by the impossibly telegenic Dr. Ian Smith? (I suspect he has some street cred, since he's one of Men's Health's advisors.)
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Washington, D.C.: Just to expand on your brief note: You can adjust body weight to make them as challenging as you want. One-armed push-ups are an extreme. But if you can't do them (I can't), try putting one hand in a normal position and the other way out front or wide, or on a basketball, so it's just assisting. Put your feet up higher to use more shoulders. An extreme would be a handstand push-up, with (or even without!) feet balanced against the wall -- I can't do that either. Go out to the local school yard and do some pull-ups. Then hook your ankles on the monkey bars (so your body is parallel to the ground and you are facing up) and do reverse push ups. Do some hanging leg lifts. With a little creativity, you can replicate almost any gym exercise.

John Briley: Good stuff, D.C. NOVICES BEWARE - work on perfecting form with the easy stuff before moving on to some of these moves.
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Suburban Mom: Great article today on bodyweight exercising!! This has been my secret weapon in the fight against weight gain. Since I started staying home with a young child, I just can't get out to the gym or do videos uninterrupted anymore. So instead, I've been doing push-ups, modified pull-ups, and crunches at the playground. Try doing "hindu squats" or "dive-bomber push-ups" for a real challenge. You DON'T need gadgets or a pricey gym membership to lose fat and get strong. Keep up the great writing!
Craig Stoltz: SubMom, that's great advice. If you can do "dive bombers" (you sort of start from what our yogic friends would consider a downward-facing dog, then swoop down low, nearly grazing your chin on the ground and bringing your hips low, and swoop back up) you are in good shape indeed.
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Boise, Idaho: I am having a terrible time with the IT bands on both legs and have tried just about everything (new shoes, resting, stretching) to try to ease the pain. I hate not being able to run but it has been over a year and they are not getting any better. Any suggestions?

Craig Stoltz: Two words, Boise: Sports doc. The illitoband (aka IT band) runs along the outside of the thigh and knee and helps stabilize that all important knee joint. It can get irritated, stretched, overused and all sorts of bad stuff. Don't mess with it solo.

A good sports doc will tell you if a focused rehab might get you back on the road. If not, welcome to the world of those of us who cannot run outdoors and have to choose our cardio very carefully.

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Washington, D.C.: To Arlington, Va.: Unfortunately, your mom's doctor may not say much about the shape that she is in. My best advice would be to take her on a scenic walk -- nothing strenuous -- and explain to her exactly what you just said (that you want her to be around for grandkids, that you love her and want her to be healthy, etc.) She may think all your fitness-talk is just nagging, unless you present it in a way that shows your motivation behind it. Good luck.

Craig Stoltz: Very Hax-ian advice (when she's feeling nicer). Excellent, and thanks for the help.
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Arlington, Va.: I used to be a pretty good athlete (runner) in high school - but that was 10 years ago. Now I can't get the motivation up to get back in shape. Every time I go work out its painful (physically and psychologically). How do I motivate myself to get over this and just get out there?

John Briley: This is a classic issue, Arlington, based in the fear (conscious or otherwise) that you'll never replicate your old glory so why bother even going for it?

Here's my take: We've got 80 or 90 years here if we're lucky, and physical play is just too damn fun to relegate to only a brief period of life. So while you might not set 50-meter sprint or high-jump records in your 40s or 50s you can still find a tennis match, basketball game, bike ride, etc. to release some tension and get your thrills.

If high school was 10 years ago, you're still young enough that maybe you WILL set some records once you return to shape.

Now, to the workout part: Start slow, with no preconceptions or lofty expectations, and make it fun. Gyms are boring to a lot of us, so maybe take your jog up to a park or a trail. Join a local team. This area has so many rec leagues -- flag football, ultimate Frisbee, softball, rowing, etc. etc. -- and most are friendly with at least some room for deconditioned people. Getting back into a competitive setting, however informal, will help re-motivate you.
Set realistic goals -- like "run a 5K by Thanksgiving" -- and train for it. DO NOT expect to be running marathons in 3 months. That will lead to disappointment.

Just establish an exercise habit, without focusing on immediate physical results, and build from there.

Does this help?
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Columbia, Md.: How many push-ups can you do at one time? What is considered good?

Craig Stoltz: Answer to your first question is "one more than Briley."

The second is: According to the American College of Sports Medicine norming data, you're average if you're a guy between 24 and 29 and can do over 30; over 19-23 if you're 30-39; 13-18 if you're up to 49.

Above average for 20 to 29 is 30 pushups and above. If you're 50 to 59, above average is over 14.

Remember this: These figures assume PERFECT FORM. That means: back straight, neither butt-pointing nor back-swagging; two seconds up and four seconds down; at bottom, less than one fist between your sternum and the floor.

I see people humpin' and bangin' and pumpin' out rep after bad rep and think they've done 25 (say) pushups. Those aren't pushups. Those are a cry for help.
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College Park, Md.: I used a rowing machine for the first time the other day. Do you guys give it a thumbs up or thumbs down? Does it work the arms as well as the back?

John Briley: Huge thumbs up for these C.P. I have asked our host to dig up a column I did on these last year. If he cannot get it by the time we sign off, check the Concept 2 Web site (www.concept2.com) for tips on proper form, which is important both for fitness and injury-prevention.

Great, all-body workouts, and yes, works arms, back, legs, core...
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Bethesda, Md.: I'm running a leg of a marathon relay in a few weeks so I've been working out a lot. However lately the outside of my left foot has begun to hurt. Is there anything I can do to stretch it out? Could it possibly be from my running shoes?

John Briley: It could. Also could be due to ramping up training too quickly. Not sure about stretches or shoes but check with a qualified running store - like Fleet Feet - regarding the shoes, and PLEASE rest it until it feels better. Then come back gingerly. It should recover in a few days and will give you time to resume training in time for the race.

As we say often, do not train through pain. You will regret it later.

Good luck!
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N. Va., Ab Help!: Hi Crew,

Abs...how do I target the "love handle" area? I seem to be tightening and building my muscles in my upper ab region, while the love handle area seems to be getting worse? Could I be causing this by the type of crunches I'm doing? How do I target this region?

Thanks!

Craig Stoltz: Ya can't. You can strengthen the oblique muscles that are along the side of your core, but you can't make the flab go away in that specific spot.

We're nearly out of time, but look up "Saxon side bends" on the Web (Men's Health has a good demo). That targets obliques. More challenging is the side bridge (more of a core exercise).
But to really strengthen your core, do exercises that target the deep sheath of muscle that surrounds your torso, called the transversus abdominus. Bicycle style crunches do that; so do vertical planks. If an ab exercise makes your whole core tremble, you're probably waking up your transversus.
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last note on speed workouts: I'm a new runner (only started two years ago). With the help of speed workouts, I've dropped my average 10K pace from 9:00/mile to 7:40/mile, and my 5K pace to 7:30/mile.

John Briley: Excellent! Nicely done.
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Inert mom: No amount of nagging will make her exercise on her own. She has to decide on her own to exercise. Usually, that happens to a scary wake-up call, e.g. a doctor telling her that her cholesterol is too high or that she has hypertension and is a major candidate for a heart attack.

A colleague of mine didn't start exercising until his doctor told him he had to start taking blood pressure medication -- and my friend was only 29 years old!


Craig Stoltz: Hey, you guys are good. Thanks again. Arlie, will you report back next chat and let us know if mom's made any headway? It's sort of like the Crew has adopted her.
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washingtonpost.com: Rowing Against the Current of Fitness Habits (Post, Nov. 15)

Craig Stoltz: here ya go
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Maryland and Plastic Exercise Suits: Please address these plastic exercise suits. I see people running and walking in these suits thinking they are doing something good. I even saw a parent who had his son in one. I see what I thought were reputable fitness companies selling these outfits. What are the benefits of wearing a plastic suits? Who should wear them, adults or children? Why do people wear plastic suits?

