Q. I'm a 5-foot-11 woman and constantly have a hard time finding women's exercise clothes that fit, especially shorts. Where do other tall women get their workout clothes?     — C.B.

A. Sunny Smallwood, assistant coach of the University of Washington women's basketball team, checked with her players. The consensus? "They all buy MEN's shorts! They're the only ones long enough!" They shop at most athletic stores, often looking for "the more feminine-looking men's shorts," although Lady Footlocker and Nike have shorts in "Long" sizes. Kellie O'Neill said for nice shorts she goes to the Gap and Nordstrom Rack. Kirsten Brockman said the downtown Seattle store Tall Girl (1529 Sixth Ave.; 206-262-1985) was a good source for something "cut."

A few other possibilities I found: www.columnclothing.com and www.tallwomen.com.

Fitness news you can use Grants for women The Women's Sports Foundation and RYK footwear company have established a $50,000 grant pool for women 25 and older to support programs and organizations that combine fitness activities and health education and/or serve women recovering from health and emotional challenges. The RYK Women's Fitness Grant is available via www.WomensSportsFoundation.org, or by calling the foundation at 800-227-3988. Deadline for applications is Aug. 15. Swimming online Free daily swimming workouts by Masters swim coaches are posted at the United States Masters Swimming Web site, www.usms.org. One-hour "L.A. Workouts" by Bonnie Adair and Clay Evans, co-founders of Southern California Aquatic Masters Swimming Club, offers eight to 10 different sessions each day, varying by theme (Distance Free, Mid-distance Free, Quality Free, Individual Medley, Stroke). "Out of the Box and Into the Pool," by Mo Chambers of Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club in Goleta, Calif., are "creative workouts for the improving swimmer." Michael Collins, chairman of the USMS coaches' committee, offers "Swimming Practice With Purpose," which follows the workout plan of the Irvine Novaquatics, emphasizing stroke mechanics with programs for rookies to advanced swimmers.

Bullworker successor

Q. I'm a fan of the Bullworker and wonder if you've seen any similar products that might interest me.     — G.T.

A. The Tolanizer reminds me of a cross between a Bullworker and one of those oscillating BodyBlades. A bar gripped at each end, the Tolanizer has steel springs on either side of a weight in the middle. The user jiggles the weight back and forth along a bar against the springs. Velocity, momentum and tension make a weight become equivalent to as much as 40 pounds of oscillating force. The maker, Dan Tolan Industries, claims the Tolanizer can deliver cardiovascular benefits as well as develop, tone and maintain major mid- and upper-body muscle groups, working them together instead of isolating them as on some weight machines. They're $39.95 to $69.95 (depending on weight). For more information, including a video demonstration, go to www.worldexercisers.com or 773-779-4060.

Nutrition-oriented M.D.s

Q. On The Larry King Show, Dr. Andrew Weil told about the 11 medical schools that teach their students how to be nutritional doctors in addition to being medical doctors. But he did not say where they are located. Can you find out?     — R.L.

A. I think you're referring to the Consortium of Academic Health Centers in Integrative Medicine, which was founded by Weil two years ago. Members include the universities of Arizona, Minnesota, Maryland, Michigan and California-San Francisco, as well as Harvard, Georgetown, Duke, Columbia, Albert Einstein (also in New York City) and Jefferson (in Philadelphia) universities. Other schools are in line to join in the next year or so, I'm told. For more information, you can contact Dr. Weil through his staff at office@x9ranch.com.

Finding, borrowing videos

Q. I saw a TV morning program a couple of weeks ago that featured the success stories of a bunch of military wives using an exercise video, "Jorge Cruise: 8 Minutes In The Morning." I've called all the major outlets without a hint of success or recognition of the title. Help!     — M.M.

Q. Where is a good local store to buy fitness videos? Is there any place that rents them so you can try before you buy?     — L.Z.

A. Although hundreds of exercise videos exist, it's often hard to find the ones you're looking for at stores; the demand must not be enough to warrant stocking a wide selection. Readers: If you let me know of local stores with noteworthy supplies, I'll share that information in a future column.

Mail order or the Internet seems to be the norm for exercise-video purchases nowadays, with www.collagevideo.com being perhaps the source with the largest supply. You can find lots of Jorge Cruise products at www.jorgecruise.com.

Libraries often have exercise videos for loan, although they're typically not the very latest ones.

Stretchy bands

Finally, physical therapist assistant Kathy Moriarty Snyder took friendly issue with my equating of surgical tubing with flat, stretchy latex strips such as Thera-Bands, used in resistance workouts.

"I have instructed hundreds of clients in the use of Thera-Band over 17 years," she wrote. "Surgical tubing is too stiff and difficult for most to begin with, especially for upper extremities. Thera-Band comes in five different colors and strengths. We usually cut off a couple of feet and add loops or handles to attach to a door and grip onto. It can always be shortened to give more resistance as the exerciser progresses."