Unless you haven't read a health magazine or Website in more than a decade, you know how important weight training is for your health. Pumping iron is a proven way to burn calories, build and preserve bone density, muscle up your curves, add some zip to your metabolism and even prevent heart disease.

The latest way to hit the weights is by ''HIT''ting the weight. HIT -- high-intensity training -- calls for you to push yourself to a near-maximum effort on every repetition of every set. You do relatively few sets (about 10), use relatively heavy weights and take as little rest as possible between sets. You stick with very simple, very straightforward exercises and use machines, free weights or a combination of the two.

As the name more than implies, HIT is an intense form of weight training. You'll have to work hard, but the payoffs are big: You'll get results quicker than with milder forms of strength training. In fact, combined with a sensible eating plan and regular, calorie-burning aerobic exercise, HIT can reshape your body in as little as six to eight weeks. (Timing of your results may vary depending on your starting point, your genetics and how much effort you put into your overall fitness plan.)

If you've been weight training for at least three months, consider giving HIT a try. Here are the rules and some suggested HIT workouts:

• Overload. Every repetition should be a challenge, so don't wimp out on the amount of weight you use. Choose a weight that makes you feel pooped by the end of 10 repetitions. Once you can do that weight with good form, up the weight. Don't slack off as you move through your exercises: Take only as much rest as you need and not one second more. Typically that means no more than 90 seconds between sets. If you're not pooped by the end of the workout, you're not pushing yourself hard enough.