Size vs. Strength?

[thewickedtruth]

What's with the misconception that you have to be a certain size to move a certain amount of weight in the gym?!    Like you can't curl 90lb dumbbells with anything less than 20" arms or you can't bench 400lbs without having to turn sideways coming through the gym doors? I don't get it. I hear it alot lately and want to know where it comes from? Is it just because the people that say it can't do it themselves? Meltdown? 

[pumpster]

I think there usually is some kind of correlation, IF moderate or higher reps are used with moderate or shorter rests. Do some serious pumping but using serious weight and ok form or better that works the muscle and you'll have size. That doesn't mean a big guy continues to use big weights later, some don't after getting there.

Keep the reps low and you'll see less correlation between weight and size.

[thewickedtruth]

I think there usually is some kind of correlation, IF moderate or higher reps are used with moderate or shorter rests. Do some serious pumping but using serious weight and you'll have some size.

Keeping the reps low and you'll see less correlation between weight and size.

I didn't mean me specifically but why people think that in general. I'm a lazy ass in the gym but I keep hearing that there's no way you can do this or there's no way he can do that becuase he's only so big, yadda yadda. Where do people come up with this stuff?

[myseone]

What's with the misconception that you have to be a certain size to move a certain amount of weight in the gym?!    Like you can't curl 90lb dumbbells with anything less than 20" arms or you can't bench 400lbs without having to turn sideways coming through the gym doors? I don't get it. I hear it alot lately and want to know where it comes from? Is it just because the people that say it can't do it themselves? Meltdown? 

Because people tend to believe what they can see, and seeing a big guy most people automatically assume that he is capable of great feats of strength. Then you have a guy who is less muscular, who many people assume cannot be that strong, proceed to out lift people a lot bigger than he is.

Also generally, big guys/gals (more muscle) are generally stronger than smaller guys/gals.

[pumpster]

It's not a bad assumption to make a connection between size and strength. The guys who powerlift or other things and have strength but sometimes less obvious muscle and look like any fat guy don't stand out as much.

[thewickedtruth]

It's not a bad assumption to make a connection between size and strength. The guys who powerlift or other things and have strength but sometimes less obvious muscle and look like any fat guy don't stand out as much.

I always try to explain that to people and no one gets it.

[jpm101]

Size does matter, but not always in the case of measured strength. It's the perception that some one is strong because they are bigger than the next guy. It's also the perception that BB'ers (not PL'ers or Olympic lifters) are after when seeking larger muscle mass. Bigger animals tend to be stronger and leaders of their pack. That's how the general public see's a larger, muscular people unconsciously. Relating size to strength. Arm, chest and shoulder size usually suggest a strong person to the average man on the street. May be the reason so many men who take up BB'ing will only work the arm's (curls), chest (BP) and shoulders (laterial raises). If some one ask for them to show their muscle, they will flex the biceps. Humans are influenced by that primative belief that bigger is always bette and stronger.

A middle weight lifter (not always on the muscular side) should not be able to Bench 400, but they can and do. Taken to another level, a  women (the weaker sex?) can never Bench 400, but some can and do. Strenght is not always geared to any muscle size ratio. Tendon/ligament/joint structure, as well as muscle inserts and bone leverage/density all play a part. Along with a correct balance of strength muscle fibers. Good Luck.

Side Bar: I would bet a lot of 20" guns could not curl a 90lb DB if their life depended upon it. At least from what I have seen first hand. But I have seen a 6'1 guy, weighting in at 181 cheat curl a 205 BB.

[Mike]

Size does matter, but not always in the case of measured strength. It's the perception that some one is strong because they are bigger than the next guy. It's also the perception that BB'ers (not PL'ers or Olympic lifters) are after when seeking larger muscle mass. Bigger animals tend to be stronger and leaders of their pack. That's how the general public see's a larger, muscular people unconsciously. Relating size to strength. Arm, chest and shoulder size usually suggest a strong person to the average man on the street. May be the reason so many men who take up BB'ing will only work the arm's (curls), chest (BP) and shoulders (laterial raises). If some one ask for them to show their muscle, they will flex the biceps. Humans are influenced by that primative belief that bigger is always bette and stronger.

