The Zercher squat is a squat variation where you hold the barbell in your arms as you squat. It challenges the quads, upper back, and core.
It is a popular exercise among Strongman athletes, but more recently, it has been a go-to movement for powerlifters, bodybuilders, and Crossfitters.
Here's how to do Zercher squats:
- Place The Barbell In The Crease Of Your Elbow
- Set Your Feet
- Squat Deep & Keep Your Torso Upright
- Let The Elbows Fall Inside Your Legs
- Stand Up & Repeat
Beware: For most people, the drawbacks of the Zercher squats don't outweigh the benefits.
Be sure to read to the end because Zercher squat should only be used by a specialized group of lifters and athletes. I usually show clients alternatives that will give you the pros of Zercher squats without the cons.
You'll also learn more about:
- How to do the Zercher Squat properly
- Muscles worked during Zercher Squats
- Who should do Zercher Squats?
- Zercher Squat benefits
- Zercher Squat drawbacks
Table of Contents
How To Do The Zercher Squat Properly
The Zercher squat is a ‘front-loaded’ exercise, placing the barbell in front of the body. Other front-loaded exercises are the front squat or goblet squat.
These sorts of exercises place a greater emphasis on the upper back, quads, and core muscles as the lifter is trying to prevent the torso from being ‘pulled forward’.
You're essentially ‘carrying’ the weight in your arms throughout the movement. The biceps and shoulders (front delts) are also challenged significantly.
The Zercher squat will require a:
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Squat rack
Another type of ‘odd lift’ is a Jefferson squat, where an athlete combines a deadlift and lunge into one exercise.
Step 1: Place The Barbell In The Crease Of The Elbow
The Zercher squat places the barbell in the crease of the elbow where the lifter ‘hugs’ the weight as close to their body as possible. A common technique is overlapping the hands to add upper body strength.
Coach's Tip: Some people like to place padding on the barbell or wear a long-sleeved shirt while doing Zercher squats to prevent the barbell from hurting or slipping from their arms.
Step 2: Set Your Feet
Once in position, the lifter will assume their squat stance. Typically, the feet are slightly wider than a normal back squat. Lifters may have to play around with what feels most comfortable. But like I said, it’s usually a fairly wide stance.
Step 3: Squat Deep & Keep Upright Torso
The lifter will then bend at the knees to squat deep while, at the same time, trying to maintain an upright torso to prevent the barbell from pulling the body forward. The goal is to keep the weight on the mid-part of the foot.
The upper back may round slightly, but the mid and low back should maintain neutrality.
Coach's Tip: “Screw” your feet into the floor and knees out to the side to keep your hips locked in place so you can descend deep and avoid tipping forward.
Read my article on Is It Okay To Deadlift With A Round Back?
Step 4: Let The Elbows Fall Inside The Legs
The elbows will travel inside of the knees. The feet are too narrow if the elbows hit the knees, preventing the lifter from squatting lower. Widen the stance and try again.
Step 5: Stand Up & Repeat
Once the lifter has achieved a lower-than-parallel squat depth, they can drive their feet through the floor to stand up. The goal is to keep the chest up and the barbell tight to the body through the ascent.
Fun Fact: The current world record Zercher squat is 637 lbs. You may want to start a little lower to perfect your form.
Note that the Zercher squat is a slightly different squat variation of the Zercher deadlift. I wrote another guide explaining the Zercher Deadlift if you'd like to learn more.
Who Should Do The Zercher Squat?
Once you have learned some of the basic prerequisite exercises (the front squat and conventional deadlift as a minimum), I think everyone should at least try the Zercher squat once.
But Zercher squats are best for:
- Powerlifters & Strongman Athletes: Powerlifters can gain upper back and core stability from Zercher squats, aiding in main lifts like back squats. For Strongman competitors, the front-loaded nature of Zercher squats directly enhances performance in events like Atlas Stone, Yoke Carry, and Conan’s Wheel, which involve carrying or holding weight in front of the body.
- Athlete Population: Athletes, including runners and those in sports requiring deep, stable postures (like baseball catchers), can benefit from the enhanced knee flexion, hip extension, and biceps training that Zercher squats provide.
- General Population: Zercher squats can benefit those performing real-world activities that mimic the exercise's demands. Occupations like firefighting, nursing, and first response, which involve carrying or holding a weight in front, can see practical strength gains. Additionally, CrossFit athletes may find Zercher squats helpful due to the variety of activities in their competitions.
Related Articles: The Ultimate List Of 55+ Barbell Exercises (By Muscle Group) and more Front Squat Alternatives
Muscles Worked During Zercher Squats
Zercher squats are not your regular squats and use different muscles.
The first time I tried them, I felt many muscles working together unusually, so this is a full-body workout.
- Quadriceps: These muscles are engaged from the start of the Zercher squat. They help control your movement as you lower down and provide the force needed to push you back up.
- Hamstrings and Glutes: As you descend further into the squat, your hamstrings and glutes become more active. They work together to control the squat's depth and stabilize your movement.
- Upper Back and Shoulder Muscles (Traps): When performing a Zercher squat, you're holding the weight in front of you, which requires your upper back and shoulder muscles to work hard to keep your body upright and the weight stable.
- Core Muscles: Your abdominal and side muscles are crucial in keeping your spine aligned and maintaining balance throughout the squat.