Craig Stoltz: They are stupid, misled, wrong and bad.

I used to use one of those when I was in high school on the wrestling team and had to "make weight" every week (119 lbs as a junior, same height as I am now. Har!). It was a way to drip off an extra pound or two.

Anyone who does that now is a fool and is courting injury and, maybe, serious illness. Tell them I said that. Tell them I said to cut it out, now. Tell them Briley is my enforcer.
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Chicago: Last year I worked out with a trainer for eight months. Even though my butt was firmer and I felt stronger, I got bored and decided to do it on my own. You know the rest of the story. So now I'm trying to build a fitness routine with stuff I love to do ( I never liked lifting weights, just the results). So, I am swimming three days a week for 90 minutes with a master's swim club, something I've loved to do since I was a kid. I am also walking briskly three days a week, 45 to 60 minutes. Is this enough? I am a 49-year-old woman and I need to lose 30 pounds to be at a BMI that will make my heart happy. Thanks!

John Briley: That should be enough exercise from a muscle and cardio standpoint. To lose weight, your caloric burn from those activities MUST exceed what you consume, ideally by about 250-300 calories per day.
So if you are finding that the pounds are fading, keep it up. If not, dial back on your calories AND consider adjusting WHAT you eat, not just how much. Sally Squires' Lean Plate Club chat at 1 p.m. might help.
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Rockville, Md.: Thanks for today's column. In addition to push-ups and squats -- what other exercises should I do to be sure I am building muscle? Are those two exercises sufficient? I hate weights and would prefer to do all of my strength training at home and preferably with little equipment. Thanks.

washingtonpost.com: Pumping Without the Iron (Post, Sept. 26)

Craig Stoltz: Add planks, side planks, lunges and any variety of crunch you feel like. That's all a good start.
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Washington, D.C.: What is a good number of push-ups for women?

John Briley: However many you can do in proper form. Women definitely have a harder time with these (in general). You can start with modified push ups, from your knees and hands -- those are easier.,
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Gaithersburg, Md.: I've started walking to and from work. It's 4.5 miles each way. I do the 4.5 miles five to six times a week. Is this enough exercise? I guess I'm afraid I won't ever get off this weight plateau I've been on for the last two years!

Craig Stoltz: Turn up the intensity, not the distance, to get yourself off a plateau.

Even if it's just doing (favorite fitness word alert!) fartleks, where you say to yourself, All right, I'm going to walk really fast (or jog) to the next phone pole, and then recover your breath, and then say okay, I'm going to really push it up to that For Sale sign that's been out for months because those clowns don't realize the market has softened, and then recover, and so on.
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Washington, D.C.: I have developed Achilles tendonitis, but am in the middle of training for (separately) a marathon and 25 mile bike race. I am taking this week off from my usual regime of running and biking. I tried to recumbent bike with just my left leg, but no success (it put way to much stress on my left leg in a way that I am sure would only serve to injure that appendage). Short of swimming, I need advice of how I can continue to get a cardio workout without involving my right ankle. Thank you!!

John Briley: Tough one D.C. You could do circuit weight training -- avoiding that ankle of course -- with enough speed and vigor to get your heart rate up, but really I'd suggest just laying off until you figure out how to address that injury.

Your cardio fitness will not deteriorate significantly in a week or two (or even three) and it is more important to get that sucker healed than to worry about skipping a few workouts.
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John Briley: Out of time people. Thanks for joining us today. Come on back in two weeks -- Oct. 10 -- for more of the same.

Yours in Fun Fitness,

The Moving Crew
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Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.

Washingtonpost.com, by Craig Stoltz, John Briley, Susan Morse, Byline: Craig Stoltz, John Briley and Susan Morse COPYRIGHT Washingtonpost Newsweek Interactive & Gale Group