Assistance Exercises - When, how many, and which ones?

Coach, Ido, Blairbob -

I am trying to decipher when assistance exercises are used in training. Also what set/rep range/weekly volume is appropriate. Last but not least where can i find a list of assistance exercises that should be used to compliment the primary FSP, FBE's in BtGB?

Currently my handstand push-ups majorly suck and I am moving in on my first unassisted Pistol.

Thanks in advance

Justin R

There is a chapter in BtGB that covers programming methods.

What's your goals?

How much time do you have?

I would think that the various FBE progressions in BtGB suffice as accessory/complimentary work to the FSP.

I agree with Blairbob. You don't need any assistance exercises at this juncture of your training.

What are you currently doing? Is a HSPU and SLS/"Pistol" your goals?

The progressions really are assistance exercises. Gymnastics is as much skill as it strength, well it varies but I hope you understand my point.

two of my main weaknesses are HSPU and pistols therefor my primary goals are to improve those as quickly as possible. I almost hava a handle on the pistol but vertical pushing is my achilles heel in training. I can only get 1 or 2 full HeSPU right now which frustrates me

I am currently doing 3 days of 5 sets of 1-5. I start each of those training sessions with one of the FSP progressions then move on to the strength workout. My strength workout consists of one push, one pull, one leg, one core. Sometimes I replace the push pull with muscle ups and also integrate the Multiplanar movements in place for variety.

The other 3 days I am doing 10-15 min conditioning workouts /and/or/ sprinting workouts.

Before you go and involve someone else to assist you on HSPU do what I did and get proficient at Ido's gatherings. I was frustrated as well at being unable to move to the HSPU and someone suggested these. Start against the wall until you can better control your leg momentum. I've found that doing these is helping me map my back muscle involvement so I can understand the necessary motions for HSPU.

There are three levels and obviously you want to be proficient at the beginning and intermediate versions, but here is the video for the advanced version:

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Just keep on working at it WarFit and give it some time.

Assistance exercises are best used to give extra attention to 'weak links' in the main goal/movement.

For example, if you identify a triceps weakness limiting your HSPU, you may do something like this:

A1 HSPU negatives 1 rep/10-0-0-0 rythem/10 sets/180 sec rest

B1 Bodyweight triceps extenstion 3 reps / 4-0-X-0 rythem / 5 sets / 180 sec rest

Another principle I use often in my training is to push intensity/volume on the main movement for a while, before getting into a platue, move on to push the intensity/volume on the assistance exercise and keep the main movement parameters more static. Change exercises, rinse and repeat. (I change my whole training program once every 2-6 training sessions)

Simple and effective if you do it right.

Ido.