YOU can learn a lot from a person’s squat – that is, if you’re a personal trainer of course.

In my case the exercise revealed an alarming list of imbalances and ‘mobility issues’. My knees rotate inwards as do my ankles, throwing me dangerously off balance. As for my back, it simply takes on a life of its own curving in a manner not unlike Quasimodo’s.

And that’s just the squat.

Don’t even get my personal trainer for the day, Nick Tuckett of Kiss Gyms, started on my weak muscles, non-existent body strength and hunched or ‘internally rotated’ (to be accurate) shoulders. I was all bent out of shape – though glad to know that I could blame some of my deformities/lack of grace on two sprained ankles and days spent sat a desk bent over my keyboard.

After such a shameful checklist of my shortcomings, delivered however in the nicest way possible by my trainer, I expected be put through my paces and ordered out to drop ten before a series of strenuous exercises.

After all that was what I had glimpsed of personal training on television: a man shouting at you to do keep going until you go blue in the face or burst into tears.

Instead Nick got me to elevate my feet by propping my heels against an exercise mat and all of a sudden I was the queen of squats, my back was straight and I was certainly feeling my muscles switching on.

And he was calm as a cucumber. He certainly didn’t look like a tyrant or a much of a screamer for that matter.

“I’m not a drill sergeant,” he told me during our body screening. “The point is to push people within their limits. If you can’t do the workout there is no point. My number one focus is health and the second is happiness. I ask people what they want to achieve. Some people will just want to check in with the personal trainer once a week to make sure they’re progressing. They like that safety net to fall back on. I see some people three times a week because they’re complete beginners. I see a personal trainer twice a week myself. It would be hypocritical to recommend personal training and not do it myself.”

I have to say I was perplexed by his concern for my ankles and shoulders. I soon found out why.

No matter the end goal, whether it be losing weight or building up strength, if the body doesn’t move properly and imbalances are not fixed early on, you might as well throw in the towel.

“If you can’t move properly, you can’t train and if you do you’re going to end up injuring yourself.”

Nick, who is 26, became a personal trainer three years ago. He has since launched his own recipes website available to his clients for free or through subscriptions for the public.

A personal training session costs around £40 per hour – a significant financial commitment, although buying a block of lessons is much cheaper.

Nick recommends a more intense training over a shorter period of time rather than sporadic exercise over weeks to cut down cost.

After our session, which frankly was not as demanding, draining or terrifying as I feared, Nick shared simple tips to increase my ankle mobility and of course urged me to work on my squats. With any new client like me, having observed me move and use different machines, Nick would then go home and put together an exercise plan suited to my needs and goals.

Strangely, despite being told I had the stamina of an eight year old asthmatic child (my own interpretation of Nick’s much gentler words), I felt more confident and energised when I left Kiss Gyms. At least now, I know I can change things for the better. More importantly, I know where to begin.

To book a personal training session with Nick call 07712 219641, go to www.nicktuckett.co.uk or email Hello@nicktuckett.co.uk. Alternatively check his Facebook page.

To find out more about personal training at Kiss Gyms go to www.kissgyms.com/swindon.php.