- Biceps and Front Shoulder Muscles (Front Deltoids): These muscles are significantly challenged as they hold the bar steady in front of you. You might feel a mild burn in these areas due to the effort required to maintain the bar's position.
- Forearm Muscles: These muscles are subtly engaged in gripping the bar securely. They might not be as noticeable during the exercise, but their contribution is vital for a successful Zercher squat.
Each time you do a Zercher squat, many muscles work together, making this exercise a total body workout. It's more than just a squat; it's an experience that exercises many muscles.
So, if you're looking for an exercise that works multiple muscles, Zercher squats could be a great choice!
Read my article on Do Squats Strengthen The Core? (Research From 5 Studies).
Zercher Squat Benefits
Ensure you don’t skip the next section, where I discuss the drawbacks. Even though there are several benefits, for most people, the drawbacks will likely outweigh the benefits.
- Increases Quad Strength & Hypertrophy
- Easier to Achieve Deeper Squats
- Reinforces Upright Torso
- High Transfer to Strongman Events
- Improves Everyday Strength
- Alternative to Front Squat
- Increases Core Stability
Increases Quad Strength & Hypertrophy: Zercher squats engage quads significantly, thanks to the upright torso and forward knee movement, emphasizing quad activation over glutes and hamstrings.
Easier to Achieve Deeper Squats: Ideal for those struggling with squat depth, Zercher squats enable greater depth without extensive mobility, as the front-loaded nature aligns the force with the knees, easing hip and ankle demands.
Reinforces Upright Torso: This squat challenges upper back and postural muscles to maintain an upright position, isolating postural muscles more than other squat variations.
High Transfer to Strongman Events: Specifically beneficial for Strongman athletes, the Zercher squat mimics event movements like Atlas Stone, Yoke Carry, and Conan’s Wheel, enhancing performance in carrying and elbow-crease holding events.
Read more: Strongman Training Programs
Improves Everyday Strength: Mimicking real-world lifting scenarios, the Zercher squat is practical for jobs requiring carrying or holding weight in front of the body, like firefighting or construction.
Alternative to Front Squat: For those who've mastered front squats, Zercher squats offer a more complex variation for added training variety and to overcome plateaus.
Increases Core Stability: As a front-loaded exercise, it significantly activates the core muscles, aiding in pelvic and spinal stability and often resulting in intense core muscle engagement and post-exercise soreness.
Read my article on How To Fix Leaning Too Far Forward In The Squat and another great exercise that's similar to the Zercher squat is the Cambered bar squat (click to read my full guide).
Zercher Squat Drawbacks
Despite its benefits, the Zercher squat has drawbacks that might make you reconsider including it in your workout routine. Here are three significant concerns:
Advanced Exercise Requirements: The Zercher squat is not a beginner-friendly exercise. It demands proficiency in front and conventional deadlifts and other foundational movements like back squats, overhead squats, military presses, and sumo deadlifts.
Alternative Squat Variations May Be More Suitable: While Zercher squats are effective for enhancing quad strength, postural integrity, and core stability, they are not the only means to achieve these results. Exercises like back squats, front squats, conventional deadlifts, overhead squats, and lunges can provide similar benefits without the complexity and awkwardness of Zercher squats.
Discomfort and Practical Challenges: Many lifters find the Zercher squat uncomfortable, particularly due to the pressure of the barbell on the crease of the elbows. This discomfort can escalate with heavier loads, leading to pain, bruising, or abrasions. Additionally, the barbell’s position against the chest and abdomen can make breathing difficult during high-rep sets, potentially impacting performance and endurance.
If you struggle with getting to depth in the bottom of a squat, read my guide on 9 Tips To Squatting Deeper and another on How To Fix Leaning Too Far Forward In The Squat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some additional questions I get asked about the Zercher squat:
How Much Should You Zercher Squat?
You should expect to lift about 15% less on the Zercher squat for the same sets and reps compared with your front squat. If you don’t know your front squat strength, then you should learn how to front squat prior to learning how to Zercher squat.
Is The Zercher Squat Dangerous?
The Zercher squat is not a dangerous exercise so long as you follow the technique best practices, which are keeping your torso upright, maintaining the barbell in the crease your elbows, taking a wider stance so your elbows don’t hit your knees while squatting, and keeping your balance over the mid part of the foot. The risks of performing the Zercher squat are bicep tears if the barbell doesn’t stay close to your body and damage to your quads if you drop the barbell forward by not being able to maintain an upright posture.
Can Zercher Squats Replace Back Squats?
No, you cannot replace the Zercher squat with the back squat. The Zercher squat is more of a knee-dominant exercise, whereas the back squat is more of a hip-dominant exercise. As such, the Zercher squat will emphasize the quad muscles and the back squat will emphasize the glute muscles.
Other Helpful Squat Guides
- Tabata Squats: How-To, Common Mistakes, & Workout Sample
- High Box Squat: 5 Reasons Why It Makes Sense
- Hatfield Squat: What Is It? Technique, Benefits, Muscles Used
- Cossack Squat: What Is It? How To Do It? Benefits
- Isometric Squat: How-To, Benefits, & Should You Do It?
- 4 Reasons To Do Safety Bar Squats (Plus, How To Program It)
- Partial Squats: Benefits, Muscles Worked, Are They Safe?
- How To Pause Squat (Technique, Benefits, Muscles Worked)
