If you believe getting stronger requires pushing yourself to the limit at the gym, new research suggests otherwise. Findings from Edith Cowan University (ECU) show that improving muscle size, strength, and performance does not depend on exhausting workouts or feeling sore afterward. "The idea that exercise must be exhausting or painful is holding people back," ECU's Director of Exercise and Sports Science, Professor Ken Nosaka, said. He points to a different approach that can be more effective and far easier to stick with. "Instead, we should be focusing on eccentric exercises which can deliver stronger results with far less effort than traditional exercise -- and you don't even need a gym!" What Is Eccentric Exercise Eccentric exercise focuses on the phase when muscles lengthen rather than shorten. This typically happens during the lowering portion of a movement, such as bringing a dumbbell down, walking downstairs, or slowly lowering yourself into a chair.…