Muscle size not related to its strength: Study

An increase in muscle size with exercise may not be directly related to an increase in muscle strength, suggests a recent study.

Researchers suggested that size and muscle strength may actually be separate phenomena.

The researchers in the study published in the journal Muscle and Nerve, noted that there is a weak correlation between change in muscle size and change in muscle strength following training.

Also, there is a loss of muscle mass with detraining, yet often a maintaining muscle strength. Furthermore, similar muscle growth can occur with low load or high load resistance training, yet there are divergent results in strength.

"Neural adaptations are contributing first with muscle growth playing a more prominent role in the latter portion of a training program: however, there is little direct evidence that this is actually true in an adult partaking in a resistance training program," said Jeremy Loenneke, Researcher at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi.

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