Accessory Work - Conjugate Fitness

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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Accessory Work
Lifters have to use accessory movements to correct
weaknesses and to improve leverage. So what I
mean by this is if I look at a lifter and they are really
weak at coming out of the hole but really good at
locking out at the top of the lift, then they have
strong hamstrings and no glutes.
If their hips look small or weak, I am going to use
accessory movements to make their hamstrings and
glutes stronger. If I have another person that is
really good at coming out of the hole because their
hamstring and glutes are strong and well developed
but their quads are lacking, I can put more
emphasis on their quads. I can put the emphasis
wherever I need.
Our accessory movements help us achieve that
optimal build type and optimal leverage. It’s plain
and simple.
So what I’m getting at is an ideal leverage for
anything you want to do. And our accessory
movements help us achieve that optimal build
type and leverage.
Use the accessory guidelines and swipe file below to
help implement this into your training program.
Outlining the guidelines to explain Accessory Work
in the form of paragraphs would cause a fair
amount of confusion. In the interest of making this
area as concise and easy to read as possible, the
Dynamic Effort and Maximum Effort instructions
have been set up in a list format.
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Maximal Effort Days:
Instructions for Accessory Work
Intensity: High
Volume: Medium to Low
Exercises Done on Three to five individual
Each Day: accessory movements.
Individual Sets for Anywhere from two to four.
Each Exercise:
Number of Minimum of 5, maximum of 12.
Repetitions
During Each Set:
Resting Period: One to three minutes between
each set.
Time Spent Each training session should be
Training: completed within one hour.
Variations of For one to three weeks,
Training: continue to perform the same
accessory movements.
Training Trainees should aim to make
Progressions: improvements in their
accessory work each week.
Improvements made during
accessory work directly lead to
improvements in deadlifting,
bench press, and the squat drill.
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Maximal Effort Days:
Instructions for Accessory Work
Which Muscle Groups Need to Be Trained
and What Is the Proper Order?
Listed below is an outline of the muscle
groups that require your focus and the order
in which these muscle groups need to be
worked on.
Deadlift and Squat Days:
1. Primary Move: In either the squat or
deadlift, gradually work up to one to three
repetition maximum (RM).
2. Heavy
Compound
Movement
Hamstrings, Erectors and Glutes:
-
3. Lats: Two to three sets per training
session, consisting of 8 to 12 repetitions.
4. Abdominal: One or two sets each session,
with a minimum of 15 and a maximum of
30 repetitions.
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Page 4
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Maximal Effort Days:
Instructions for Accessory Work
Maximum Effort Bench Press Days:
1. Primary Move: In a bench press variation,
build up to one to three repetition maximum
(RM).
2. Heavy Compound Movement: While targeting
your body's particularly weak areas, two to five
sets of three to six compound movement
repetitions are to be performed. Examples
include: push ups, dips, dumbbell bench
presses, and barbell bench presses.
3. Triceps: Targeting the areas surrounding the
elbows and triceps, perform two to four sets
involving 8 to 12 repetitions of one or two
differing exercises.
4. Lats and Back: In order to strengthen the
upper back, two to four sets of 8 to 15
repetitions is recommended, using one or two
exercises.
5. Shoulders: To target the posterior, anterior and
medial deltoids, trainees should perform at
least one to three sets of 10 to 20 repetitions.
6. Abdominal: One to three sets, with 15 to 30
repetitions.
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Dynamic Effort Days:
Instructions for Accessory Work
Intensity: Low
Volume: High
Exercises Done Four or five individual
on Each Day: accessory movements each
day
Individual Sets Anywhere from two to four
for Each
Exercise:
Number of Minimum of 12, maximum of
Repetitions 20
During Each
Set:
Resting Period: One to three minutes between
each set
Time Spent Each training session should
Training: be completed within one
hour.
Exercise For a minimum of one week
Variations: and a maximum of three,
perform the same accessory
movements.
Training The objective is to improve
Progressions: your accessory work with
each passing week. Improving
your accessory work begets
improvements in deadlifting,
bench pressing and squat
drills.
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Page 6
Swipe File
The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Dynamic Effort Days:
Instructions for Accessory Work
Which Muscle Groups Need to Be Trained and
What Is the Proper Order?
Listed below is an outline of the muscle groups
that require your focus and the order in which
these muscle groups need to be worked on.
Dynamic Effort Deadlift and Squat Day:
1. Primary Move: In a variation of the box
squat, perform ten to twelve sets at 50 to 60
percent of your One Repetition Maximum.
2. DE Deadlift: At 60 to 85 percent of your
One Repetition Maximum, perform six to
ten sets involving one to three repetitions.
3. Hamstrings, Erectors and Glutes: To
target each of these muscle groups, each
movement should involve one or two
exercises that consist of three to six sets
with 15 to 25 repetitions.
4. Lats: Two to three sets per training session,
encompassing 15 to 20 repetitions.
5. Abdominal: Two to three sets per training
session, encompassing 20 to 50 repetitions.
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Dynamic Effort Days:
Instructions for Accessory Work
Dynamic Effort Bench Press Day:
1. Primary Move: At 50 percent of your One
Repetition Maximum, perform nine sets of three
repetitions in a bench press variation.
2. Lighter Compound Movement: Targeting the
specific weaknesses of your body, perform two
or three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. Examples
include: push ups, dips, dumbbell bench
presses, and barbell bench presses.
3. Triceps: The area around your triceps and
elbows requires one or two exercises, consisting
of two to three sets of 15 to 30 repetitions.
4. Lats and Back: In order to strengthen the
upper back, two to four sets of 12 to 20
repetitions is recommended, using one or two
exercises.
