To reach your potential in squats, you need to do accessories. Some believe “technique doesn't matter as long as you get the weight up.” That mindset, however, is limiting and will only get you so far.
As a coach and lifter, I’ve observed some of the best squats in the world and researched their technique. Through this, I have identified the top 9 best squat accessory lifts to improve strength and technique:
- Pause Squat
- Dead Squat
- Box Squat
- Band Resisted Squat
- Tempo Squat
- Front Squat
- Goblet Squat
- Belt squat
- Rear Foot Elevated TRX Split Squat
These top 9 squat accessory lifts are highly influential. Not knowing the differences between these accessory movements could cause your squat performance to weaken!
This article will discuss the best accessory lifts for squats, how they work, and when to use them in your programming. I will also discuss what accessory lifts are, how they work, and the difference between accessory lifts and assistance lifts.
Let’s get to it!
Table of Contents
What Are Accessory Lifts?
Accessory lifts are supplemental and supportive movements that help improve specific aspects of your performance, such as your weak points. They are prioritized as top movements that take dominance in your program.
Accessory lifts are pivotal for strength training. Accessory lifts are supplemental movements that often target a weak point in performance. Oftentimes, the squat supplemental exercises come after the primary lift, which in this case would be the squat.
During a training session, the lifter would begin with the squatting exercise while fresh and prepared for training. Then, the accessory lift would come afterward and target the weak point of the lifter’s performance.
In addition to accessory movements, people might be familiar with the term “assistance lifts.” Assistance lifts and accessory lifts, however, are not the same thing. Accessory lifts are primary movements in programming, while assistance lifts are smaller secondary ones targeting a specific muscle to improve performance.
Why Are Squat Accessories Important?
Accessory exercises should not be the main focus of lifting. However, they complement training and can serve as perhaps the second lift during a specific training session.
They are used to address weak points in training, whether these occur in strength or technique. But when asked how to increase a squat, my first response is always, “squat more.”
What I mean by this is to practice the main lift more frequently.
On the other hand, if you struggle at the bottom of your lift, top of your lift, or just struggle with your squatting form, then accessory lifts on this list help you get better at squatting.
Related Article: Which Squat Is Best For Hamstrings?
Top 9 Squat Accessory Lifts
1. Pause Squat
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The pause squat is performed like a regular squat but with a 1-2 second pause at the bottom of the lift. The pause squat is one of the best accessory exercises for squat.
Who Would This Be Good For:
If you struggle at the bottom of your squat, the pause squat would be one of the top accessory exercises to add to your training. Since the pause squat creates more tension at the bottom of your lift, it would be an appropriate squat accessory exercise to build strength in your quads and glutes.
In addition to strengthening the quads and glutes, the pause squat recruits strength from the lower back and core to improve posture. Multiple muscle groups are used for the pause squat, as it is a compound movement that requires a ton of muscular effort.
The importance of the pause squat is that it exposes an athlete’s weakness at the bottom position of their squat. Pausing during the squatting motion disrupts the stretch-shortening cycle, which puts an athlete at a disadvantage. This pause squat disadvantage helps elevate your squat performance for improved success.
Read more: The Full Guide To Pause Squatting
Programming Recommendations:
This lift should be performed with a lighter intensity, between 60-80% of your squat max. Start light, increasing the intensity and reducing the volume every few weeks. This movement can be done for speed and strength.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve bottom strength | 3-5 | x | 4-6 | 60-65% | SPEED - Pause Squat for 3x5 @ 65% of 1RM STRENGTH - Pause Squat for 3x3 @ 80% of 1RM |
Can’t hit squat depth? Check this article about squat assistance exercises to help improve your depth on the squat!
2. Dead Squat
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The dead squat, also known as a “pin squat,” is when the lifter takes the barbell squat to the pins and lets the weights rest to challenge their strength from different positions.
Who Would This Be Good For:
The dead squat is a top squat accessory lift that helps improve your squat's different positions. Whether you struggle at the bottom or the top of your lift, doing the dead squat requires the lifter to rest the weight on the pins to make it a more challenging exercise.
