Zercher Squat Guide: How to Do Zercher Squats

A Zercher squat is a weightlifting exercise that targets muscles throughout your legs, upper back, and core. The Zercher squat is named after Ed Zercher, a renowned strongman and powerlifter from the 1930s and ’40s who developed this squat variation. Perform Zercher squats by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Unrack a barbell and rest it in the crooks of your elbows. While keeping an upright torso position, bend your knees until the backs of your legs are parallel to the floor at the bottom of the squat.

For the Zercher squat, begin by using a weight that you can control for 2 sets of 8–10 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

1. 1. Set up a barbell to the appropriate height in the squat rack according to your height. The barbell should be set to waist height. You should have enough space to take a few steps backward after unracking the barbell.
2. 2. While facing the barbell, squat underneath the barbell and position it in the crease of your elbows. Your elbows should be in line with your shoulders and your knuckles should face the ceiling.
3. 3. Rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats and upper back.
4. 4. Unrack the barbell and take a few steps backward.
5. 5. Your posture should be tall, with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. The weight on your feet should be evenly distributed along the entire foot. Grip the floor with your feet to create a stable foot position. Your ribs should be down and your pelvis should be slightly tucked.
6. 6. Pre-tension your shoulders and hips, and engage your core.
7. 7. While maintaining your alignment, begin the downward movement by bending your hips, knees, and ankles.
8. 8. Lower until your legs are parallel or slightly below parallel to the floor. The weight on your feet should be evenly distributed.
9. 9. Pause for a second at the bottom position.
10. 10. To begin the upward movement, push your feet into the ground to initiate standing up. Emphasize pushing through your mid foot and heel while keeping your toes engaged.
11. 11. As you begin to stand, keep your chest high, squeeze your glutes, and allow your knees to straighten and your hips to travel forward.
12. 12. As you finish the movement, squeeze your glutes and quadriceps while maintaining a neutral spine.
13. 13. At the end of each repetition, your shoulders should finish directly over your hips. Imagine that your pelvis is a bucket filled with water and you’re attempting not to spill any water out of the front, back, or sides of the bucket.

Including Zercher squats in your bodybuilding routine can have several benefits:

1. 1. Zercher squats can improve your lower body strength. The Zercher squat activates muscles throughout your posterior chain, including your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles, while prioritizing the quadriceps on the front of your leg.
2. 2. Zercher squats can increase your upper back strength. By activating muscles throughout your upper back and shoulders, the Zercher squat promotes muscle hypertrophy and postural strength more than a standard bodyweight squat.
3. 3. Zercher squats can improve your core stability. Zercher squats activate the anterior stabilizers in your body throughout the full range of motion, especially core muscles like the transverse abdominis.

Zercher squats are a challenging squat variation. Some tips to consider before starting:

1. 1. Begin with an easier variation. If you’re a novice lifter, consider starting with an easier variation like the dumbbell front squat or the goblet squat with a kettlebell.
2. 2. Be mindful of your breath. When performing Zercher squats, the barbell placement may push against your chest and make it harder to breathe.
3. 3. Wear a long sleeve shirt. The weighted barbell can press against the tendons on the inside of your elbow, so consider wearing a long sleeve shirt to relieve some of the pressure on your arms.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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