not exactly.
If you have a stat you want to go down, have it set to go down.
Have Strength set to go up.
Now, to get Strength gains you have to use skills that have Strength as their primary or secondary stat, and have those skills set to go up (even if the skill is maxed out). There is a list somewhere on Stratics of the skills and their related stats.
When a stat gain is indicated, 90% of the time it will be the primary, 10% the secondary, unless the primary stat is locked or set to go down. Note that there is no longer a cap on the number of stat gains per day.
Skills that do not have Strength as a related stat will not give Strength gains.
Skills that are locked or set to go down will not give Strength gains.
the easiest way to get Strength gains is be under your skill cap, set Mining to go up, and just mine until you hit cap.