In the world of strength training and athletic performance, accessory exercises often fly under the radar. They might not be as glamorous as heavy compound lifts or as exciting as sport-specific drills, but these seemingly small movements play a crucial role in overall fitness and injury prevention. In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the world of accessory exercises, exploring what they are, why they're important, and how to incorporate them into your training regimen.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What Are Accessory Exercises?

The Importance of Accessory Exercises

Examples of Effective Accessory Exercises

How to Incorporate Accessory Exercises into Your Training

The Bottom Line

What Are Accessory Exercises?

Accessory exercises are supplementary movements designed to target specific muscle groups, joints, or movement patterns. Unlike primary compound exercises (such as squats, deadlifts, or bench presses), accessory exercises often focus on smaller muscle groups or more isolated movements. Their primary goals include:

1. Strengthening joints

2. Improving joint health

3. Addressing previous injuries

4. Targeting areas prone to injury in competition

5. Enhancing overall movement quality and stability

At first glance, accessory exercises might seem similar to hypertrophy exercises, which are aimed at increasing muscle size and mass. However, the key difference lies in the intention behind the movement and how they're programmed in terms of sets and repetitions.

The Importance of Accessory Exercises

You might be wondering, "Why should I bother with these 'extra' exercises when I'm already doing my main lifts?" The answer lies in the numerous benefits that accessory work provides:

Joint Health and Injury Prevention

One of the primary purposes of accessory exercises is to improve the health of specific joint locations, particularly in problem areas. These problem areas can arise from various sources:

• Past injuries

• Natural asymmetries (even something as simple as which hand you use for everyday tasks)

• Overuse from sport-specific demands

By targeting these areas with specific exercises, you can strengthen the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments, reducing the risk of injury and improving overall joint stability.

Enhanced Performance in Primary Lifts

Accessory exercises can directly contribute to improved performance in your main lifts. By strengthening smaller, stabilizing muscles and improving movement patterns, you create a more solid foundation for heavy compound exercises.

Improved Coordination and Movement Quality

Many accessory exercises focus on improving coordination and movement quality in specific areas of the body. For example, a reverse hyper exercise can enhance the coordination of the entire posterior chain, benefiting movements like deadlifts and sprinting.

Increased Work Capacity and Muscle Endurance

Interestingly, accessory movements can function as a form of localized muscle endurance training. By performing higher-rep, lower-weight exercises, you can build up specific areas to handle greater work capacity. This increased endurance can translate to improved performance in both training and sports.

Recovery and Active Rest

Accessory exercises can play a role in recovery by promoting blood flow to specific areas and helping to flush out metabolic waste products. This can be particularly beneficial after high-volume training sessions or intense competitions.

Examples of Effective Accessory Exercises

Now that we understand the importance of accessory work, let's look at some examples of effective exercises for different areas of the body:

Lower Body:

1. Reverse Hyper: This movement targets the entire posterior chain, strengthening the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

2. Banded Spanish Squat: Great for improving knee health and promoting blood flow to the joint.

3. Cossack Squats: Enhances hip mobility and strengthens the muscles around the knee and ankle.

   

Upper Body:

1. Dumbbell External Rotations: Excellent for shoulder health, particularly important for athletes involved in contact sports.

2. Ghostface Kickbacks: Targets the triceps and improves elbow joint health.

3. Zottman Curls: Works the biceps and forearms while also addressing grip strength.

   

Core and Back:

1. Pallof Press: Improves core stability and rotational strength.

2. Face Pulls: Targets the rear deltoids and upper back, crucial for shoulder health and posture.

• Bird Dogs: Enhances core stability and improves coordination between upper and lower body.

How to Incorporate Accessory Exercises into Your Training

Now that you understand the importance of accessory work and have some examples to work with, here are some tips for incorporating these exercises into your training routine:

Prioritize Based on Your Needs

Assess your weak points, injury history, and sport-specific demands to determine which accessory exercises will benefit you the most. Focus on exercises that address your individual needs and goals.

Program Them Strategically

Typically, accessory exercises are best performed after your main compound lifts. This ensures that you're not fatigued for your primary movements while still getting the benefits of the accessory work.

Use Appropriate Volume and Intensity

Accessory exercises are generally performed with higher repetitions and lower weights compared to main lifts. This allows for greater focus on form and helps build muscular endurance.

Be Consistent

Like any aspect of training, consistency is key with accessory work. Incorporate these exercises regularly into your routine to see the best results.

Progress Gradually

As with any exercise, you should aim to progressively overload your accessory movements. This can be done by increasing reps, sets, weight, or improving the quality of movement over time.

Don't Neglect Variety

While consistency is important, don't be afraid to rotate different accessory exercises to target the same areas. This can help prevent boredom and provide a more well-rounded approach to joint health and muscle development.

The Bottom Line

It's easy to overlook accessory exercises in favor of more exciting or challenging movements. However, these seemingly small exercises can have a big impact on your overall fitness, performance, and longevity in your sport or training.

By improving joint health, enhancing movement quality, and addressing weak points, accessory exercises create a solid foundation upon which you can build strength, power, and athletic performance. They act as the supporting cast that allows the star players – your main lifts and sport-specific skills – to shine even brighter.

Remember, the path to peak performance and long-term health isn't just about lifting heavy weights or pushing your limits in every session. It's about building a well-rounded, resilient body that can withstand the demands of your sport or training goals. Accessory exercises are a crucial tool in achieving this balance.

So the next time you're tempted to skip those "extra" exercises at the end of your workout, remember their importance. Your joints, muscles, and future self will thank you for the attention to detail and the investment in your overall health and performance.

Embrace the power of accessory exercises, and watch as your training reaches new heights of effectiveness and sustainability. After all, in the world of fitness and athletics, it's often the little things that make the biggest difference.