What causes muscular progression??

For guys like Chris, Nuk, Presser, and myself, we were all stronger when we were much younger and lighter. Yet as time has gone on all of us have gained substantial size. So I think looking at a one year time frame what has everyone attributed their growth to (open to all)?
I'm using half of what I used last year, but I'm now using insulin. I've gotten as much as 100lbs stronger on some upper body movements and 200lbs stronger on lower body movements. Some people continue to grow w/o significant strength gains (I hope I'm one b/c I don't see myself as getting much stronger). So what are some of your theories. Silk has gotten stronger, but has gained substantially more muscle than her strength gains would indicate. I'm kind of confused as to what to aim for....

Insulin, and training smarter.

I dont really like alot of slin..I just get fatter off of it..but higher doses hgh and running it for almost year and half straight has made a big difference in staying leaner and growing...also, training smarter, eating better, ect...has made the most difference..when I was younger and stronger...I ate anything and everything...Yes, I was almost 285lbs at one time..but hell it was alot of fat...I cant get that heavy anymore...my heart would explode...so I dont go over 260-265 anymore..but at that weight im still decent shape...

nuknuk said:

Insulin, and training smarter.

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What does training smarter mean? Can you elaborate?

Pharm_Fed said:

What does training smarter mean? Can you elaborate?

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I cant talk for Nuk, but for me it means training heavy but with good form...I also, dont train so many days in a row anymore. I do use such heavy weight that might injury me, or even tax my CNS to much...also, I know when to back off the intensity when I just dont feel it anymore. So I might be going balls to the wall, for a couple weeks (drop sets, forced reps, negatives, ect) then feel tired and beat, so I'll take a couple days off in a row, then just do straight sets for a couple workouts...

nuknuk said:

Insulin, and training smarter.

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Insulin added to the IGF did make a big difference for me. My muscles got fuller, larger, rounder, and more seperated almost twice as fast as with IGF alone.
Insulin by itself sucked for me. I ran out of IGF for a couple months and just followed my insulin protocol. I didn't get the pumps, strength, or size and I smoothed over.
As far as training smarter that also makes sense. I know I do each movement in a way that will tax the target muscle the best, not the way that I can use the most weight.

I know im alot younger then you guys but I have changed alot of lifting and dieting techniques the past 2 years. After recieving my lumbar injury a year ago from a football injury prior I started to train alot smarter. My lifts were very strong for my age and im pretty sure that is what helped contribute to my complete fracture. When I was a senior (18yrs old) my max bench was 500 squat 600 deadlift 555 and power clean 315. This was all raw I never even used a belt and I was 220ibs. Alot of my strength was due to perfecting those lifts and doing alot of core strength exercises without weights as well. Soon as I switched over to bodybuilding a year later the training was alot different and I had to get the 5x5 lift method out of my system. I actually got alot stronger from working specific muscle groups that I never paid attention to detail. My max lifts went up a good 50ibs in just a couple months. From hitting my legs like a bodybuilder my squat went up to 700ibs also raw. I learned the hard way though that lifting that heavy is not good for the body at all just for the ego. So when I found out what I did to my back the doc told me I could never deadlift anymore and never squat heavy. So I changed my whole style of training to really paying attention to the contraction and more volume. I never take more than 90 seconds in between sets and its worked great for me. I also started doing front and back squats super set and wow it is amazing and you do not have to use alot of weight. I do 3 super sets 10 reps each set so for example I do front squats with 135ibs then go right into back squats 10 reps. My last set is usually 275 or 315 depending on how my back feels that day. As far as gains go I gained alot of true muscle that stuck with me and like I said in my other post this will be my first bulk phase so im hoping to get up to a fairly lean 245-250ibs and drop down to 215-220 showtime.