Muscle mass and strength

[Stampy]

Hello I would be extremely grateful for an answer to this question: If you are experiencing an increase in strength does this mean you have increased muscle mass? Say over a three month period you have become 15% stronger is it always the case your muscle mass has increased or is it possible to become stronger with no muscle mass increase at all?

 

[todoveritas]

Well... yes and no. Strength comes from an increase in cross-sectional area (hypertrophy)of types I and II muscle fiber types. Type I fibers are stimulated by anything and high-reps target these fibers.

Training for strength and power (as in powerlifting) requires near maximal contractions at very low repetitions with full recovery between sets. This type of training causes selective hypertrophy in type II > than type I muscle fibers. Bodybuilders, who utilize lower intensity contractions with higher volume and shorter rest periods, do not demonstrate the selective hypertrophy of type II muscle fibers and tend to have a greater degree of hypertrophy in type I muscle fibers.

So if you want the most power use training methods that utilize heavy weight and very low reps with at least 3 minute rests between sets bc this increases the size of type II muscle fibers best.

 

[todoveritas]

If you want to break this down even further, the type II muscle fibers (sometimes called white muscle) is broken down into type 2a and type 2b. Type 2a fibers respond to slow sustained contractions and 2b are more stimulated by maximal effort. This is way (contrary to popular belief) bodybuilders should max out from time-to-time and also train like powerlifters periodically.

 

[Stampy]

Thanks buddy.

Can you tell me, is it always true that muscle mass increases if strength has increased?

 

[OMEGA]

The Increase in Strength WILL LEAD to increase in mass so long as the force and stress is applied to working muscle that is fatigued enough to get an adaptive growth response.

The next step is to increase protein intake which thus creates larger muscles.

 

[todoveritas]

Thanks buddy.

Can you tell me, is it always true that muscle mass increases if strength has increased?

In layman's terms YES. Generally, you must have increased hypertrophy for increased strength. By definition, increased hypertrophy = increased size = increased mass.

 

[Nelson Montana]

If you want to break this down even further, the type II muscle fibers (sometimes called white muscle) is broken down into type 2a and type 2b. Type 2a fibers respond to slow sustained contractions and 2b are more stimulated by maximal effort. This is way (contrary to popular belief) bodybuilders should max out from time-to-time and also train like powerlifters periodically.

Good answer. It should also be noted that it depends on the ratio of type 1 and type II fibers of the individual. If you don't have a lot of Fast twitch muscle fiber, the heavy lifting won't be as effective. This is what leads to endless arguments as to what kind of training is best. What's best is a combination on heavy low rep and "pump" style training empahasizing what you resond best to.

Increased strength just ALLOWS for more stress on the muscles which in turn leads to more muscle growth. So they're related but not necessarily contingent on one or the other. You can get much stronger and not get much more muscular.

Old time legend Sig Klein said: Train for beauty and strength will follow. That's inevitable. But the strength increase may not be extrodinary. It depends on what's more important to you. This leads to a hypothetical question that I'll ask in another thread.

 

[OMEGA]

Good answer. It should also be noted that it depends on the ratio of type 1 and type II fibers of the individual. If you don't have a lot of Fast twitch muscle fiber, the heavy lifting won't be as effective. This is what leads to endless arguments as to what kind of training is best. What's best is a combination on heavy low rep and "pump" style training empahasizing what you resond best to.

.

GREAT POST

 

[Cauliflower Ear]

Good answer. It should also be noted that it depends on the ratio of type 1 and type II fibers of the individual. If you don't have a lot of Fast twitch muscle fiber, the heavy lifting won't be as effective. This is what leads to endless arguments as to what kind of training is best. What's best is a combination on heavy low rep and "pump" style training empahasizing what you resond best to.

Increased strength just ALLOWS for more stress on the muscles which in turn leads to more muscle growth. So they're related but not necessarily contingent on one or the other. You can get much stronger and not get much more muscular.

Old time legend Sig Klein said: Train for beauty and strength will follow. That's inevitable. But the strength increase may not be extrodinary. It depends on what's more important to you. This leads to a hypothetical question that I'll ask in another thread.

good post my man...for me, for bulking, i respond best to low rep burn outs...but for maintaining strength, i like to simply like heavy and hard...