Gretchen Reynolds

New Mexico

Health columnist focusing on exercise science and fitness

Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, English Literature and Political Science

Gretchen Reynolds is the author of the "Your Move" column for The Washington Post. Reynolds is an award-winning journalist who has been writing about the science of exercise and health for more than 15 years, first at the New York Times and now at The Post. Reynolds joined The Post after 16 years writing for the New York Times, where she created the popular "Phys Ed" column, which focused on exercise advice and the science of movement. One of her best-known stories was about a hotel-room workout developed by two exercise scientists. She dubbed it "the scientific 7-minute workout," and it beca
Latest from Gretchen Reynolds

Exercising to lose weight? Science says it rarely works.

A metabolism researcher dispels myths about how we burn calories and how this changes as we age.

November 27, 2024
(Tierney L. Cross for The Washington Post)

Inside your body, aging unfolds at remarkably different rates

New research shows aging is not a uniform process. Parts of our bodies start aging earlier than others, right down to our organs and cells.

November 25, 2024

Your standing desk isn’t making you any healthier

A large new study found that standing for more than two hours a day doesn’t protect against the cardiovascular risks of too much sitting.

November 8, 2024

5 stretches to test your flexibility. (It may help you live longer.)

People with the stiffest joints — especially women — were substantially more likely to die prematurely than people with greater flexibility.

September 16, 2024

Miss the Olympics? Try these Olympic workouts at home.

Four Olympic or Paralympic athletes share home workouts to improve your fitness.

August 14, 2024
(Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post)

Want to start an Olympic sport later in life? Here’s where to start.

Tara Parker-Pope and Gretchen Reynolds answered your fitness questions in our weekly Well+Being chat.

August 8, 2024

U.S. wins silver in artistic swimming, ending 20-year medal drought

After a three-night competition, the Americans finished behind China and edged out bronze medalist Spain.

August 7, 2024
The American team — from left, Anita Alvarez, Jaime Czarkowski, Megumi Field, Keana Hunter, Audrey Kwon, Jacklyn Luu, Daniella Ramirez, Ruby Remati — celebrate with the silver medal.

How sprinter Gabby Thomas, other Olympic athletes improve their sleep

Jet lag and anxiety are just some of the obstacles athletes face when trying to get to sleep. Here’s how they overcome them.

August 6, 2024

Did swimming in the Seine make athletes sick? Here’s what we know.

Two Olympic triathlon swimmers dropped out of the mixed relay competition due to illness, although the cause hasn’t been confirmed.

August 5, 2024
Athletes dive into the Seine to compete in the swimming portion of the mixed relay triathlon on Monday.

How synchronized swimming became a contact sport

The sport has a new name -- artistic swimming -- as well as more muscular athletes and more risky tricks.

August 4, 2024