Article Rundown

• Neglecting weak points
• Overcomplicating assistance work
• Always changing assistance work and routine
• Neglecting proper core training

4 Common Assistance Work Mistakes in Weight Training

In this video, I discuss four major mistakes lifters make with their assistance work. These tips can help prevent and manage back pain while enhancing performance and building injury resilience.

Assistance work should make up the bulk of your training volume—especially during a strength phase. In fact, most of your programming should consist of assistance exercises, with only one or two main movements per session. Depending on your program, you may perform four to five assistance exercises after your primary lift of the day.

One of the biggest mistakes I see among lifters struggling with progress, missing their target numbers, experiencing back pain, or failing to get stronger comes down to improper assistance work and a failure to address weak points. This video covers how to avoid these pitfalls and optimize your training.

1. Neglecting Weak Points in Your Training

If you know you have weak points but aren’t specifically targeting them in your assistance work, you are missing a critical component of strength development. It’s easy to focus on exercises you enjoy, but if you aren’t addressing the areas where you struggle, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Strength training isn’t always fun. If you want to reach the highest level possible, you must be willing to put in the work on exercises that challenge you the most. Assistance work should be designed to build up weak points, reinforcing the main lifts rather than just adding volume.

It’s not just about squatting, benching, or deadlifting more—it’s about selecting targeted assistance exercises that address deficiencies and allow you to add more weight to the bar. In my book 10/20/Life, I outline how to identify weaknesses based on where you fail in the squat, bench, or deadlift. I then provide specific assistance exercises to strengthen those areas and help you break through plateaus. A well-structured assistance plan is key to long-term progress.

2. Overcomplicating Assistance Work

Another common mistake is making assistance work too complex. Stick to the basics.

I understand the appeal of bands, chains, and other variations that have become popular over the past decade, but foundational strength must come first. If simple movements are working, there’s no need to complicate things. Only add advanced variations when necessary, and even then, do so methodically.

In 10/20/Life, I outline the phases of training, including when to push hard, when to peak, and when to back off to recover. If you constantly push yourself to the max without proper programming, you’ll plateau—or worse, get injured.

3. Constantly Changing Assistance Work and Ignoring Individual Needs

A major issue I see is lifters constantly changing their assistance work—often because they’re bored or chasing the latest trend. Many lifters use boredom as an excuse to modify their training instead of sticking with what works.

I’ve been doing the McGill Big 3 for 12 years, and yes, I find them boring—but I also know they work. If you want to be great, you have to accept that training won’t always be exciting. The best lifters separate themselves from the rest by sticking with effective programming, even when it becomes repetitive.

Too many people jump from program to program and then wonder why they’re not making progress. Consistency is key. If something is proven to work for you, stay the course.

Similarly, don’t just follow what your favorite YouTuber—or even I—am doing. Just because a coach or athlete is using a particular assistance exercise doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Training programs should be specific to your individual needs, taking into account body mechanics, leverages, and weaknesses.

In 10/20/Life, I provide the tools to assess and customize your assistance work based on your structure and goals. Strength training is not one-size-fits-all, and blindly following a generic program can hold you back from maximizing your potential.

4. Neglecting Proper Core Training

Perhaps the biggest mistake of all is failing to train the core—or worse, training it incorrectly.

Some lifters assume that compound movements provide enough core work on their own. While these lifts engage the core, they don’t build the strength and endurance necessary to support heavy lifting effectively. If the squat, bench, and deadlift rely so much on core stability, why wouldn’t you train your core deliberately?

Proper core training improves strength, stability, and injury prevention. But when I say “train your core,” I don’t mean endless crunches, sit-ups, or leg raises. These exercises may make your abs look good, but they don’t develop the stiffness and endurance needed for powerlifting.

Instead, focus on movements like the bird dog, side plank, curl-up, suitcase carry, stir-the-pot, and back extension holds. These exercises train the core as a unit, building the stiffness and endurance necessary to maintain position under heavy loads. The stronger and more resilient your core, the fewer energy leaks you’ll experience in your lifts.

Conclusion

Assistance work is critical for strength development, injury prevention, and long-term progress, but it must be done correctly. Avoid these common mistakes:

1. Failing to target weak points
2. Overcomplicating assistance exercises
3. Constantly changing assistance work and ignoring individual needs
4. Neglecting proper core training

If you want to improve your lifts and build resilience, be intentional with your assistance work. Stick with proven methods, train with purpose, and commit to a program designed for your individual needs. For a detailed guide on structuring assistance work and breaking through plateaus, check out 10/20/Life. Stay focused, train smart, and keep pushing forward.

BRIAN DOES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON COACHING!

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