Muscles Worked in Zercher Squats
Primary muscles worked:
Secondary muscles worked:
How to Do Zercher Squats
- Set a rack so that the barbell is just under the height of your elbow. Place the barbell in the crooks of your elbows.
- Back out from the rack, and brace your core.
- Descend by bending your knees, just in a regular squat.
- Go as deep as you can while keeping your back straight.
- Reverse the movement, and repeat for reps.
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Zercher Squat
Zercher squat is a variation of the squat where you have the bar in the crooks of your elbows. By keeping the weight in front of your body it reminds you of a front squat or a goblet squat, where it’s easier to get a good depth while keeping a good posture.
This squat variation can be useful for the lifter who wants to learn a proper squat movement. With higher weights, it will probably be difficult to keep the barbell in the crooks of your elbows, and by that point, it might be a good idea to try the front squat or barbell squat instead.
If you feel some discomfort caused by the barbell, you can try to wrap a towel or shirt around it.
Which Muscles Do the Zercher Squat Work?
The zercher squat primarily works your quadriceps, adductors and glutes, but the calves are also involved in the movement.
Benefits of the Zercher Squat
- Build muscle and strength. The zercher squat works your quads, glutes and adductors, promoting overall leg strength and muscle growth.
- Functional strength. Since the zercher squat could mimic real-life lifting scenarios more closely than other squat variations, it could improve functional strength that’s useful in everyday tasks.
- Better posture. Holding the weight in front of your body encourages proper posture, which can translate to improvements in other lifts and daily activities.
Zercher Squat: Proper Form & Technique
Placement
Set a rack so that the barbell is in the height of your mid-torso. Place yourself in front of the barbell, and position your arms under the bar so that it rests in the crook of your elbows. Make sure to keep your elbows close together to secure the bar.
Movement
While performing the squat, your arms will naturally want to drop. You can avoid this by keeping your core braced, and actively pull the bar into your body.
Drive the movement through your heels, ensure you maintain the bar’s placement and keep your core tight throughout the movement to protect your back.
Workload
Start with low weights. The placement of the bar is tricky and might be quite painful in the beginning.
Common Mistakes in the Zercher Squat
- Not keeping form. It’s important to keep your core active and keep your back straight as a rounded back might lead to stress on your lower back.
- Adding too much weight. As we’ve mentioned, it’s quite a rough exercise initially. Take your time and let your body (especially your elbow crooks) adapt to the workload.
Zercher Squats: Alternatives & Variations
1. Goblet Squat
In a goblet squat, the weight is held close to the chest with both hands, which is less painful than in the zercher squat. The movement itself is almost the same, but in the goblet squat could feel a bit easier to keep your body upright.
2. Front Squat
In the front squat, you keep the weight resting on the front shoulders, with the arms either crossed or in a clean grip.
The difference in bar placement changes the muscle emphasis slightly but the biggest difference is where the challenge is in these two. The zercher squat is more challenging in terms of holding the bar and maintaining form, while the front squat demands more from the lifter’s mobility and front-loaded strength.
3. Back Squat
In the back squat, the barbell is placed across the upper back, which allows for heavier loads. This enables a more natural posture, with a slight forward lean depending on the squat style, and is often considered more comfortable for long-term progression in weight.
The zercher squat can challenge balance and posture more intensely than the back squat, promoting a more upright torso to maintain balance and emphasizing the quads, core, and upper back to a greater degree, but it may limit the amount of weight that can be safely lifted compared to the back squat.
How Many Sets and Reps Should You Do in the Zercher Squats?
How many reps you should do of an exercise depends on your goal: do you mainly want to increase your strength or build muscle?
If you are new to zercher squats, we recommend starting with 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps. Focus on form and technique to build strength and to get used to the discomfort, not increase the weights as fast as possible.
Read more: How Many Sets per Muscle Group per Week?
When you’ve mastered the exercise, you can add 1–2 sets and move up to a more challenging weight. If your goal is hypertrophy, stay in the rep range of 8–12 reps. Make sure to maintain proper form throughout the exercise.
If you aim to increase strength, perform 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps with a heavier weight.
Keeping Track of Your Progression in Zercher Squat
Regardless of how you want to incorporate the zercher squat into your workout routine, you should log it to keep track of your progression.
By tracking your workouts in our app, you can easily see how many reps you did the last time you worked out, and try to improve in your next workout.
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