When resting the weight onto the pins, the lifter loses tension and has to lift a motionless weight. Lifting a motionless weight is very difficult, making the dead squat a top accessory for any program. It can be performed from a lower position for those who struggle at the bottom or a higher position for those who struggle with lockout.
Programming Recommendations:
This lift should be done with a focus on strength. I would recommend making the dead squat your second movement within a program, improving bottom strength and top strength within an intensity of 80-90% of your one rep max. I recommend that any lifter do 1-3 reps for 1-3 sets.
For the dead squat, set the pins so you perform just above parallel for bottom strength or as a quarter squat for lockout strength.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve bottom strength and lockout strength | 1-3 | x | 1-3 | 80-90% | Dead Squat - 2x3 @ 85% of 1RM |
Looking to improve your squat strength? Check out this article about the best squat assistance exercises for increasing your squat strength!
Want to improve your squat technique?
3. Box Squat
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The box squat is when the lifter sits on a box, pauses the weight briefly then continues the lift to completion. When sitting on the box, you lose massive tension to put yourself in a disadvantageous position for performance.
Who Would This Be Good For:
The box squat is a huge squat accessory movement for those who struggle with the bottom of their lift due to hip strength. When sitting on the box, the lifter has to recruit as much hip strength as possible to go from sitting to standing. This lift improves hip strength for the squat and other movements of strength, such as the deadlift.
Some people note that the box squat also helps improve other muscles, such as the quads, hamstrings, and core muscles too. Although this is true, the idea of sitting on a box and standing means the first muscle group recruited to get off the box would be the hip muscles mostly.
Programming Recommendations:
This lift can be done with a focus on strength or speed. Some people include bands or chains with this lift to make the resistance easier at the bottom and heavier at the top.
I would recommend making the box squat your second movement within a program, improving bottom strength and hip strength with an intensity of 60-80% of your one rep max. The lighter percentages would be for speed, and the heavier percentages would be for strength.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve bottom strength and hip strength | 3-6 | x | 3-5 | 60-80% | STRENGTH - Box Squats 3x5 @ 70% of 1RM SPEED - Box Squats 6x2 @ 65% of 1RM |
Struggling to find balance with your squat? Read this article about the suitcase squat being one of the best squat accessory exercises for improving posture and positioning in performance!
4. Band Resisted Squat
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The band resisted squat is when you place bands on either side of the barbell, anchored to the bottom of the squat rack, to add resistance through the full range of motion (good for the squat lockout).
The band resisted squat is limited to those with bands and access to proper equipment for bands. This could make it a challenging accessory movement if you don’t have access to these needs.
Who Would This Be Good For:
Band resisted squats will help athletes who need to improve force development or miss the lift out of the hole (right at lockout). The band will reinforce a vertical bar path upwards because it increases gravity's pull, causing tension to increase as the athlete stands up. The exercise becomes more challenging as the athlete comes out of the hole, thus emphasizing that particular technique portion of the lift.
The band also forces lifters to “drive through” the entire range of motion. Sometimes newer lifters don't apply maximum force, especially if the load is sub-maximal. The band teaches athletes not to be lazy and that you must always apply maximum force.
Programming Recommendations:
I would start with the smaller bands and work your way up to thicker bands. The thicker bands will add more resistance, so start with light bands and build yourself up.
Keep the reps between 3-5 and the bar load between 60-70% of 1 rep max. The weight will feel heavier because of the bands, especially through the mid and top-end range of motion.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve the top end of your lift (lockout) | 2-5 | x | 3-5 | 60-70% | Band Resisted Squat 3x3 @ 70% of 1RM |
5. Tempo Squat
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The tempo squat puts more time under tension either on the way down, the way up, or both.
Tempo squats are a phenomenal accessory to slow down the movement and identify any technical errors. If you suffer from any technical errors, the tempo squat will expose you, especially under fatigue. Once the technical error is exposed, the athlete can focus on those areas with deliberate attention.