5. Shoulders: To target the posterior, anterior and
medial deltoids, trainees should perform at
least two or three sets of 15 to 30 repetitions,
using one or two exercise variations.
6. Abdominal: One to three sets, with 20 to 50
repetitions.
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Hamstrings, Erectors and Glutes
 Sumo Semi-Stiff
Legged Deadlift
 Box Step-Up
 Deadlift [Stiff-Legged]
 Safety Squat Bar Lateral Lunge
 Chair Deadlift
 Block Pull - Sumo
Deadlift
 [Lateral] Box Step-Up
 [Barbell] Hip Bridges
 Deficit Deadlift
 [Single-Legged] Barbell
Hip Bridge
 Snatch Grip Deadlift
 GHD Glute Contractions
 Straight-Legged GHD
Snatch Grip Deadlift
 Walking/Good Morning
Lunge
 Box Squat
 Anderson Front Squat
 Reverse Hyper [SingleLegged]
 [Barbell] Good
Morning
 Reverse Hyper [Glute
Partials]
 [Seated] Good
Morning
 Reverse Hyper [Swing
Variation]
 Arch Back Good
Morning
 Reverse Hyper [Strict
Variation]
 Seated Arched Back
Good Morning
 Bent Knee - Reverse
Hyper
 Band Assisted Inverse
Curl
 [Banded] Hip Bridges
 Inverse Leg Curl
 [Banded] Good
Morning
 Glute Ham Raise
 [Banded] Pull Throughs
 Safety Squat Bar
Bulgarian Split Squat
 Banded Adduction
Exercise
 Back Extension [GHD]
 Leg Curls [Ankle
Weights]
 Belt Squat Walking
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 Dimmels [Barbell]
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Triceps
 [Flat] Close Grip
Bench Press
 Kettlebell Skull
Crusher
 Board - Bench Press
 [Flat] Tate Press
 [Barbell] JM Press
 [Banded] Incline Tate
Press
 Barbell Floor Skull
Crusher - Pin Press
 [Reverse Band]
Barbell Skull Crusher
 [Reverse Band] Safety
Squat Bar J.M. Press
 Tricep Kick Back
[Dumbbell]
 Single-Arm Dumbbell
Bench Press
 Dumbbell JM Press
 [Banded] Dumbbell
Tricep Floor Press
 Decline Tricep Roll
Back Extensions
 Dumbbell - Incline
Bench Press
 [Close Grip] Bamboo
Bar Bench Press
 [Banded] Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
 Bamboo Bar Skull
Crushers
 [Banded] Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
(Neutral Grip)
 [Banded] Tricep Push
Downs
 Floor Press [Barbell]
 Close Grip Push-Up
 [Banded] Seated
Overhead Tricep
Extension
 Ring Dips
 Ring Push-Ups
 Rack Floor Press Double Mini Bands
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Lats & Back
 Pull-Ups [Weighted]
 Pull-Ups [Strict]
 Pull-Ups [Banded]
 One Arm Dumbbell Row
 Lat Pull-down
 [Banded] Inverted Barbell Rows
 Bent Over Underhand Cable Row
 Straight Arm Pull Down
 Chest Supported Rows [Barbell]
 Bent Over Rows - Underhand [Close Grip]
 Bent Over Rows [Wide Grip]
 Back Extension [GHD]
 Straight-Legged GHD Snatch Grip Deadlift
 [Barbell] Good Morning
 [Seated] Good Morning
 Arch Back Good Morning
 Seated Arched Back Good Morning
 [Banded] Good Morning
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Shoulders
 Seated - Military Press
 Seated - Military Pin Press
 Bamboo Bar Bench Press
 Bamboo Bar [Strict Press]
 [Banded] High Pulls
 Dumbbell Windmills & Reverse Flys
 Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
 Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
 Strict Press
 Push Press
 [Banded] Bench Position - Pull A-Parts
 [Banded] Pull A Parts
 Battling Ropes
 [Banded] Windmills
 [Banded] Face Pulls
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Abdominals
 GHD Obliques - Rotation (Paddling)
 Decline Sit-Ups [Barbell]
 Decline Sit-Ups [Dumbbells]
 [Banded] Half Roller Decline Sit-Up
 [Banded] GHD Sit-Up
 [Banded] Parallel - GHD Sit-Up
 Bamboo Bar Decline Sit-Up
 [Banded] Decline Sit-Up
 Russian Twist
 Strict Toes-to-bar
 L-Sit Scissor Kicks
 L-Sit Flutter Kicks
 L-Sit Hold
 Ab Fallouts
 Hollow Rocks
 Plank Holds
 [Banded] Plank Holds
 Flutter Kicks
 Side Bends [Barbell]
 Side Bends [Dumbbell]
 GHD Sit-Ups [Obliques]
 [Static] Ab Holds
 Partnered Leg Throws
 [Banded] Crunches
 Dumbbell Leg Raise
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The Ultimate Accessory Exercise
Additional Accessory Work
One of the most common errors made by those
who use the Westside system for their training is
that they will give their maximum effort to the
primary move and neglect to give that same effort
on their accessory work.
It can not be stressed enough that this is a
poor choice!
It goes without saying that the primary moves are
a major key to achieving training success.
However, it is crucial that trainees understand the
importance of completing the full training course,
including accessory work. The accessory work is
just as vital to your training, if not more so.
There are a variety of ways to progress during
your accessory work, including:
1. Using additional weight
2. Upping the number of repetitions per exercise
3. Increasing the range of motion and the amount
of time under tension
Without a consistent attack of your accessory
movements and striving to improve daily, you'll
never tap into the full potential of the training
program.
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