OK so my opinion on this. Like both az and rip said, calories have to be there to grow...that is a given IMO. But I've seen people who have enormous strength and very little size and I've seen the exact opposite.
Prime example, two guys I lift with some times. Guy 1 is built like a pro BB, guy 2, just looks like he's in really good shape. Guy 1 is 240+ and guy 2 about 195...if that...and both of them stay very lean and are exactly the same height. Now, both of these guys are pretty much dead even in terms of strength on just about any lift, yet guy 1 is far more developed. So that got me to thinking, how much does strength and growth really equate to each other? Would things like joint structure and size as well as tendon strength and size play more of a role in terms of overall muscular strength? And why doesn't guy 2 have as much overall developmet as guy 1? Especially since guy 2 has been training longer? And yes, both eat very well.
I can say the same thing about females I know as well. A figure competitor I know (yes Rip, that one
) trains with a female BB now and then. The BB has a great deal more size, yet their strength is almost identical...I'd say the figure girl would actually beat the BB on several lifts.
Last example, Tony Freeman. Obviously Tony is huge, and he comes into my gym to train every once in a while. I've seen him train several times and I'm always amazed at how light he goes...I've honestly never seen him pick up a DB heavier then 80lbs. So that just creates more questions in my mind. Granted, Tony may not always train this way...maybe this is just how he does it when he's away from his regular gym.
So what then is my opinion...and this is my opinion for the most part...like I said, it can vary. But I don't think strength equates to growth. Yes, with some growth comes added strength, but not the opposite, IMO. Does that mean some of us are at a hopless end? Well that's the million dollar question.
OK, I lied, one more example...myself. I am not that big. I can hold my own with most guys strength wise, and not to sound like billy bad ass, but I'd consider myself fairly strong on many lifts, more then the majority. Yet I'm nothing special when it comes to muscular size (as Rip can attest to since she's seen me.)
Honestly I could care less about strength...I want hugeness lol!
I hope some more people will comment on this topic.