The reason I am starting OVT is to gain muscle with strength, along with that I have a question. I am only 5’5", and 130lbs. or so, around 8%bf. I’m 15 y/o, and my 200 bench is good for my weight. But I feel that my potential for strength will go up if I gain 5-10lbs. of muscle. Is this true? What I’m trying to ask is: By gaining functional mass, will my potential for strength rise? If you don’t understand the question, I can try to make it sound better. Thanks for any help you provide and have a nice day!
You are correct. The limiting factor in strength production is generally either a lack of CNS efficiency or a lack of muscle mass. Strength potential of a muscle is correlated with that muscle cross-sectional area (ultimately to its size).
Bigger muscles = higher strength potential.
Now, the more efficient your CNS is, the more of that potential you can use. Since you seem to have a relatively efficient nervous system and a low level of muscle mass, it seems evident that simply gaining more size will lead to strength increases.