Pick accessories that target the muscles or sticking points your main compounds miss, then keep them simple and high-volume.
Accessories exist to fill gaps your big compounds leave, so choose them based on weak muscles or sticking points. If your bench stalls at lockout, add triceps work; if your squat rounds forward, add upper back and core. For a lagging muscle like biceps, side delts, or hamstrings, add direct isolation, since compounds rarely hit them fully. Keep 2 to 4 accessories per session in the 8 to 15 rep range.
Squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows drive most growth but under-hit side delts, biceps, hamstrings, calves, and abs. Choose isolations for those, like lateral raises, curls, leg curls, and calf raises, to round out your physique.
If you fail bench off the chest, add pause work and upper chest; if you fail at lockout, add triceps and close-grip. Pick accessories that strengthen the exact spot where your main lift breaks down.
Accessories are for volume and detail, not ego. Choose 2 to 4 stable movements you can progressively overload for 8 to 15 reps, and stick with them long enough to actually get stronger before swapping.
Pick accessories that target the muscles or sticking points your main compounds miss, then keep them simple and high-volume.
