This article of mine was published in the May 2007 issue of Great Lakes Fitness Extreme Magazine, but it's worth bringing up as I see the herd of "newbies" (with their New Year's resolutions) wasting time working out in the gym.

Sometimes it's not so much what you do, but how you do it that makes the difference.  This is especially true with exercise.  The more intense the exercise, the more response your body will have to it.

Have you ever noticed people that workout day-after-day and year-after-year, yet never make any significant changes to their physique?  They complain of being unable to lose weight or gain muscle and blame it on irrepressible "bad genes."  What they don't understand is that they will not experience significant results from always repeating the same old exercise routine. 

Our bodies adapt to whatever stimulus it is subjected to.  In order to elicit change in your physique you must modify what you are doing with your workouts.  This is best achieved by embracing a program of high-intensity training. 

Exercise intensity is defined as the level of activity obtained when exercising (or % of maximum heart rate). High-intensity exercise at 85% - 90% of your heart rate trains your heart to become stronger, more efficient, and will allow your heart to pump more blood during each muscle contraction.  This type of exercise promotes a higher lactate tolerance that will improve your endurance and help you avoid fatigue. Bodybuilders translate that into more repetitions, more sets, and a greater pump.

What's amazing is that high-intensity training boosts your body's production of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).  DHEA is a steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands that acts much like testosterone.  DHEA  is considered the "mother hormone" and is the precursor to testosterone, estrogen, and other hormones.

Blood levels of DHEA decline with age; this is the natural process of the body. Peak DHEA production is usually reached in the mid-20's. In general, there is a steady decline of 2% each year from the early 30's until age 75 and older, when the level of DHEA is about 5% of maximum.

You can combat this decline by throwing away your monotonous exercise program and moving toward a fresh, high-intensity routine.  Patricia Kroboth observes in the Journal of Pharmacology, Volume 39: "When exercising at 80% maximal heart rate, DHEA increased 1.4 times and while exercising at maximal heart rate the DHEA increased 4 times their original concentrations."

In other words, move it or lose it!

Female athletes rejoice. By training at a high level of intensity you will boost your DHEA and testosterone naturally within your body's limits and without any adverse side effects (manliness) as seen with anabolic steroids.

Increased levels of DHEA will promote muscle growth, lower body fat, promote longevity, and increase sexual performance and drive. It's like growing younger, more vibrant, and sexy. Now who wouldn't want that?

That's not all. High intensity-training will promote optimal cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity (which can help prevent diabetes), lower cortisol, and improve stress management.

The American Heart Association recently cited research showing that high intensity exercise can significantly lower your risk of heart disease.  "The harder one exercises ... the lower the risk of heart disease," says lead researcher Dr. I-Min Lee, M.B.B.S.,Sc.D., associate professor at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School.

Beyond the physical health benefits of high intensity training, there is astounding evidence that it can even make you smarter.  Several studies show that DHEA improves memory, mental clarity, mental capacity, and responsiveness.

Those who engage in this type of exercise also report that it helps them increase their sense of purpose, ambition, and self-confidence. With all these powerful traits you can achieve success through many aspects of life.

One of the most effective and efficient ways to increase the intensity of your workout is by hill sprinting.  This can be simulated on a treadmill by increasing the grade to 10% or more.  Forget that unchallenging, flat treadmill - crank the grade up and make your motor work.  The use of interval training, circuit training, plyometrics, and powerlifting are also excellent choices.

Whatever form of exercise you choose, do it to the best of your ability. Always use controlled lifting speeds and strict form, paying special attention to avoid bouncing, jerking, or yanking of the weights or machine during exercise.  Lift the weights smoothly but at a natural pace.  Peak, hold, and descend when near exhaustion, doing static holds and negative reps (slowly lowering the weight) to further exhaust the muscles exercised.

In life you have two options: you can take a passive approach and allow your body to naturally degrade, slow down, and see diminishing returns.  Or, you can "take the bull by its horns" and grow younger with high-intensity training added to your routine to radically improve your health and fitness levels.

I strongly suggest the latter of the two.  GO FOR IT!