Who Would This Be Good For:
The tempo squat should be used by any lifter, particularly newer lifters. The tempo squat helps identify any technical performance errors which would typically occur in a newer athlete.
The tempo squat also helps lifters who lack control during the descent of the squat. A lack of control would be present if the lifter can't keep the bar in the right bar path or loses muscular tension.
Programming Recommendations:
You will often see the tempo squat programmed using a series of numbers. An example of this could be the “4020 tempo,” which relates to the four phases of a lift:
- Eccentric
- Isometric – middle of lift
- Concentric
- Isometric – end of lift
A 4020 tempo would be down in 4 seconds, no pause at the bottom, come up in 2 seconds, and no pause at the top.
A 3120 tempo would look like this: go down in 3 seconds, pause for 1 second, come up in 2 seconds, and no pause at the top.
Tempo squats can be programmed in the 1-5 rep range with loads of 50-70% of 1 rep max depending on how long the lifter is expected to be under tension (i.e., how slow the tempo is prescribed).
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve control and strength through “time under tension” | 3-4 | x | 1-5 | 50-70% | Tempo Squat 3120 for 4x3 @ 65% of 1RM |
Tempo training was mentioned as a “special method” in my article on 10 Special Exercises To Improve Your Powerlifting Movements.
6. Front Squat
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The front squat requires placing the barbell on your front delts rather than your upper back. Placing the weight in front of your body requires you to counterbalance the weight and learn how to squat more effectively by engaging more of your hip joint.
When working with a client for the first time, I prefer teaching the front squat before the back squat. The reason for this is prioritizing the hip joint and torso positioning.
Sometimes people replace the front squat with the safety bar squat. Check out my comparison of the Safety Bar Squat vs Front Squat.
Who Would This Be Good For:
The front squat should be used for lifters who fail to maintain an upright torso in the squat. The squat is also great for those who need to strengthen their quad muscles. The front squat has more quad activation than the back squat due to bar placement and mechanics.
Programming Recommendations:
You can program a wide range of rep ranges depending on your goals. I would program 1-5 reps for strength and 6-12 reps for hypertrophy.
Regarding loading, you'll want to use a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale, as you might not have a reference to take percentages from.
With RPE, use an RPE of 7-8, which means no matter what the rep range you're doing, always finish the set and leave 2-3 reps in the tank.
This idea of RPE and “reps left” is similar to the idea of the RIR scale, which is “reps in reserve”.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve torso positioning and quadricep strength | 2-3 | x | 1-5 or 6-12 | RPE7-8 | STRENGTH - Front Squats 2x5 @ RPE8 SIZE - Front Squats 3x10 @ RPE7 |
Another great front-loaded exercise is the Zercher Squat. Check out my complete guide.
7. Goblet Squat
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The goblet squat is where you hold a single dumbbell in front of you, holding it with both hands just underneath your chin. The goblet squat is a beneficial exercise to teach squat mechanics focusing on hip abduction (external hip rotation) and ankle dorsiflexion (the ability for your ankle to flex up).
Using a dumbbell, sandbag, or kettlebell, the client can create a shift in the center of mass, thus allowing for a more upright torso and deeper position.
I also use the goblet squat as a warm-up to increase the mobility of ankles and hips.
Who Would This Be Good For:
The goblet squat is a great squat accessory movement for those needing to improve their barbell squat posture mechanics. The goblet squat is a precursor to teaching the front squat. If clients can perform the goblet squat proficiently, they will be ready to start front squatting.
The idea of this movement being important for promoting postural strength and performance tends to be for those who lack mobility or are newer to lifting.
Programming Recommendations:
The goblet squat is best performed with higher volume, such as 6-10 reps. This is because loading the exercise with a single dumbbell will be hard. Use it as either an activation exercise before your regular squatting or increase mobility and range of motion.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve positioning and mobility for the squat | 3-4 | x | 6-10 | RPE7-8 | Goblet Squats 4x8 @ RPE8 |
Take a look at my article on the Goblet Squat vs Front Squat to know whether you should be doing one or the other, or both.
