MY LATEST session in the Meadowlands Leisure Centre gym is well out of my comfort zone.

Having strained leg muscles and tendons on a hilly road race in Looe, I was keen not to over do any leg work, so my personal trainer Tom Ellacott very kindly doubled down on the upper body — my weakness.

It soon showed that I had neglected my shoulders, back and arms in any rare workouts.

I soon discovered my left arm was weaker than the right, thanks to more than 250 of the following exercises: bench press, shoulder press, bent over row, seated press, pull-down, lateral and front raises, tricep pull and bicep curl.

The session was shortened to 45 minutes because the weakling Arnie Scharzenegger wannabe here was wiped out by the intensity of Tom’s routines.

This week Tom also tells me how he introduces newbies like me to the Meadowlands gym:

‘Whenever I organise a gym induction for someone who feels nervous or uncomfortable about using a gym, I break the induction down into two sessions.

‘For the first session, I’ll encourage them to become familiar with the CV (cardiovascular) machine, such as a treadmill, bike, cross-trainer, or the rowing machine.

‘Once they feel happy and comfortable using the CV equipment, I invite them to book the second session, to explain resistance machines.

‘For anyone that has never been to a gym, it’s a lot of information to take in, but I try to reduce any stress and encourage them to try and enjoy their sessions.

‘When doing an induction or PLP (personal life plan) I try and get to know the person really well.

‘This is because I am genuinely interested in their lifestyle and goals, and it helps me plan the best programme of exercise for them.

‘Being a friendly face each time they come into the centre and receiving one-to-one attention from me helps to build confidence and trust.

‘I would never ask anyone to do anything they can’t or don’t feel comfortable doing.

‘For example, if anyone comes into a class and they don’t feel confident about the equipment, or there’s an exercise they don’t enjoy doing, I will reassure them that they only need to do what they feel able to do. ‘Whether it’s doing eight out of the 12 repeats or 30 seconds out of a 45 second session - there’s always a fitness benefit.

‘I strongly believe that doing something is always better than doing nothing, and I will always be around to help improve technique or to answer any questions.’

Tom then offers some tips in the gym when he is not there to give one-to-one attention.

‘Form is better than weight. What I mean by this is of course you eventually want to lift big weights, but to do this, you need to get your body into the right form and using the correct techniques.

‘This means starting from the beginning with maybe just the bar and then slowly building up to the weight. ‘This is a great way to get used to the equipment and will prevent injuries.

‘Always ask a member of staff if you feel like you aren’t doing something right. We are here to help, and even if you are doing it right, it’s always better to check and be safe using the equipment.

‘There is always an alternative to an exercise if someone is on a machine you want to use, don’t worry - we can advise you about alternative exercises – just come and ask us.’

Tom also offers tips when you are away from the gym.

‘Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. An example would be 10,000 steps a day, a balanced diet, drinking enough water and getting enough sleep to recover.

‘Keep yourself in the right mind set. Have a plan, set goals, and keep focussed on success.

‘Always think about self-improvement. Spend time improving your techniques and keep learning about yourself. Do what you enjoy, keep practising and your fitness and mental health are sure to benefit.’

I can testify to Tom’s empathetic approach. He continues to be encouraging and helps generate self-belief and confidence in what can be achieved by a gymophobe.