The science backs this up, with a study published in Sports Medicine showing that there’s less pronounced muscle protein synthesis (the process involved in muscle building) in those who are experienced exercisers than in those who are new. It means making fitness improvements gets way harder the more you work out, and you have to work harder at it.

That might mean more sessions, more exertion or just a lot of effort going into making a smart workout plan. Many of us don’t have that time or energy right now, so does that render exercising pointless? Not in the slightest. Because if we stopped seeing ‘progress’ as only getting stronger, faster or more muscular, then you can notice all the other ways you’re getting better.

Fitness progress: is it time we stopped trying to be faster and stronger?