A middle weight lifter (not always on the muscular side) should not be able to Bench 400, but they can and do. Taken to another level, a  women (the weaker sex?) can never Bench 400, but some can and do. Strenght is not always geared to any muscle size ratio. Tendon/ligament/joint structure, as well as muscle inserts and bone leverage/density all play a part. Along with a correct balance of strength muscle fibers. Good Luck.

Side Bar: I would bet a lot of 20" guns could not curl a 90lb DB if their life depended upon it. At least from what I have seen first hand. But I have seen a 6'1 guy, weighting in at 181 cheat curl a 205 BB.

Also, bodybuilding is not natural.  It's taking a natural process (human body adapting to stresses places upon it) and turning it into an unnatural one (controlled stresses used to induce specific hypertrophy).   

[Joey Tito]

I'm a lazy ass in the gym

Here we go again with this false modesty.  Dude we read your log, we can tell you BUST YOUR ASS in the gym, so why put on airs like this?  Is this your backhanded way of fishing for compliments?

Follow pumpster's advice and you'll be fine

[thewickedtruth]

Here we go again with this false modesty.  Dude we read your log, we can tell you BUST YOUR ASS in the gym, so why put on airs like this?  Is this your backhanded way of fishing for compliments?

Follow pumpster's advice and you'll be fine

LOL because if you trained with me, you would call me lazy too! I just don't have any intensity and desire to jump right into the next set. Dedicated yes, intense? Not really but you're right, I'd rather be modest then a braggart. I just dont' want to look like a know it all asshole that thinks he's better than everyone else.

[Steve387]

Bigger is stronger, and stronger is bigger. The reality of it is there are relatively smaller people who can outlift bigger, more muscular people. Nothing you can do about that. 
Your muscles will get bigger if you get stronger, and style of training, and genetics are just as important.

Those huge freaky belgian blue cows are stronger because they are bigger, but they didnt have to rely on barbell squats to getbig, just genetics. Still, the same still applies.

the last word is genetics genetics genetics

You want to getbig? then lift heavier weights in whatever styler of training you do. Want to deadlift 500+ at 140 something pounds? not happening, you weren't born that person. But each invididual absolutely must get stronger to get bigger, i've never heard of someone getting weaker, to get huge muscular body.

[Hedgehog]

What's with the misconception that you have to be a certain size to move a certain amount of weight in the gym?!    Like you can't curl 90lb dumbbells with anything less than 20" arms or you can't bench 400lbs without having to turn sideways coming through the gym doors? I don't get it. I hear it alot lately and want to know where it comes from? Is it just because the people that say it can't do it themselves? Meltdown? 

Very good post.

Daiki Kodama, arguably one of the best benchpressers in the world, pound for pound, with benchpresses at around 600 lbs @ 181 lbs in a single ply shirt, looks like an average guy off the street.

Here he's benchpressing 567 lbs:
http://www.powerlifting.pl/gal/06mswl/kodama_bp257_5.wmv

Here he's with the current world champion in 181 lbs, Watanabe (on the left). Both guys capable of benchpresses over 545 lbs at low bodyweights.



Not one single guy on the Japanese benchpress team, except for super-heavyweight Midote, is really big.

But they all lift big weights. Bot equipped and raw.

-Hedge

[G.R.H.]

i agree with the genetics part. some guys who aren't that big size wise are just as strong as some of their fellow bigger muscleheads. i have been told that i have a very powerful grip when i shake someone's hand, but yet i can't bench 400lbs. (i can't even bench any more than 200lb!) but yet, i can crush a guy bigger than me with my grip.