I think for novices, often young, just coordination and rising hormones go a long way.
even some older novice who are overweight are going to make good gains even in calorie lost state.
however, for the more experienced, I don't think there can ever be a magical way. for me. key is enough stimulation, enough rest and an ability to know when to push hard and back off. there are simply too many massive and powerful athletes who train entirely different to get results.
imo, I would only sparingly go flat out. i prefer to train 3-4 sets at 60-65% of intensity with just 1 minute rest for most of my training. I never was huge or immensely strong, but achieved reasonable strength levels at a rather skinny 100kg weight for my height. if I had kept eating, I would have done better.
main thing is to find a way that works and suits one's mindset.