Missa's Fit Facts

Any of my clients who have ever taken my weight lifting classes or been personally trained by me knows I am a big fan of Zercher squats. Zercher lifts were created by St. Louis strongman Ed Zercher (1902 - 1995).  Zercher squats take front squats to a whole new level. Instead of the bar being held across the shoulders, it’s held in the crook of your arms (the inside of your elbows). The Zercher squat requires the lifter to aggressively brace and maintain a static upright torso position while the rest of the body executes the movement. This immediately teaches the lifter how to transfer force and breath while under great tension.

Positioning of the hands and arms can be varied. The hands can be fists or clasped together. The forearms can be crossed over, together, or straight ahead (or at a slight angle). When there’s heavy weight on the bar, this can be somewhat uncomfortable on the arms and skin, so a pad or towel on the bar can help alleviate that.

The first time I added Zercher squats to my leg day, I was shocked at how much core they used. So much, in fact, that my abs were actually sore the next day, as if I had done 100 weighted crunches! I’d like to note that I had done zero direct ab work, and all the soreness was from the Zercher squats. Incidentally, this is a perfect example of why I don’t feel much direct ab work is necessary in any workout routine, as long as the lifter is doing sufficient squats and deadlifts. It is pretty rare to see me waste my time on direct ab work, and my midsection is as hard as a rock. Same thing with most of the clients I train… I refuse to waste their time on direct ab work, but instead focus on proper squatting and deadlifting technique, and guess what… their abdominals are hard as could be.

In conclusion, anyone who wants to add variety to their squat and deadlift routines and would like to give the core a welcomed ass whooping, throw some Zercher lifts in there for good measure. I promise you won’t be disappointed!