Exercise Vigorously for 4 Seconds. Repeat. Your Muscles May Thank You.

Gretchen Reynolds - I write the popular "Phys Ed" column for The New York Times, which posts online as part of the "Well" blog and also appears in the print edition of the paper's "Science Times." The column regularly is among the week's most emailed stories and several columns have been among the most viewed and most emailed stories of the year at nytimes.com.

I also write for a variety of other publications, including The New York Times Magazine, O: The Oprah Magazine, Men's Journal, Outside, Parade, Popular Science, and others. I've won a number of awards for my writing and reporting, including two National Magazine Award nominations and one shared win in the Personal Service category.

Currently, I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with my husband, an artist, and our teenaged soccer player/swimmer/track sprinter/freestyle skier. I'm also a committed if slowing athlete, with two marathons, a dozen century bike rides, many mountain bike races and a number of Fun Runs under my belt. Nowadays, though, I lose the Fun Runs to my son.