Rolling Fitness Fascists 2011

Hope no one minds me starting one for 2011.

We have some good bodysculpting/cardio kickboxing at work (among other lunchtime classes) that I'm hooked on, but I tweaked my knee (probably my MCL) some time ago and have been reluctant to shut myself down (and my doctor didn't say I should shut myself down, either). I've been doing light adductor/abductor exercises, but no squats of any kind because my knee flares up with those. Any additional thoughts (usual caveats on dispensing/receiving internet advice here)?

A few years ago I had knee pains I assumed were MCL-related, but it turned out they were the result of my having torn the hamstring of that leg a few too many times; I was getting referred pain in the knee and hip as a result. Leg curls and related exercises have helped a lot, also stretching.

Of course your situation could be quite different. Depending on your diagnosis, you might consider working with a physical therapist, especially if you have insurance that covers that -- for me, the educational value was as big a benefit as the relief from pain.

Doing energetic kicks and footwork requires good stability and mobility in the ankles, knees, and hips. I've never done cardio kickboxing, but I've observed some classes that looked very rough on the joints. In traditional martial arts, students are usually led through a progression of static postures, slow movements, and faster repetitions of simple moves before they do anything that requires switching rapidly between different combinations of fast movements. Depending on your interests, you might want to try other cardio workouts and/or other martial arts training.