Accessories in Functional Training: Why Extra Work is Important for Your Progress

You know how it is: you've completed your WOD, you're soaking wet, the timer is beeping, and all you want to do is catch your breath.

But then there's a little note on the whiteboard or training plan: “Accessory Work – 3 Sets: Bulgarian Split Squats + Side Plank Hold.”

Many people think, “No, not today. It's been hard enough already.”

Understandable – but a shame. Because it's often those last 10–15 minutes that make the difference in the long run.

Accessories in training are not just bonus exercises to do a little extra. They are targeted additional work that makes you more stable, stronger, and less prone to injury.

What are accessories, anyway?

In short: Accessories are targeted additions to your main workout.

So you don't think in terms of calories or pace, but rather in terms of function:

• Where are you weak?

• Where do you lack control or flexibility?

• Which movement do you keep losing balance in?

Here are a few examples:

• Want better pull-ups? → You need more scapular control, more body tension, and more pulling power.

• Are your knees unstable when squatting? → Time for some step-downs or banded glute bridges.

• Do you quickly develop shoulder problems? → Face pulls, external rotations, and scap push-ups are waiting for you.

Accessories build what often gets lost in the WOD: control, precision, conscious tension, and genuine quality.

What accessories are not

Accessories aren't just “more.” They're purposeful.

• It's not about doing 300 sit-ups after your workout or “cooling down” for 20 minutes on the assault bike.

• Accessories aren't fancy Instagram moves where you swing a kettlebell with one hand on a balance pad while standing on one leg.

The goal is always to improve a specific weakness or skill—cleanly, calmly, without rushing.

What are typical accessory formats?

Accessories don't have to be complicated. On the contrary: the best additional exercises are often the simplest – if you do them regularly and with focus.

Here are some typical formats that you can easily incorporate into your training:

Pulling Strength (traction force and control)

If you want to improve your pull-ups or make your pulling movements more stable, you need more than just kipping volume.

Typical exercises:

• Ring rows (controlled, with a pause at the top if necessary)

• Scapular pull-ups (activation of the shoulder blade)

• Negative pull-ups (lower slowly, e.g., 5–8 seconds)

• Hollow hold + pull-up integration

• Banded pull-downs (consolidate pull pattern)

Goal: Strength in the upper back, clean shoulder mechanics, build body tension

Shoulder stability & prehab

Your shoulders often bear the brunt of functional training—whether it's overhead squats, snatches, or handstand movements.

Typical exercises:

• Banded external rotations (for rotator cuff)

• Scap push-ups (control & activation)

• Face pulls (with pull band or cable)

• Plate raises with pause (front and mid delts)

• Cuban press

Goal: Shoulder protection, quality of movement above the head, improve posture

Core & Midline Stability

Without a strong core, there is no control – neither in lifts nor in gymnastics. Accessories for core training will help you improve your tension and posture.

Typical exercises:

• Hollow Body Hold

• Deadbug variations

• Plank + Side Plank (also with weight)

• Hanging Knee Raises / Toes-to-Bar-Progression

• Weighted Carries (Farmer’s, Waiter’s, Suitcase)

Goal: Improve body tension, control in dynamic movements, protection for the spine

Leg axis training & hip stability

If your knees buckle, you are unstable when squatting, or you lack hip strength, targeted, single-leg, and controlled movements will help you.

Typical exercises:

• Step-downs (e.g., from a low box)

• Bulgarian Split Squats

• Glute Bridges / Hip Thrusts

• Banded Side Walks / Monster Walks

• Tempo Air Squats

Goal: Control on one leg, stability in the knee joint, glute activation

Speed work & isometrics

Sometimes it's not about doing more repetitions – it's about getting a better feel for your position and tension. Speed and holding exercises train exactly that.

Typical formats:

• Tempo squats (e.g., 3 seconds down, 2 seconds at the bottom, quickly up)

• Tempo push-ups (same principle)

• Isometric holds (e.g., 20 seconds hollow hold, plank, L-sit)

• Pause Back Squats / Pause Pulls

Goal: Better control of positions, sharpen movement awareness, balance strength curve

Unilateral work

Movements performed on both sides can hide weaknesses. Exercises performed on one leg or with one arm reveal these weaknesses and help you to balance them out.

Typical exercises:

• One-arm DB Press

• One-leg RDL

• Single-arm Row

• Step-ups with focus on the standing leg

• Kettlebell Suitcase Carry

Goal: Improve balance, coordination, and distribution of strength

What specific benefits do accessories offer me during training?

It's simple: accessories make you more complete. More stable. More resilient.

They are like the foundation beneath the visible part of your training—you don't see them right away, but you feel the difference when they are missing.

1. You improve your technique

In a WOD, there is often no time for subtleties. It's all about speed, repetitions, and time caps. Accessories give you the space to practice movements in a controlled and targeted manner.

