huge return set mysql join multiple table one to may relationship
===

ok here is the question, is joining tables worth the huge return set for mysql for more than tow tables?(for two tables yes maybe, but for more?)
here is the situation :

    table : main[
    idmain (pk)
    someotherid (key)
    /*some other fields*/
    ]
    table : main_sub[
    idmainsub (pk)
    idmain (key)
    /*some other fields*/
    ]
    table : main_sub2[
    idmainsub2 (pk)
    idmain (key)
    /*some other fields*/
    ]
    table : main_sub3[
    idmainsub3 (pk)
    idmain (key)
    /*some other fields*/
    ]

so all the three main_sub tables have a one(main) to many(subs_tables) relationship, meaning that one row in main has multiple rows on the other tables.
Here is the question : 


    SELECT * FROM `main`
    INNER JOIN `main_sub` ON `main`.`idmain`=`main_sub`.`idmain` 
    INNER JOIN `main_sub2` ON `main`.`idmain`=`main_sub2`.`idmain`
    INNER JOIN `main_sub3` ON `main`.`idmain`=`main_sub3`.`idmain`
    WHERE `main`.`someotherid`=1
    vs.
    SELECT * FROM `main` WHERE `main`.`someotherid`=1;
    and then 
    SELECT * FROM `main_sub` WHERE `main_sub`.`idmain`=(idmainfromfirstquery);
    SELECT * FROM `main_sub2` WHERE `main_sub2`.`idmain`=(idmainfromfirstquery);
    SELECT * FROM `main_sub3` WHERE `main_sub3`.`idmain`=(idmainfromfirstquery);


So is the join worth the huge result set and parsing, vs 4 queries? And with even miniature tables, all of the subs contain 5 links each to main, the size of the result set is getting out of control.
