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Powerlift Assistance Exercises:
Background Info

by Gary F. Zeolla

The pages listed at Powerlift Assistance Exercises provide descriptions of assistance exercises for the three powerlifts. This page discusses how to best incorporate these assistance exercises into ones powerlifting routine.

Exercises marked with an asterisk are "major" assistance exercises. By this is meant that these lifts can be done in place of the powerlift on a day opposite to the powerlift itself. For instance, one would do benches on Mondays and a couple of major bench assistance exercises on Thursdays. Or one could alternate doing deadlifts one week and one or two major deadlift assistance exercises the next week. Major assistance exercises can also be done on the same day as the powerlift, after the powerlift itself.

It should go without saying that one should not do all of the exercises listed. Limit yourself to two of the major assistance exercises if done on a day opposite the powerlift or one major exercise if done after the powerlift. Then do at best only a couple of the minor ones.

Choose assistance exercises that focus on where your sticking point or hardest part of the lift is. You should then reevaluate and change the exercises every few weeks. A good time for this is right after a contest. Where you miss a lift or where the hardest part of the lift is at a contest is most important. So note where that is, and after the contest pick assistance exercise(s) that work that part of the lift.

Periodically changing assistance exercises will keep the lifter from adapting to a particular exercise and thus causing it to lose its effectiveness. It will also enable the lifter to be continually working on his/her sticking point. This will change periodically, and thus assistance exercises need to be changed accordingly. But generally speaking, those who compete without gear (raw lifters) will need to emphasize assistance exercise that aid the bottom part of each powerlift, while those who compete with gear (suits, wraps, shirts) should emphasize assistance exercises that work the top part of each powerlift.

For the most part, supportive gear should not be worn while doing assistance work, not even a belt. By lifting without gear, the lifter will strengthen the parts of the body that are normally supported by the gear. Possible exceptions to this no gear rule are noted in the exercise descriptions. And if the lifter has any physical limitations than would require the use of  supportive gear, then of course, utilize it.

See Powerlifting Training Routines for specific recommendations on workout schemes.

Powerlift Assistance Exercises: Background Info. Copyright © 2003-2005 by Gary F. Zeolla.

The above article was posted on this site August 16, 2003.
It was updated October 26, 2005.

Powerlifting and Strength Training
Powerlifting and Strength Training: Powerlift Assistance Exercises

www.FitnessforOneandAll.com/powerlifting/article/assistance/info.htm