8. Belt Squat
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The belt squat is an exercise that loads the movement from your hips rather than on your back. Although this movement doesn’t directly grow your technical performance, it’ll grow the aspect of your lift you need the most to be successful: your hips
Who Would This Be Good For:
The belt squat is a massive tool for promoting hip strength. Although the belt squat doesn’t directly improve performance, it helps to spare those with injuries or who need specific intervention.
The belt squat has been used by lifters who have trouble loading their spine because of an injury. However, not many people have a belt squat machine. In this case, many will use a similar setup as in the picture above.
Programming Recommendations:
The belt squat doesn’t have a specific intensity, like the other lifts on this list. The best way to gauge the intensity of the belt squat would be using the RPE scale for toughness. The belt squat can be done for strength, size, and speed. The intensity would range from RPE6 – RPE10, using lighter loads for speed and heavier loads for strength between 3-10 reps within 3-5 sets.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improving hip strength without spinal loading | 3-5 | x | 3-10 | RPE6-10 | STRENGTH - Belt Squat 3x3 with RPE9 SPEED - Paused Belt Squat 5x4 with RPE7 |
If you want alternatives to the belt squat, check out my article on 9 Highly Effective Belt Squat Alternatives.
9. Rear Foot Elevated TRX Split Squat
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For the rear foot elevated TRX split squat, you'll place one foot in a TRX strap, take a split stance, and perform squats (similar to a lunge).
Dedicated powerlifters who stick to the big three movements do not incorporate unilateral-based training. This may cause muscular asymmetries, resulting in a lateral shift in the squat over time.
A lateral shift in the squat favors one leg over the other. This can be very painful with time due to irritating structures such as the sacroiliac joint.
If you can't access a TRX strap, check out my Top 5 TRX Alternatives.
Who Would This Be Good For:
The TRX rear elevated split squat is a good variation for anyone wanting to be proactive in their muscular imbalances. This is one of the tougher variations on this lift for growing in performance. I wouldn’t recommend this to a newer lifter.
Programming Recommendations:
This exercise would be best programmed after a regular squat with a higher rep range of 6 reps or more. I recommend doing this exercise for 2-3 sets of 6 reps or more with an intensity of RPE7-8.
The goblet squat is best performed with higher volume, such as 6-10 reps. This is because loading the exercise with a single dumbbell will be hard. Use it as either an activation exercise before your regular squatting or to increase mobility and range of motion.
| Purpose | Sets | x | Reps | Intensity | Example: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improve single leg strength and stability | 2-3 | x | 6+ | RPE7-8 | TRX Split Squat 3x6e @ RPE8 “e “ stands for “each leg” |
Struggling to find balance with your squat? Read this article about the suitcase squat being one of the best squat accessory exercises for improving posture and positioning in performance!
How & Why to Choose an Accessory Exercise
When choosing an accessory exercise, you must first identify the technical issue. When such issues arise, it will be a result of one or more of the following issues:
- Tension and weakness issues
- Bar path issue
- Capacity versus demand
Tension and Weakness Issues
When you are around lifters and coaches at a meet, you will often hear them saying things like “GET TIGHT, BIG AIR, TIGHTEN UP!”. They are referring to “creating tension.” Tension helps keep the line balanced with gravity and protects the lifter’s spine, thus reducing injury.
This is explained more in an article I wrote on breathing while squatting. Essentially, if you lack tension or strength in a specific range of motion, you will see the bar speed slow down.
When tension is lost, it is not unusual to see a technical collapse starting at the midsection and moving elsewhere. This collapse can often look like a rounded low back or the torso dropping too soon. Here, tempo squats would be a great exercise to choose from. They should focus on increasing time under tension in those weak areas when incorporating them.
Bar Path
When the bar is not in line with the lifter’s center of mass (the midline of the foot), problems arise.
A big issue is when the bar travels forward, making the lifter expend more energy as they must move the bar a greater distance than before. To be efficient, you want to stay in line with gravity. With this scenario, you could program band resisted squats, tempo squats, and paused squats intending to own the bar path.
If the bar path is lost due to lack of mobility, the goblet squats and TRX rear foot elevated lunge can assist here.
