Why doe muscle size does not necessarily correlate with muscle strength?

Question

As the title says. Why does hypertrophy (growing muscle tissue in size) does not correlate with the strength of the individuals training for strength (as in heavy weight lifting, without growing muscle tissue)?

In: 460

Answer 1

There is a relationship between a muscle’s cross sectional area and it’s peak power output. However, Let’s say a person’s muscle size stays fixed. They can still grow much stronger. This type of training strengthens and improves the connection from the motor centers of the brain to the muscles. The net result is that a highly trained person can activate a greater number of muscle fibers, resulting in a larger force production than someone with the same muscle mass that is not a well neurologically adapted. In essence, above normal strength is the ability to, at will, use all the muscle you have to a maximal degree.