Maybe in Troponin's case it's safe to say (because he is a bodybuilder and getting bigger/better is probably a concern) but in most strength athletes case it is NOT safe to assume that a increase of 100 pounds on a deadlift will correspond with increase in size...not at all. Just look at the experts in the field of powerlifting, they can increase poundages while maintaining a weight class. I've handled many big weights and definitly was NOT my biggest when I did. A 17 year old football player that got a scholorship to Florida State last year came to me benching 335 at 270, 6 months later he was over 4 hundred but weighed in at 275...That's simple and very well understood among strength coaches and bodybuilders. Vin, are you a competitor in bodybuilding or powerlifting or weightlifting? If so you should understand this and if not then I understand why it's not believeable to you....It's the things you learn when actually hands on that defy logic, although this is very logical.
I dont get the example given....many powerlifters are trying to stay in weight classes while increasing their strength. How does trying to keep at the same bodyweight coerelate here. Ive yet to see anyone get muscularly larger who didnt have to eat up to the next level in bodyweight. A powerlifter who does everything in his power to stay in the 242 or 275 class eating wise is going to remain a 242 or 275 pound powerlifter regardless of his strength increase. But have a 242'er who wants to become a 275'er by actually eating his way up there and "not limit nutritional intake" and IMO youll see someone gain a great deal of muscle mass. I always see people use "well i know this strong ass individual" or "look at so and so powerlifter" as examples in this strength/size argument and I dont get the relationship it has to the argument. Are they actually trying to get muscularly larger eatingwise?
I use strength "gains" over time while eating up to the next level in size as tools with my guys. I could care less about a 176 pound guy deadlifting 455 who eats to stay at 176 pounds. Thats absolute strength, not strength gains over time (with the aforementioned eating to get larger). Im not going to overlook the fact that there are 400 pro bodybuilders and the 2 guys with the most incredible 800 pound deadlifts also have the largest traps and 2 inch thick muscle mass on their upper backs compared to their compadres.
Flex Wheeler and Chris Cormier, both incredible genetics, the ergo playing field was equal, one guy lifted very heavy weights (Cormier) and one guy lifted moderate (Wheeler). Wheeler actually was proven to have a myostatin mutation even. His heaviest bodyweight onstage? I believe it was 238 and he usually competed at 223 to 228. Cormier? 248 to 262 (25lbs more of muscle mass) and I doubt youll find many people that would give the edge to Cormier there genetically.
They are all using the same things ergowise and they are all elite with genetics but I havent seen too many pro's who were known as "lighter training blood volume pumping" bodybuilders noted for being ungodly massive.......while Yates, Mike Francois, Branch Warren, Victor Richards, and Coleman who trained like "powerbuilders" have taken muscular size up to new levels. Heck if strength
gains has nothing to do with muscle mass we might as well stick with the 135lb deadlifts, 135lbs bench press and 135lbs squats for the entire lifting career....why risk injury?
