Accessory work with Strong Lifts?

Question

What accessory work is there for the 5 lifts (squat, bench press, over head press, bent over row, and dead lift), and when should one start to consider adding these extra items to their workouts?

Answer 1

Officially, all accessory workouts have been removed from the StrongLifts program because people were getting too strung up over them. Accessory workouts are supplemental--they should only serve to assist with your individual goals. However, people were falling into the "more is better" trap and adding all of the accessory workouts into their routine (to their own detriment).

When should one start to consider adding these extra items to their workouts?

This is highly individualized, and thus the answer will vary greatly from person to person. Generally speaking, you add in accessory exercises to your routine in the following situations:

1. You are struggling with an exercise and want to focus on and improve on it (i.e. add 30 lbs to press).
2. There are specific areas of your body that are in pain or are having trouble (i.e. bad back, acl, rotator cuff).

What accessory work is there for the 5 lifts (squat, bench press, over head press, bent over row, and dead lift)

This depends on what you are trying to accomplish and which category you fall into (physical therapy or strength building). There is a staggering amount of supplemental exercises available to you that assist with those 5 lifts, and even more when you are talking about physical therapy assistance. To keep it simple, I will just include the 5 that were originally included in the StrongLifts program:

1. Pull-ups
2. Chin-ups
3. Push-ups
4. Prone Bridges
5. Reverse Crunches