8 Squat Accessory Exercises To Fix Weak Points

Not all exercises are created equally, with certain highly intense movements (also known as compound exercises) that recruit multiple muscle groups being considered the most important in terms of strength and muscle mass development.

One among these compound movements is known as the squat; one of the most important lower body compound exercises available. However, despite its effectiveness, exercisers often find that combining the squat with several other exercises similar to it in terms of training stimulus and technique can intensify the benefits they achieve.

As such, this is exactly where squat accessory exercises come in, wherein their performance alongside the squat aids in both the benefits it provides to the exerciser’s musculature as well as their performance of the squat exercise itself.

Accessory exercises are a set of exercises meant to remedy weak points and improve the general performance of the exerciser both towards certain compound movements and in a total athletic sense, with their most frequent purpose being to address errors in the technique of particularly intense compound lifts.

In the case of squat accessory exercises, the intended effect of such training is to either induce further direct training stimulus to the various muscles of the legs, or to fix an error in the performance of the squat, such as a sticking point, improper form cue or particularly difficult mechanic.

Both the terms auxiliary and accessory exercise refer to the same thing – an exercise performed separate from compound exercises that aid in the performance and development of the exerciser, though in an admittedly lesser capacity.

Though squat accessory exercises can certainly be effective at providing a variety of benefits to the exerciser, they are altogether unnecessary for the majority of ordinary gym goers – and are usually only performed by novice or intermediate lifters in order to reinforce a certain mechanic of the squat, or to remedy a muscular imbalance.

The rare case where squat accessory exercises may be necessary in a training routine is if a powerlifter or similar athlete is planning to compete in the near future and must perfect their squat performance, or if the same individual is otherwise attempting to rehabilitate an injury relating to the squat exercise.