Understandably, the title might lead you to think I’m about to claim we’ve had it all wrong. Here’s the short version: yes, compound (multi-joint) movements—like deadlift, squat, bench press, rows, and overhead press—make people stronger and should form the foundation of any solid strength program. But many trainees (and coaches) fall into the trap of thinking compound movements are all you need, all the time, with no exceptions.
Of course compound lifts make you stronger. If you want to get strong, it makes sense to do moves that let you lift the most weight and push your body to adapt. But strength also depends on other factors: technique, training frequency, addressing weaknesses, and progressive overload.
When the goal is strength—especially with the big three—lifting heavy in low rep ranges (1–5) plays an important role. Why? Lifting maximal weight recruits the most motor units, activates high-threshold motor units, increases rate coding, and promotes synchronous muscle activation. It can also set the stage for future hypertrophy when you switch to a hypertrophy phase. Some debate the research, but heavy lifting tends to raise serum testosterone. And yes, that line is a joke.
That said, there are pitfalls. Focusing only on compound movements and maximal loads can wear out joints over time, even with good technique. It also produces more fatigue—neural fatigue in particular—that, if unmanaged, can drain performance. And we’re really good at compensating. Technique is crucial. Many people can’t express their true strength because of faulty joint positions or because they haven’t earned the right to increase weight. So drilling technique and respecting each individual’s body proportions will always matter. Because compensation is common, there’s a real risk you’re leaving pounds in the tank.
Accessory movements come into play to address technique flaws or weaknesses tied to the main lift. For example, if someone is slow off the floor on deadlifts, useful accessories include tempo-focused reps (limiting bounce), deficit pulls (2–3 inches) to recruit more quadriceps, additional squat variations like Safety Squat Bar squats and front squats to recruit the quads, and the Anderson Squat from a dead start that mirrors a deadlift stance.
Back to the point: it’s perfectly fine to do isolation work or more bodybuilding-style exercises. A hybrid approach—strength plus hypertrophy—tends to work well for most people. Case in point: my bench press isn’t great, and there are days I’d rather skip it. One of my coaches, Greg Robins, has been incorporating more isolation work to address muscular issues. Strength is about generating force, and bigger muscles usually produce more force. I’ve been refining my bench with paused presses and Spoto presses to fix weaknesses. At the same time I’ve been doing more dumbbell chest flyes, which I used to dismiss. Lately my bench has improved, and my deadlift has gone up too, which I attribute in part to accessory work like leg extensions and even the chest flyes. The takeaway: it’s not all about compounds. Don’t be dogmatic. They’re the backbone of a strength program, but choosing the right accessory work—even isolation exercises—can support your goals. The internet will forgive you. And yes, my pecs can cut diamonds.
