The Accessory Exercise Thread

[Debaser]

This is a thread where we can discuss important exercises for strengthening neglected muscles, prehab/rehab exercises, etc...

I'll start off...

Crunch - I consider this accessory work, you may not. Regardless, it's important for obvious reasons.

Reverse hyper/Back extension - Does this really need an explanation?

Leg raise - Important for strengthening the hip flexors. This is an incredibly nagging injury to me right now, I get intense sharp pain the closer I bring my knees to my chest. Right now I'm seeing if strict leg raises with rigorous stretching and trigger point therapy will solve it.

Side bends - Important for lateral stability and the lower back's intertransversales and longissimus muscle groups (side to side spinal movement).

L-flyes - How many hundreds of posts do we have on rotator cuff injuries? Yet very few want to take the time to do this simple exercise. It is designed to strengthen the external rotators and help correct the imbalance with the internal. If you want to see this imbalance for yourself, put your arms to your side. Now extend your hand forward while your upper arm stays at your side, as if giving a handshake. Now pivot the arm towards your torso. Now do it in the opposite direction. Notice how much more difficult it is moving away from your body?

Neck work - Hardly anyone does it. Not only will a strong, flexible neck eliminate overall stress (IMO), but it could prevent injury in or outside the gym (car accident for example). Also an absolute must for martial artists/wrestlers.

Grip work - My new obsession. What good is a strong deadlift if you need straps/hooks to hold the friggin bar? Also the idea of someone drawing back a mangled stump after giving me a handshake would be oddly satisfying. Caveat: An oft-overlooked aspect of hand work would be finger extensor strength. Use rubber bands for resistance.

Feel free to add.

 

[muscledog95]

Im starting to follow up squats with back ext on the roman chair or whatever its called. Need to strengthen my core a little more...haha that kinda ryhmed

 

[collegiateLifter]

howabout pulldown abs instead of crunches, and 1 arm side deadlifts aka suitcase deadlifts generally instead of side bends

 

[brian747478`]

I like static hold leg raises, spread eagle sit ups, reverse hypers(when i have somewhere to do them) grip, my new mission is grip, with grippers, hercules holds, one arm hercules holds, pinch grips. all this grip stuff wont' be on the same day, but i dropped the farmers last weekend and that has to be the LAST time that happens

 

[spatts]

I'll throw in my collection of accesory work vids. I chose these because they are in a functional plane:

http://www.asylum-strength.com/videos.htm

 

[The Shadow]

rotator cuff work

standing ab crunches

pull thrus

seat rows with rope attachment and pulling to chin

incline hammers

rolling tricep extensions

towel wraped chin bar hangs

 

[spatts]

My two favorite forms of prehab: Sled Dragging and Band Active Recovery

 

[revexrevex]

Deadlifts

 

[tad69]

What is the best for rotator cuff? I already do the one like with a shoulder horn only with-out? Does anyone have videos? THX

 

[spatts]

I started with this:

...and eventually worked into heavier moves, and I'm now reintroducing overhead movements. I started with some VERY, VERY basic physical therapy with bands, which can be found in the links I posted above.