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 Anabolic Discussion Board
 Does Strength=Size?
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| Author | Topic: Does Strength=Size? | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder 
Posts: 271 |
(Post Submitted by TJ of JPMassfactory.com) This one should spark some controversy. For the past 20 years I've followedthe old rule that says to get bigger, you need to get stronger. And while its true that I have gotten bigger, its become obvious to me recently that I've grown disproportionally stronger than bigger. Where this happened, and why, is still a mystery to me. I have a feeling that it stems from the fact that while pursuing strength gains I naturally gravitated to power lifting programs that stressed lower reps than are neccessary to maximize muscle growth. While I stay at 8+ reps for the most part, I've noticed that my last set (which is usually my hardest) is down in the 5-8 rep range. If I'm putting the most into this set it only makes sense that I would grow stronger like a powerlifter than bigger like a body builder. Now I know that genetics play a part in this, maybe I was cursed with not enough of the right muscle fiber type but I still have the feeling it was in the training. I've recently started to emphasize higher reps and more of a feel for the movement, which means lowering the weight I usually use few occasions. I must admit that nothing will prompt me to add plates to the bar quicker than a good looking women in Rayon watching me lol!!!! So I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say on this topic!!!! I'm sure we'll get some interesting responses!!!!     | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 271 |
Hmmm...interesting. I don't think size equates to physical strength except to a degree. As a general law of human physiology...Every has the ability to achieve strenght relative to 1.8X(their own bodyweight). This is just a general guideline. See I ride the line between both worlds and am quite successful in each. It is an advantage to compete in a lower weight class in powerlifting contests...the problem I noticed is I would always get to a certain point and my body, no matter what, would gain enough weight to equate to the constant of the 1.8formula! Almost exactly!! It was simply amazing! This theory was presented to me, by another powerlifter...I spent along time trying to beat the 1.8 formula. I did a few times, but eventually no matter how my diet was I would gain exactly enough weight to account for the constants in the 1.8formula! The validity of this intrigues so I spent about 1yr doing research to disprove this theory...I hate limitations. I beleive every limitation(No Matter What) set on the body...we do ourselves with our MINDS. This is whether it is done subconsciously or not. While I found a few exceptions to this rule...me being one of them for a "short period"...It held true for the most part. Now recently I have broken the rule again by a median of 1.972. This has remain true for the past 3 months off cycle now. What do you guys think? Let me know your opinion...? | ||
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Cool Novice 
Posts: 41 |
get some halotestin | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 182 |
That's really interesting, I was always under the basic assumption that size equates strength, but than I see those tiny olympic powerlifters lifting 5x their body weight over their head, who knows. | ||
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Cool Novice
Posts: 18 |
Guys, Elite strength athletes can "turn on" more motor units at the same time than your average bodybuilder can. This will allow say 80% of a muscle to fire at one time, where a BB might only be able to use 65% on a maximal lift. So what it comes down to is no, strength does not equal size. Manosteel, I don't understand the 1.8 rule. What are you talking about? 1.8x what??? Some light powerlifters total more than 12 times their bodyweight. That must just be something that your friend dreamed up. powerlifter | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 162 |
I think this is just dependent on your point of view. If YOU become stronger over a period of time using more weight progressively and while using say 6-10 rep sets, then that should equate to an increase in size. However, if you look at it from the point of view that the biggest person on the planet is not necessarily the strongest person on the planet, then size doesn't equate to strength. | ||
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Cool Novice
Posts: 13 |
Does strength equal size? Well, if the body did not react to a threat to it's "Comfort Zone" than we would never build up thinker skin, or tan. If you are forcing your body to do more work than it's currently capable of doing, then it will respond. I don't think there should be a difference in training from one person to the other. If we were all so medically different, why would surgery's work across the board? We aren't. When you tear the fibers they will become repaired, and over time, be larger than they werwe before. Your ratio of strength to size increase is dependant on your personal genetics, but all of our body's will react to a stressor. Example - Schwarzenegger, rarely seen putting over 500 pounds up benching...had huge pecs. Greg Kovacs - 500lbs is his warm up set - and he has even larger pecs. Then there's Shawn Ray, with a working weight of 315, he is well developed, but isn't capable of the workload of the others. Why? We will all get stronger, or bigger depending on our genetic code. One thing that is certain is that getting as much muscle fiber to contract as possible is the goal in increasing muscle mass and partially strength. To do so, you must use a weight heavy enough to cause the majority of the avaliable fibers to contract, but use it for a long enough period (reps) that you will fatigue fibers, and others will have to be recruited untill all are exhausted. You can't do this with a 20lb dumbell for 300 reps however, because the fibers will then have time to recover (notice how long your able to walk?), so the weight must also be great enough to cause exhaustion in a time efficient manner. This I beleive is between 10-15 reps. However, if you use a weight so heavy, that there is a majority of weaker fibers that are unable to contract, then growth stimulation will be lessened, while the ability to contact will be increased via tendon strengthening, and increased efficiency of nerve discharge. If any of you are interested in finding reference material concerning this topic, email me. -MO (I knew this personal trainer/education thing would pay off somehow, LoL) ------------------ | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 73 |
I do think size and strength are somewhat different. Everybody has seen the 140lb 5ft5 guy who comes in the gym and throws ou 405 on the bench. Or the huge monster thats does curls with 20lbs. But I do feel that if you can increase the weight you are using while staying in a certain rep range, this puts more overall stress on the muscle fibers wich usally equals a bigger stronger muscle. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder 
Posts: 309 |
when I was natural I was a heel of alot stronger than I looked. This was simply that my response to training was not through growing, but getting stronger. I'm on my second AS cycle now, and I'd actually do worse in a PL meet, since size is increasing much faster than strenth now. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 445 |
I think that building strength has a lot to do with hard work. I feel that if you utilize that hard work, and I mean HARD work, towards strength then size will eventually come. Most of those guys who are little and bench a lot are born with most of what they have. Just my 2cents, no flame to anyone. B True | ||
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Cool Novice
Posts: 45 |
no 'little guy' has ever held the world record for squat, bp,or deadlift. pound for pound ...yes they may come close. but in the end SIZE DOES MATTER | ||
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Cool Novice
Posts: 21 |
with one comes the other | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder 
Posts: 725 |
just from my own experience strength doesn't equal size. If it did I wouldn't be here on this board.  ------------------ | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1187 |
Strength often preceeds size. Often the heavy lift is a mind and motor cordination, haing a lot to do with the nervous system. this is specially true with beginning lifters. You will notice their lifts increasing very rapidy; disproportionate with body growth. After a period of time, body growth kicks in. |
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posted December 09, 2000 03:29 PM