Capacity Versus Demand
Capacity is repeatedly repeating something before reaching biological limits. An example of exceeding someone’s capacity is technique breakdown or injury.
If the demand exceeds the lifter’s capacity, there will be a breakdown. An easy way to vet capacity would be to use video while squatting. Gradually increase from warm-ups with sets of 5 and increase the intensity by 5-10% each set.
If lightweight moves well, form changes as the weight increases and demand exceeds the lifter's capacity. In this scenario, identify the percent of the lifter's max where this happens and the program just below that for an entire block.
Related Article: The Ultimate List Of Barbell Exercises (By Muscle Group)
Where Do I Put Squat Accessories In The Program?
The accessory of choice should be slotted appropriately within the training plan. The more the exercise resembles the main lift, the greater the specificity and thus should be prioritized within that session.
Squats should be performed first, but squat accessory movements could be placed second or later in the program.
There is also an argument that some squat accessories could be prioritized as first in a program. An example would be the paused squat. It is the same movement as the squat but with a pause. Put it first in the workout when you are fresh and can get the most out of it.
How Many Accessory Exercises Should I Do?
Most people should consider doing around 2 or 3 squat accessory exercises in their program. Squat accessory exercises are mostly compound movements; your workout should consist of compound and isolation movements.
When you go into isolation, these assistance exercises help grow the muscles that pertain to the weak point of your lift.
How Heavy Should Accessory Lifts Be?
Squat accessory exercises can get up to 90% of the lifter’s one rep max. The squat accessory exercises discussed in this article should also be as light as 60% of the lifter’s one rep max.
My suggestion for this question is to choose a light squat accessory exercise and a heavy squat accessory exercise to complement the lifter's performance. One of the most common workouts i prescribe to powerlifters would be:
- Squats 2×5 at 80% of 1RM
- Dead Squats at weak point 2×3 at 90% of 1RM
- Band Resisted Pause Squats 6×2 at 60% of 1RM
In this workout, you have your main squat exercise, the dead squat as a squat accessory exercise for strength and the band resisted pause squats as a squat accessory exercise for speed.
Accessory Versus Assistance Lifts?
Accessory lifts are more of a primary movement that compliments the weak points of performance. Assistance lifts, however, are movements that help improve the muscles that create the weak points of the lift.
For example, you might have weaker hip muscles if you struggle at the bottom of your squat. An accessory lift to improve your hip strength would be the pause squat, while an assistance lift to improve your hip strength would be a hip thrust or glute bridge. The pause squat is a variation of the squat that targets the weak point of the lift, while the hip thrust or glute bridge helps to improve the strength of the hips that are causing the lifter to struggle during the bottom of the lift.
Final Thoughts
When selecting the best squat accessory exercises for improving squat technique, it is important to understand what the exercise is meant to accomplish and whether that is needed to help one’s technique. This list of the top 9 squat accessory lifts, sometimes called auxiliary lifts for squats, can provide a ton of depth on movements that work all aspects of your squat and should help immediately!
Other great accessories for squats that we've written articles about:
- Partial Squat
- Safety Bar Squat
- Hatfield Squat
- Bowler Squats
- Cambered Bar Squat
- How Do Powerlifters Train Legs?
- Should Powerlifters Do Olympic Lifts?
About The Author
Chris Fudge
Chris has over 20,000 hours of high-level coaching experience. He has worked with powerlifters, award-winning fitness models, and professional athletes. He has been awarded Personal Trainer of The Year across Canada and is a nationally ranked powerlifter.
References
Glassbrook, Daniel, J., Brown, Scott R., Helms, Eric R., Duncan, J Scott., & Storey, Adam, G.(2017). The high-bar and low-bar back-squats: A biomechanical analysis. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Feb 8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001836. [Epub ahead of print]
Schoenfeld, BJ, Wilson JM, Lowery RP & Krieger, JW. (2016). Muscular adaptations in low- versus high-load resistance training: A meta-analysis. European Journal of Sport Science, 16(1), 1-10. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2014.989922
