Strength Gains vs. Muscle Size: A Misunderstood Relationship

Jack had always thought that lifting heavier weights automatically meant he’d get bigger muscles. Every day, he tried to lift the heaviest weights he could, believing that strength would lead to size. But after months of training, his muscles didn’t seem to grow much. “Why aren’t my muscles getting bigger?” Jack wondered. His coach explained, “Strength and muscle size are related, but they’re not the same thing. To grow your muscles, you need to focus on more than just how much you can lift. You also need to control the reps, add tension, and make sure you’re working in the right range.” Jack learned that strength was important, but it didn’t always directly lead to muscle growth. He also needed to focus on things like volume and time under tension. With this new knowledge, Jack adjusted his training. Instead of just lifting heavy, he paid more attention to the number of reps and how long his muscles were under stress. Slowly, Jack started to see more muscle growth! He learned that strength gains didn’t always equal bigger muscles—he needed to train smarter, not just harder.