In the world of CrossFit, the focus often centers on high-intensity workouts, heavy lifts, and mastering complex movements. But behind every PR and efficient lift, there’s a hidden advantage that often goes unnoticed: accessory exercises. These movements may not be as attention-grabbing as a max deadlift or a perfect snatch, but they are essential for building strength, improving performance, and preventing injuries.
In this blog, we’ll dive into what accessory exercises are used in CrossFit, their purpose, why they should be a key component of your CrossFit routine, and which exercises you should consider adding to your training.
Accessory Exercises Explained
Accessory exercises are supplementary movements designed to support your primary lifts and workouts. Unlike the major compound lifts, such as squats, deadlifts, or bench presses, accessory exercises target specific muscle groups and often focus on weaknesses or imbalances in your body.
For example, while a front squat works multiple muscle groups, an accessory exercise like a Bulgarian split squat zeroes in on the quads and glutes, helping to build strength and stability in those areas. Similarly, exercises like banded pull-aparts target the smaller muscles in your shoulders and upper back, enhancing your overall shoulder stability and mobility, which is crucial for movements like the snatch or overhead press.
Purpose of Accessory Exercises
The primary purpose of CrossFit accessory exercises is to complement and enhance your main lifts. Here’s how they do it:
Addressing Weaknesses
Everyone has weak spots, whether it’s underdeveloped muscles, poor mobility, or imbalances between different muscle groups. Accessory exercises allow you to specifically target and strengthen these areas, leading to a more balanced physique and improved overall performance.
Improving Technique
By focusing on specific muscles or movements, accessory exercises can help refine your technique in the major lifts. For instance, strengthening your core and lower back through accessory movements can lead to better form and stability during heavy deadlifts.
Preventing Injuries
Strength imbalances or weaknesses often lead to injuries, especially in high-intensity training like CrossFit. Incorporating accessory exercises into your routine can help address these issues before they become problematic, ensuring that your body is better prepared for the demands of your workouts.
Enhancing Recovery
Accessory exercises can also aid in recovery. Low-intensity movements, such as band work or light resistance exercises, promote blood flow and help alleviate muscle soreness, speeding up your recovery process.
Best CrossFit Accessory Exercises
Not all accessory exercises are created equal. The best ones for you will depend on your specific goals, weaknesses, and the lifts you’re trying to improve. However, some exercises are generally beneficial for most CrossFit athletes.
Here are some of the top accessory exercises to consider:
Bulgarian Split Squats
Target Areas: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
Benefits: This single-leg exercise improves lower body strength, balance, and stability, which are crucial for squats and lunges. It also helps to correct imbalances between legs, which can prevent injuries.
Glute Bridges / Hip Thrusts
Target Areas: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back
Benefits: Glute bridges and hip thrusts strengthen the posterior chain, which is vital for deadlifts, cleans, and snatches. They also help to improve hip extension, leading to more explosive lifts.
Sumo Deadlifts
Target Areas: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, and inner thighs,
Benefits: Builds lower body strength, enhances hip mobility, and can reduce strain on the lower back compared to conventional deadlifts.
Benefits: Builds lower body strength, enhances hip mobility, and can reduce strain on the lower back compared to conventional deadlifts.
Banded Pull-Aparts
Target Areas: Shoulders, upper back
Benefits: This exercise is excellent for improving shoulder stability and mobility. It’s a simple yet effective way to strengthen the muscles that support your shoulder joints, which can enhance your performance in movements like pull-ups and snatches.
GHD (Glute-Ham Developer) Sit-Ups
Target Areas: Core, hip flexors, lower back
Benefits: GHD sit-ups are more challenging than traditional sit-ups and provide an excellent way to strengthen the core and hip flexors, which are crucial for nearly every movement in CrossFit.
Farmer’s Walk
Target Areas: Grip strength, forearms, traps, core
Benefits: The farmer’s walk builds grip strength and overall stability. It’s particularly useful for improving performance in deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and other heavy lifts.
Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
Target Areas: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back
Benefits: RDLs are fantastic for targeting the posterior chain. They help improve hamstring flexibility and strength, which are critical for deadlifts and other hinge movements.
Box Step-Ups
Target Areas: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
Benefits: Box step-ups help build unilateral leg strength and stability. They’re particularly beneficial for athletes looking to improve their squat or lunge performance.
Tricep Dips
Target Areas: Triceps, shoulders, chest
Benefits: Strong triceps are essential for pressing movements, including bench presses and push-ups. Tricep dips help to build the strength needed for these exercises.
Hollow Body Hold
Target Areas: Core, lower back
Benefits: The hollow body hold strengthens the entire core and helps develop the body tension required for gymnastics movements like pull-ups and muscle-ups.
How to Incorporate Accessory Exercises Into Your CrossFit Routine
Including accessory exercises in your CrossFit routine doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your workout plan. Here are some tips on how to incorporate them effectively:
Identify Your Weaknesses:
Pay attention to the areas where you struggle during your lifts or workouts. If you’re unsure, ask a coach to help you identify these weaknesses.
Choose the Right Exercises:
Once you’ve identified your weak spots, select accessory exercises that target those areas. For example, if you struggle with hip mobility in squats, exercises like hip thrusts or banded lateral walks might be beneficial.
Integrate Into Warm-Ups or Cool-Downs:
Accessory exercises don’t always have to be a separate part of your workout. They can be integrated into your warm-ups or cool-downs as a way to activate or stretch specific muscles.
Use Light to Moderate Weights:
Remember, the goal of accessory exercises is not to max out but to improve strength, stability, and mobility. Start with light to moderate weights and focus on perfecting your form.
Be Consistent:
Like any other aspect of training, consistency is key. Incorporate accessory exercises regularly to see the best results.
Final Thoughts
While accessory exercises may not get the same attention as the big lifts in CrossFit, they play a crucial role in enhancing your performance, preventing injuries, and helping you reach your fitness goals. By incorporating these targeted movements into your routine, you can build a stronger, more resilient body that’s prepared to tackle even the toughest WODs.
So next time you’re in the gym, don’t skip the accessory work – it might just be the key to unlocking your next PR.
