Byline: KARL HENRY
AGED 22, I sat in an exam hall in Smurfit Business School, stressed and unhealthy. I had taken out a [euro]10,000 loan to pay for the course and as I sat there, shaking from stress, I had a 'moment' where I looked at my life. I reflected on the course I was doing and realised that it wasn't for me. I stood up, walked to the dean's office and told him that I wouldn't be coming back. I had a plan in my mind and needed to get home to put it all down on paper. More than that, my gut instinct told me that this was the right way to go.
I went home, registered Karl Henry Personal Training, got out a large sheet of paper and began to plan how I was going to get my business off the ground. My long-term goal was to have a bestselling fitness book. I gave myself five years to achieve this -- and this is year six as I write. I broke my goals down into monthly targets for the number of clients I'd have, then media articles that I wanted to do and various other things. These all acted as building blocks towards further goals. I haven't told you my story to massage my ego, but to show you that with the right planning anything can be achieved, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If you're reading this, your goal is to get fit, so get that pen and paper out and let's get you to that goal. Are you ready? Today, in the first extract from my new book, I'm going to bust the myths about getting fit and tell you how to set up your own home gym.
THE whole area of fitness and health is clouded in false facts that do nothing but confuse, so let's look at some of the myths that are out there and see if there's any truth in them:
MUSCLE IS HEAVIER THAN FAT
THIS is one thing that comes up all the time when I lecture around the country and I am afraid that it is indeed a myth -- 1 pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as 1 pound of fat. What is different is the density of the two. The next time you are in your butcher's, ask him for 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat -- you'll be amazed, the fat looks so much bigger as there is more mass; the muscle is smaller and denser, yet they both weigh a pound!
actly the same as 1 pound of fat. What is different is the density of the two. The next time you are in your butcher's, ask him for 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat -- you'll be muscle is smaller and denser, yet they It is also true that muscle cannot turn into fat or visa versa. Muscle that isn't used becomes soft, it simply loses its tone. Fat may begin to store close to that area because of a poor diet and lack of activity, but they are two very different entities. When you exercise, the fat will begin to disappear and the muscle will become more toned.
WEIGHTS WILL MAKE YOU BULKY
THIS is another preconception on the market, especially amongst women who feel that by touching a weight, they will develop huge muscles. Weights done correctly will not make you bigger or develop big muscles. Higher repetition workouts, such as the ones in this book, will tone and sculpt your muscles like no other workout, giving you a firm, toned body. Keeping the weights light will ensure that you keep that feminine shape that you want to work towards. When thinking of weight workouts, women often think of the scary, grunting men in the local gyms who hog the mirrors and lift big weights, this, I am glad to say, is not something you have to do! Leave those men to massage their egos by doing the wrong technique and follow my plans to get you into great shape.
CARDIOVASCULAR WORKOUTS ALONE ARE THE BEST WAY TO LOSE FAT
While running, walking and cycling will help to burn fat and calories, the best way to lose fat is through a combination of three things: a good diet, resistance workouts and cardiovascular workouts. This combination will give you the best results of your life, rather than concentrating on just one element on its own.
All too often, your local gym programme will consist of just cardiovascular work on a machine, this has nothing to do with the benefits of the machine, it simply means that the gym staff don't have to work with you as much, and can leave you on your own. To get the best results, you need to add in the resistance workouts, so no more pure cardio sessions in the gym!
YOU CAN SPOT REDUCE ONE AREA
Your body is an amazing machine that can adapt to any environment. It cannot, however, specifically reduce weight from one area. No matter what marketing jargon you read, I am here to tell you it simply cannot be done. Your body will dictate where the weight loss occurs, all you can do is ensure you do full body workouts that work every body part so that you lose weight and inches all over.
SIT-UPS WILL GIVE YOU A FLAT STOMACH
This is one of my favourites, again it This is one of my favourites, again it is a total myth. We all have a six-pack, you, me and every other person out there. What makes us all different is the layer of fat that covers it. Guess what? All those hundreds of sit-ups will strengthen your abdominal muscles if you are weak there, but will do absolutely nothing to shift that fat around your waist -- nothing at all. Eating the right food and cardiovascular sessions are the key ways to shift that muffin top, not sit-ups! In fact, if you overdo your sit-ups, you can make your waist wider and thicker as the muscle just begins to expand.
EATING LESS WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
An all too common reason that people don't exercise, or tend to fall off the wagon when they have started, is that they stop losing weight. No matter what they do, it simply will not shift! This is one of the most frustrating parts of weight loss. Let's look at why this happens. Your body adapts itself to the environment that it finds itself in. If you sit all day, your body will adapt to that, if you are active, it will adapt to that too. But here is the catch, your body has a rate of adaptation. What this means is that you will rapidly adapt to a new environment in the first few weeks, but, after a couple of weeks, you'll see less and less change.
Ever wonder why people recommend that you change your gym plan every six weeks? This is the reason. Your body will adapt to a new programme very quickly but after four weeks, there really is very little adaptation. Most people don't change their plan and stop going to the gym as they aren't seeing any results. When I train with my clients, every session is different -- no two sessions the same. This means that their bodies are constantly adapting and it is one of the reasons why my results are so good with my clients.
