This question is a follow on from https://fitness.stackexchange.com/a/11884/5376.
I assumed that as I get stronger, my muscles will get bigger, but it seems that this is not a strictly linear relationship, which indicates that I can increase the amount my muscles can do without increasing their size, (they become more efficient?).
So my question is twofold:
- How are muscle mass and strength related? What causes an increase in strength but not mass?
- What are the types of exercises that increase strength but not mass?
I would think that there are some limitations to muscle mass vs strength, that is, that the muscle can reach a maximum efficiency where it has to increase in size before it can be stronger. I'm looking for answers where the muscle hasn't reached this stage yet (and so there is room for increasing in strength or mass).
My goals: I'd like to increase the amount my muscles can do (their strength) rather then increase their mass at least initially.
Assumptions: I'm using the words size and mass interchangeably, even though they strictly aren't the same thing.