Millions practice the same New Year’s ritual of making the infamous resolution to exercise. And most realize that New Year’s good intentions typically don’t last more than a couple of weeks.

“2004 may be different,” says Phil Campbell, M.S., M.A. 51, a Senior Games and masters track & field athlete who is frequently quoted in fitness magazines. “This year we have new research that shows us the most effective form of exercise for adults, especially middle-age adults,” says Campbell, “and when people see results the probability goes up that they’ll stick with their resolution to exercise.”

What’s the most effective form of exercise Campbell is talking about? It’s not your grandmother’s walk around the block. It’s anaerobic exercise--a step-up from the steady-pace cardio you’ve been hearing about for years. It doesn’t take as long, but it’s more intense.

“Researchers show we can unleash exercise-induced growth hormone release with 10 to 30 seconds of higher intensities of exercise,” says Campbell. “The most powerful body-fat-cutting, muscle-toning, anti-aging substance known in science, growth hormone, is produced by the body with this type of exercise,” he explains.

Running, cycling, swimming, cross country skiing, and power walking can be made to be anaerobic if the intensity is raised to a level where it gets you “good-and-winded,” says Campbell. He recommends eight repetitions of some type of sprinting exercise lasting 10 to 30 seconds with a 1½ minute rest in-between.

If your favorite form of exercise is capable of getting you winded quickly, Campbell says that this is “anaerobic” and capable of reaching the growth hormone release benchmarks cited in the research.

CURE FOR THE MIDDLE AGE SPREAD?

The middle-age spread has an official name, “the somatopause.” And it’s directly related to the way the body produces growth hormone, explains Campbell. The middle-age somatopause is signified by energy decline, weight-gain (around the middle, and hips), loss of muscle, and wrinkled skin after age 30.

Campbell says that exercising to release growth hormone is the natural way to beat the middle-age spread. However, he cautions that physician clearance is a must and a progressive build-up of high-intensity exercise is necessary to prevent injury. “Anaerobic exercise is the most beneficial form of exercise, but also the most dangerous.”

Will the next fitness fad be the sprinting types of exercise Campbell describes? He says the trend is catching on fast, except “Ready Set Go Fitness Workout isn’t a fad because once people try it, they feel it, and know this program is the real deal!”

Phil Campbell is the author of Ready Set Go Synergy Fitness for Time-Crunched Adults,

368-pages, 300 photo-illustrations, $19.95, Pristine Publishers.

http://www.ReadySetGoFitness.com

Links to Research cited - NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

“The exercise-induced secretion of GH plays a significant role in the regulation of fatty acid metabolism.”  (“Acute exposure to GH during exercise stimulates the turnover of free fatty acids in GH-deficient men,” Kanaley JA, J. Applied Physiology 2003 Oct 31)  NIH Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_ui

ds=14594860&dopt=Abstract  

“Aging is often associated with a progressive decrease in the volume and, especially, the intensity of exercise. A growing body of evidence suggests that higher intensity exercise is effective in eliciting beneficial health, well-being and training outcomes. In a great many cases, the impact of some of the deleterious effects of aging could be reduced if exercise focused on promoting exercise produced growth hormone,” (“The exercise-induced growth hormone response in athletes,” Godfrey, Sports Med. 2003 ;33(8):599-613.2003)   NIH link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_ui

ds=12797841&dopt=Abstract  

To interview Phil Campbell, call (731) 660-3333

email http://www.ReadySetGoFitness.com