By changing your programmes on a session or weekly basis, you will see much faster results, and you will stop the weight plateau that causes so much grief. Aim to change your routes every week for your walks, etc. because if you continue to do the same route, you won't be seeing any changes! Sometimes bodies hold on to weight for a few weeks for no reason, then continue to lose it again after that, I have seen this time and time again and here persistence is key. Just keep working hard, keep eating the right food and you will lose weight.
In one instance, a client that I was working with had failed to lose weight for two weeks, despite being put on a low-calorie diet of 1,200 calories by a nutritionist. The nutritionist who was working with her insisted that she reduce her calorie intake even further to 600 calories per day. I knew that this wouldn't work and recommended that she actually increase her calorie intake. We agreed to try both methods.
After the week of the low calorie diet, the client had, again, lost no weight. After the week returning to a normal calorie consumption of around 1,800 calories, the client shifted 3 pounds, a result that was baffling to everyone but me.
Your body has a self-protection mechanism, if it feels that it is being underfed, then it will hold on to weight to protect itself. It generally will hold on to fat as fat has more calories and is a better source of insulation than protein.
If your calorie intake is too low in your diet, then this is what may happen.
By increasing the calories to a normal intake, the body's metabolism returned and, hey presto, the client lost weight.
It may sound very strange but in order to lose weight healthily, you need to eat plenty of food, just the right food! The lesson to learn from this is the fact that if your weight does stabilise, try to change your workout, persist with your food and if you are eating too little, then increase your intake of healthy food.
Real Results With Karl Henry, published by Blackwater Press at [euro]19.99, is in shops now. www.karlhenry.ie
SETTING UP YOUR OWN GYM
MORE and more people are putting gyms into their homes, providing a convenient way to ensure that they get their workouts done. However, often these machines end up being nothing but glorified clothes horses, gathering dust and getting sold a few years later for a fraction of the price that was originally paid for them! Here is my guide for you to ensure that your home gym doesn't end up just gathering dust: If you are going to spend the money putting a gym in, then let's make sure that you put the right type in. I have walked into the home gym of many of my new clients to see that they have bought machines that they didn't need, or will ever use. Home gyms don't need to be complicated -- you don't even need that many machines! Let's take a look at exactly what you need.
First, you need to decide where you want to put your gym. There is no point buying too much equipment and cramming the room so that you have no space to work out! or if you place the gym in a room that you don't like, you won't use it! For example, if you put a machine in an outhouse then when it's cold or it rains, you will decide to stay by the fire. Choose a room that the equipment will fit in to, that you like using and that has a television.
Chances are you will use the machine if you can watch a match or the news or your favourite programme.
The next thing you need to decide is who will be using it and what type of training they will be doing.
If you have knee problems, there is obviously no point in getting a treadmill! It is essential that you get equipment that suits your needs; great equipment is no use if you can not use it.
If you have tried a machine in the gym and decided that you hated it, well I am afraid that things won't change if you get that machine for your house! ensure that you equipment comes with a full warranty, parts and frame, for at least 2 years. A warranty is your security in the event of there being a problem with the equipment, it is essential to have one.
What machines should i buy?
CARDIOVASCULAR
I recommend either a treadmill or a cross trainer as cardiovascular equipment. Treadmills can be great if you find it hard to walk or run outside, cross trainers are fantastic for people with knee or hip problems as the movement tends to be free flowing!
However, it is essential to test these machines out, as different brands have different movements. In terms of treadmills, the important point is the level of absorption the belt has. The more absorption, the less pressure that will be placed on your joints, so, if you can, go for the more expensive option.
Cheaper treadmills have less absorption and place more pressure on your joints, which is not good!
RESISTANCE TRAINING
DEPENDING on your budget, you have two options here. The first option is to get an adjustable bench and some dumbbells, which enable you to do a wide variety of exercises by simply changing the angle of the bench. For those of you on a tight budget, this would be my recommendation. ensure you get a good range of dumbbells, as you get stronger you will need heavier weights. If you have a bigger budget, I would highly recommend a multigym as well as the adjustable bench. A multigym is a machine that enables you to do a large variety of exercises, especially when combined with an adjustable bench. There are different types and sizes, just make sure that they will fit into your room!
OTHER EQUIPMENT
The only other essential pieces of equipment that you need would be a soft mat, such as a yoga mat, and then you really are good to go!
All that you need to do now is to get into the gym and start working out! I have seen home gyms with numerous other extras such as plasma televisions with surround sound, swimming pools and hot tubs to name but a few accessories, while these are all fantastic, the pieces of equipment listed above are the essentials to establishing a great home gym.
HOW MUCH WILL A HOME GYM COST ME?
Home gyms can cost anything from [euro]1,200 upwards. But don't be fooled by cheap equipment, ensure that you get a good warranty and that the company you buy from will provide you with good after-sales service. Cheap equipment simply won't last long, the warranties tend to be very poor and in terms of cardio equipment, cheap really is nasty! So try to avoid at all costs. You will be amazed at the deals that are being done at the moment, so go and bargain and get that gym you always wanted.
