Why Accessory Work Isn’t Optional
The squat, bench, and deadlift are the backbone of strength training. But they’re not the whole picture. These lifts test power and coordination across major muscle groups, yet they also expose weaknesses. Tight hips, unstable shoulders, weak glutes any gap in mobility, balance, or control can show up fast under a heavy bar.
That’s where accessory work comes in. Targeted movements plug holes the Big Three don’t address. They build structure around the main lifts helping lifters move with better alignment, safer mechanics, and more output. Skip them, and you risk running into plateaus, pain, or worse, injury.
Smart accessory programming dials into form, stability, and range of motion without trashing recovery. It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing better. A few well placed exercises can mean the difference between chasing numbers and actually hitting them.
Targeted Accessories for Squat
Accessory work for squats targets common sticking points like balance, posterior chain engagement, and torso strength. These exercises help reinforce proper movement patterns while addressing muscle imbalances.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Focus: Unilateral stability and glute strength
Strengthens each leg independently, reducing asymmetries
Builds glute and quad endurance without taxing the lower back
Improves balance and hip stability, key for squat control
Good Mornings
Focus: Posterior chain and core control
Strengthens hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors
Reinforces hinge mechanics a foundational movement pattern for squatting
Enhances core stiffness under load, translating to a stronger bottom position
Front Squats
Focus: Upper back and quad development
Shifts the load forward, forcing upright posture
Emphasizes thoracic extension and quad engagement
Great for addressing upper back rounding during back squats
Box Squats
Focus: Depth control and explosive power
Teaches consistent squat depth by creating a target
Builds explosive strength from the bottom up
Useful for lifters who struggle with control or tight hips at depth
More Resources
For additional squat accessory options, check out our guide: Complementary Accessory Lifts
Targeted Accessories for Bench Press
To push your bench press up, you have to train more than just pressing a heavy bar off your chest. You need to develop power through the entire range of motion and reinforce the muscles that support the full lift.
Start with the close grip bench. Moving your hands in tight shifts the load to your triceps exactly what you need to power past sticking points at the top of your press. It’s not fancy, but it builds the part of the lift where most people stall.
Next is the paused bench. Stop the bar at your chest for a full second before pressing. This eliminates momentum and demands true force production from a dead stop. It’s brutal, but if your weakness is getting the bar off your chest, this is where you fix it.
Then there’s dips and push ups not glamorous, but incredibly effective. Dips torch your pecs and triceps. Push ups help reinforce shoulder stability and balance. If you’re skipping these bodyweight patterns, you’re giving up free gains.
Finally, bring in overhead pressing. A strong overhead press carries over into better shoulder health and improved lockout strength. It rounds out your pressing lineup and bridges pressing strength in multiple planes.
Details matter. Complement your bench press with these movements and you’ll build a more stable, explosive foundation. For more ideas, check out this list of complementary accessory lifts.
Targeted Accessories for Deadlift
If your deadlift is stalling, nine times out of ten it’s not the main lift it’s what you’re not doing between pulls. This is where smart accessory work steps in and does the grunt work.
Start with Romanian deadlifts. Lightweight, controlled, and focused on hamstring stretch, they’re an honest check in with your posterior chain. You’re not chasing PRs here you’re teaching your hips to fire properly, building stability where it matters.
Deficit pulls are next. Standing on a small platform forces a longer range of motion, attacking your ability to break the bar off the floor. It sucks. It works. It builds grit and strength where most lifters fall apart at the start.
Rows and pull ups get overlooked, but grip and lat engagement are critical for bar control. Solid barbell rows drive upper back strength and spinal positioning. Pull ups strict and clean keep your lats firing and your arms honest. You drop them, you lose tightness.
For the lockout, throw in hip thrusts and glute ham raises. Thrusts build pure glute power, hips up and through with control. Glute ham raises target the backside like few other lifts do. Both demand tension and control two traits every deadlift needs more of.
Deadlift success isn’t just about pulling heavier. It’s about building the frame that can handle heavier. These lifts do that.
Putting It All Together
Accessory work only pays off if you approach it with intention. Sticking to the same lifts for months on end eventually stalls progress. That’s why you should rotate your accessory lifts every 6 8 weeks. Switch things up to expose fresh weaknesses, challenge your body in new ways, and keep progress moving when your main lifts hit a wall.
Just like the big three, your accessory exercises deserve progressive overload. Track them. Add weight gradually, tighten up form, bump reps or sets over time. Treat them like real training because they are.
That said, don’t turn accessories into a second full workout. Your goal isn’t to gas out; it’s to train smarter. Piling on volume just adds fatigue with little payoff. The right accessory lifts complement your main lifts. They support recovery, strengthen soft spots, and improve technique. Everything else is noise.
Final Thought
When your progress on the squat, bench, or deadlift stalls, it’s rarely because of the primary movement itself it’s often due to weak links hiding in your technique, muscular imbalances, or lack of stability. This is where accessory work becomes your best tool for breaking through barriers.
Fix the Weakest Link First
Struggling out of the hole in your squat? You may need more glute or core work.
Losing your bench at lockout? Time to train your triceps with dedicated accessory lifts.
Can’t break the floor in your deadlift? Strengthen your posterior chain and grip.
Identifying and targeting these weak areas can reignite progress in your main lifts.
Accessory Programming Isn’t One Size Fits All
There’s no universal blueprint for building strength. Your accessory plan should reflect your body, your training history, and where you’re currently weakest. What works for one lifter might waste time for another.
To get the most from your accessory work:
Assess your form regularly know what’s holding you back
Prioritize 2 4 key accessory movements per lift
Adjust based on how your body responds in real time
Stronger Support Muscles = Stronger Big Three
Big lifts rely on small details. A stronger bench comes from strong shoulders, triceps, and core. A better deadlift depends on hamstring engagement and lat tension. A solid squat needs everything from ankle mobility to glute power.
Accessory exercises fill these gaps. When built into your routine intentionally, they don’t just keep you injury free they actively drive your total higher.
Don’t just train harder; train smarter by reinforcing your foundation.