"Seems like the benefits could go beyond aesthetics."

They do. Volume, usually defined using tonnage (weight x reps x sets) at a certain intensity (% of your maximal strength) is the main predictor not only of hypertrophy but also of strength gains in training. That is why all of the strongest powerlifters, who are only interested in moving as much weight as possible, train in that way (medium/heavy weights). Coach/powerlifter Greg Nuckols has written two books on the topic (The Art of Lifting and the Science of Lifting) which are sort of summarizing the literature on the subject, but you can find a lot of the content for free on his blog strengtheory (for example this post: http://www.strengtheory.com/more-is-more/)

Two other web pages offering meta analysis of the literature are http://www.strengthandconditioningresearch.com/strength/#3 (about strength) and http://www.strengthandconditioningresearch.com/hypertrophy/#... (about hypertrophy)

This is very helpful. Thank you!

I can second this from personal experience. People that spend an hour in the gym pumping away at 50% capacity with bicep curls are never going to see the kinds of gains they imagine. You will get the gains you want by pushing yourself to muscle failure within a couple of sets every single time you hit the gym. Short, powerful workouts is how you encourage testosterone production, which is exactly how you get strength (and naturally, size follows). As a side note, you must be very careful about preventing injury. It's very easy to injure yourself if you're always doing your max. It takes incredible concentration.

Hmm, didn't he just said opposite?

Yes, the person you responded to has it completely backwards. Strength training is important, but volume training is what will give you big muscles. Look for any body building routine(which is solely focused on aesthetics, and not at all focused on strength), and you will see that it has a very large volume. I lifted for strength only for 5 years and saw very little progress in aesthetics. I've seen more progress in 6 months of GVT(a volume focused training program) than I did in 5 years of heavy weight training.

Here is Kai Greenes(runner up Mr. Universe) take on the matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8wZNGL4iA4 . You probably don't want to look like him, but you have to admit he knows what he's talking about.

Just google "volume vs intensity training" for a million hits on the subject.

The way I look right now is the only proof I need that lifting exactly like I described is giving me extremely good results. You don't know anything about me, let alone what I look like, and you're telling me I'm wrong. I didn't get this big curling five pound weights everyday for an hour, let me tell you. But everybody is always right these days, so you'll go to your grave thinking what you're saying is right. At the end of the day, what I described has gotten me huge in half the time any other workout routine has over the years.

Kai Greenes is saying to use a lower weight so you can manage proper form. Sacrificing form just to hit a number goal, or to impress the person beside you at the gym is only going to lower your gains.

That has nothing to do with volume training, that's just proper weightlifting in general.

Do you have any recommended sources for GVT? The ones I have found thus far are fairly suspect and light on details.