The key piece of advice here is to go slowly. “When you feel you can increase the weight, go up in small increments such as between 1-2.5kg and make sure to keep your focus on proper form throughout the movement,” stresses Williams. “Once you’re confident with your form, you can start adding on – don’t rush the process,” she warns.

Focus on form

It’s easy to think that a weight feels too easy when, actually, a small tweak to form can make all the difference. If you’re swinging the weight to complete a move, it’s a sign that it’s too heavy for you, and while it may feel easy, you’re risking injury and not doing yourself any favours. Williams explains: “The key to lifting heavier or altering any aspect of your workout routine is ensuring you’re performing all your exercises with good form, control and tempo.

“Never sacrifice form for weight. This not only helps reduce any risk of injury but also ensures you’re actually working the muscle you’re trying to target.”

Increase reps, not weight first

Once you’ve perfected your form with some lighter weights, it’s time to look at reps and sets. “I recommend starting with a weight that you can properly lift 10 to 15 times,” advises Weston. “Begin with one or two sets of 10 to 15 reps and then slowly progress so you can do three sets. Once you can easily do that number of sets and reps, gradually increase the weight by 5 or 10%.”

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