relation between size and strength

well, as the topic says: what is the relation between muscle size and strength?

I always wondered this because I have seen people that don't look bulked but are very strong. and even in this forum people say that if you undereat you can continue gaining strength but lose or maintain size.

Is it possible the contrary? I mean somebody that is big but weak.

Im wondering if you keep gaining strength but dont eat enough to gain size, will you have a much harder time gaining size when you already squat 315x10.

This is actually a very good questions. Yes, it is very possible for someone to develop very large muscles, muscles that look far stronger than they actually are.  Keep in mind that when a bodybuilding is training, be it natural or with anabolic steroids, traditionally they are not primarily interested in gaining the strength of a power lifter but their primary goal is to make their body more aestetically pleasing to the eye.

Now that's not to say that these modern day, huge bodybuilders aren't strong, in fact they are very strong if compared to a normal person.  But the type of routines they perform include a vast amount of isolation exercises.  Although power lifters do incorporate isolations into their routines, they do it for a completely different reason.. the BBER will use isolations to target a speciffic muscle for increased size where the power lifter will perform an isolation hoping to strengthen a muscle that happens to be used secondary in a big compound lift, hoping that by strengthening the secondary muscles, it will result in an overall better performace on the compound lift..

Isolations:
Bodybuilder: to exploit a single musclee and make it larger
Powerlifter: to strengthen a secondary muscle to better a compound lift.

Yes, hypertrophy can be achieved without necesarily having the strength gains of a power lifter.
Yes, you can get stronger without having significat mass gains. Some can even get stronger for a period of time on a caloric deficit.

But here's the questions... Why would you choose only one?   If you can have hypertrophy and strength, why would anyone other than a competing or professional athelete choose anything other than both?   I can fully understand why some athletes in certain sports would not want to have overly exagerated muscle mass that could hinder their abilities... But when it really comes down to it.. Getting that big isn't an easy task..

Has anyone ever heard the ole saying... I'm affraid to lift heavy weights.. I don't want to get too big?  that has to be one of the funniest sayings I ever hear coming out of someones mouth.. I alwasy responds.. I don't think you're gonna have that problem, and if you do... bottle it up and sell it, you'll make a forune.

If you undereat, meaning; your body is burning more calories than you're taking in.. First you'll lose fat, then you'll lose muscle mass.  Anytime you lose muscle mass it's eventually going to equate to strenth loss. 
 

luisbg


well, as the topic says: what is the relation between muscle size and strength?

I always wondered this because I have seen people that don't look bulked but are very strong. and even in this forum people say that if you undereat you can continue gaining strength but lose or maintain size.

Is it possible the contrary? I mean somebody that is big but weak.

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing

 

interesting thought securitor. specially because if true, that means that cutting before bulking would be a bad idea.

No, That's not how hypertrophy works.  

If the body is taking in more daily calories than being burned, you will gain either, muscles, fat or both.
As long as the body is being challenged and the muscles tissues are being micro damaged, they will grow.. assuming the body is getting the needed calories. 

If you're on a caloric deficit your strength gains will be minimal and probably won't last very long. 

securitor


Im wondering if you keep gaining strength but dont eat enough to gain size, will you have a much harder time gaining size when you already squat 315x10.

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing