When it comes to building strength, there are a few hard and fast rules that you have to follow. First up, the last few reps of a set should feel hard. Next, once things start to feel a little easier, you have to step it up. Yep, that's right: while you will be getting stronger, strength training shouldn't feel any easier.
It's what's known in the fitness world as progressive overload, and research (like this randomised controlled trial, published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine) highlights its efficacy as a way of building both strength and muscle over time.