You can isolate weaknesses and correct movement errors – without stress.

Example: Are you struggling with pull-ups? Then ring rows, hollow holds, and scap pull-ups will help you build up the basics properly.

2. You build strength in a targeted manner

In complex exercises, dominant muscles often take over the work. Accessories help you to activate and strengthen smaller, often “forgotten” muscle groups in a targeted manner – for example, in the core, shoulders, or hips.

The result: more control, more power, less compensation.

Example: Glute bridges, step-ups, or split squats strengthen your legs and help you get more out of your deadlift or snatch without exhausting yourself.

3. You prevent injuries

Functional training is particularly demanding—high repetition rates, explosive movements, overhead positions.

If you lack stability, mobility, or control in any area, you are at increased risk of injury. Accessories help you work specifically on these areas.

Example: With banded rotator cuff work, Y-raises, or controlled scapular push-ups, you can stabilize your shoulders before they slow you down.

4. You develop real body tension

Whether pull-ups, toes to bar, or a clean deadlift: midline control is key. Accessories give you the tools to build and maintain body tension—and eventually do so automatically.

Example: Planks, hollow holds, dead bugs, weighted carries – these aren't “extras,” they're your core foundation.

5. You work specifically on your weaknesses

If you only practice what you are already good at, you will stagnate. Accessories take you out of your comfort zone—in a way that helps you move forward.

You will notice that the exercises that you find boring or unpleasant are often exactly the ones you need.

Example: You love cleans but hate front rack mobility work? Guess what will limit your clean...

How can I incorporate accessories into my training in a meaningful way?

The good news is that you don't have to change everything. Accessories can be easily incorporated into your workout—if you know when and how.

Here are the best options for doing this the smart way – regardless of whether you train twice or six times a week:

1. Immediately after the main part

This is a classic scenario: you've completed your strength training or WOD and then add on another 10–15 minutes of accessory work.

Why this works:

• You are warm, focused, and “in the zone.”

• You can work on something specific without the pressure of time or scores.

• You use your time productively instead of just wasting it.

2. As a separate block on a separate training day

If you train regularly, it's worth incorporating a dedicated accessory day – e.g., light technique training, isolated strength work, or prehab.

Typical:

• Shoulders & torso

• Hip stability & one-sided legs

• Strict pull-up strength & hollow work

Ideal on days with lower intensity – or as active regeneration.

3. Before training – for targeted activation

You can also integrate accessory elements into the warm-up, especially for technical focuses or mobility goals.

You activate the structures you need right away and work on your weaknesses over the long term without needing extra time.

4. In a superset with main exercises

You can also incorporate accessories between sets of large lifts – this saves time and maintains high quality.

Example:

• A1: Front squat – 3×5

• A2: Bird dog hold – 3×30 sec.

• B1: Romanian deadlift – 3×10

• B2: Hanging scap shrug – 3×10

How to add tension, stability, and posture to your strength training—without any extra equipment.

5. Minimal, but regular

You don't have to make accessories every day. The important thing is to plan them consistently – e.g., 2–3 short sessions per week, each with a clear focus.

That's all you need to improve your weaknesses and add depth to your training.

What should I avoid when it comes to accessories during training?

Accessories can make a big difference—if you use them wisely. Unfortunately, this is often where mistakes creep in and ruin the effect.

Here are the most common pitfalls—and how to avoid them:

• Accessory = “Extra, if there's time”: If you only ever do accessories when you happen to have time left over, you'll almost never do them – or they'll become arbitrary.

• Trying things out aimlessly: Hip mobility today, shoulder stability tomorrow, core the day after tomorrow... sounds motivating, but it doesn't achieve much. Without focus, there is no progress.

• Everything at once: The opposite of nothing is not necessarily too much. If you want to do 7 accessory exercises after your WOD, the quality will almost always suffer.

• Rushing through: Accessories are not Metcon. No score, no time cap, no “I have to push through.” This is about clean execution, tension, and control.

• No progression: You may do hollow holds regularly, but are they always the same length, frequency, and difficulty? Then at some point... nothing will happen. Accessories also need progression: more repetitions, longer holds, heavier weights, slower pace.

• Fancy instead of functional: Instagram is full of crazy accessory ideas on balance boards, with mini bands around your toes or five tools at once. Sounds exciting – but rarely amounts to more than a clean, simple exercise.

In short: accessories are not a playground. They are your toolbox. You don't need to know 100 different ways to wear them – you just need to know what you need and do it regularly.

Accessories: Less show, more substance

Accessories aren't the most spectacular part of your training – but they are the most important.

If you take them seriously, you'll stay injury-free, become technically cleaner, build real control, and have more power when the WOD gets serious.

You don't have to do everything at once. But if you incorporate a few targeted blocks on a regular basis, you'll notice after a few weeks that you're moving more confidently, feeling better, and can do more.