Zercher Squat Exercise Guide

The Zercher squat is named after the late strongman Ed Zercher. The Zercher squat is one of those lifts that you’ve probably never seen anyone, unless they’re a serious strength athlete, do in a gym. If you browse around the internet, however, you’ll find it’s an exercise that’s steadily gaining in popularity.

Holding a barbell or sandbag in the crooks of your elbows is useful for a wide variety of exercises including the split squat, lunge, and walking. This exercise is very similar to what most of us know as a front squat, but the bar is held at about waist level as opposed to shoulder level in a front squat.

The original lift consisted of 2 parts; deadlifting the bar into position and cradling on the forearms (not very comfortable), and then straightening up with it until you were erect or very close to erect. One could then continue squatting to the mid position, or do the entire 2-part motion again. These days, the movement is usually only done from the mid position, having the bar supported in a power rack for the start position. We will also present this exercise that way.

Zercher squat exercise instructions

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the Zercher squat using the proper technique.

STARTING POSITION (SETUP):

1. Place a barbell on the pins in a power rack at a height just below your elbows.
2. Dip underneath the bar and position it in the crooks of your elbows, with your arms bent and palms facing you. However, there are several other ways to position your hands including interlocking your fingers or one hand grabbing your opposite wrist.
3. Lift it off the rack, step back, and position your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes forward or pointed out slightly.
4. Wear long sleeves to minimize skin irritation.

EXECUTION (ACTION):

1. Push your hips back and lower yourself as far as you can while keeping your lower back in its natural arch.
2. Push back to the starting position and repeat.

Key advantages of doing the Zercher squat

We can single out the following most important advantages of performing the Zercher squat:

1. This variation works more on your upper back muscles than the back squat, as well as the biceps. This is because these muscles play an important role in supporting the weight.
2. Just like it’s the case with the front squat, this exercise places more emphasis on your quads and core that the back squats since the barbell is in front of your body.
3. It works well for people who lack the wrist mobility that’s necessary for a front squat.
4. The Zercher barbell position can be used for a wide variety of exercises including the split squat and lunge variations.
5. The bar can be dropped if necessary which eliminates any danger of getting stuck underneath it.
6. There is far less spinal compression compared to the back squat which makes it a fine exercise choice if you have lower back trouble.

Disadvantages of doing the Zercher squat

1. One of the toughest parts of doing these is having the bar cradled on the forearms. This is painful with a considerable load.
2. You won’t be able to use anywhere near the same weights that are used when doing barbell back squats.

Key performance pointers

1. For most lifters, the goal is to lower until the elbows touch the tops of the thighs.
2. Keep your chest held high, knees wide, and shoulder blades pulled together.
3. A power rack with the pins set at an appropriate height is necessary to prevent low back strain while removing the barbell after each set.

Muscles worked by the Zercher squat

Like any good squat, the Zercher involves a ton of musculature both in the upper and lower body. However, carrying the barbell in the arms adjusts where tension is placed and stimulates the tissues in a unique way. Below are the big muscular players in the Zercher squat:

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Abdominals and obliques
• Lats and upper back (traps)
• Biceps

Exercise variations

Perform the Zercher squat using a sandbag. The Zercher squat with the bag is more similar to the frontal squat than the Zercher squat with a barbell (in which the barbell is kept in the crook of the elbows). As such, it is, in our opinion, an excellent exercise for the gluteus and paravertebral muscles. When using the Zercher grip, the elbows are high and the bag is just beneath the chin. The spine easily stays in the neutral position, and you can perform a deeper squat.

Replacement exercises for the Zercher squat

With all the different types of squats to choose from, you can say goodbye to workout boredom. Try these squats for every need and fitness level.