If you didn’t read this the first time I posted it, I’ll keep it simple: pfffffft, whatever. If you did read it, you’re cool—and yes, please share it.
Understandably, the title of this post might suggest I’m about to defend some nefarious idea about training. But no. The question isn’t whether compound movements work—the answer is yes. Compound (multi-joint) lifts like deadlifts, squats, bench presses, rows, and overhead presses help you get strong and should form the core of a balanced strength program.
That said, many lifters and coaches fall into the trap of thinking you should use only compound movements, all the time, with no exceptions. The online world is quick to criticize anyone who uses leg curls or does a few sets of tricep kickbacks.
To be clear: compound movements do make you stronger. If your goal is strength, you should choose the moves that let you handle the most weight and drive the body to adapt.
But strength isn’t magic. Just putting a bar on your back and moving up and down isn’t the same as becoming a champion lifter. You also need good technique, appropriate training frequency, work on weaknesses, and a steady, progressive overload.
And if strength is the aim—especially with the big three—lower-rep work with multi-joint movements plays an important role.
Why? Lifting heavy weights has several effects: you recruit more motor units; you activate the fastest, high-threshold units; you increase discharge frequency; you get better coordination within and across muscles; there’s potential for future hypertrophy when you switch to hypertrophy-focused training; and some evidence points to higher testosterone levels in some cases. There’s even a tongue-in-cheek note about social dynamics, and there is some science behind that notion.
But it isn’t all sunshine and butterflies. Focusing only on big movements and maximal loads comes with downsides: more wear and tear on joints over time, even with good technique; greater fatigue, especially neural fatigue, which can impair performance if not managed; and we’re surprisingly good at compensating, which can mask weaknesses and keep you from handling heavier loads safely.
That’s why technique matters so much. Many people can’t display their true strength because their joints are misaligned or they haven’t earned the right to add load. They haven’t done enough reps at a given weight. So drilling technique and respecting each person’s biomechanics is essential.
When we bring in accessories, I tend to use them to fix a flaw or weakness in the main lift.
For example, if someone struggles with deadlifts off the floor because they’re slow, useful accessories include reducing bounce-off-the-floor reps, deficit pulls to recruit more quadriceps, squat variations to recruit the quads, and Anderson squats started from a dead stop to mimic the deadlift stance. My own experience with these has shown how they can help transfer to the pulling movement.
Back to the point: it’s 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 do almost anything else than bench. My coach has recently added more isolation work to address my muscular imbalances. Strength is about generating force; big weights help, but bigger muscles usually produce more force.
I’ve been refining my bench technique and adding accessory moves like paused bench presses and Spoto presses to fix weaknesses. And I’ve also been doing a lot of dumbbell flyes lately. It feels odd to admit this, but my bench has improved and my deadlift has gone up since adding some chest work and leg extensions. It’s not all about compounds. Don’t be dogmatic.
Yes, compounds form the backbone of a strength program, but don’t neglect the right accessory work—even isolation moves—that support your goals. The internet will forgive you. And yes, my chest has actually benefited from these tweaks.
