Zercher exercises all refer to the method that you hold the barbell in the crook of your elbow. In a Zercher exercise you cradle the Barbell like you would if you are carrying a heavy sack in front of you with the barbell resting in the crease of the elbow.

Ed Zercher is a renowned American Weightlifter from the 1930’s and is still remembered in USWA hall of fame. Ed developed a method for lifting a loaded bar off the floor to perform a squat without the need for a rack.

Benefits of Zercher Exercises

Core and Erector Spinae Activation

By loading the weights onto the anterior body, your core and erector spinae become far more activated during the lifts to prevent your body being pulled forwards.

Upper Back and Shoulder Muscle Development

Unlike a back squat where the load is distributed through the axial skeleton, the arms are responsible for holding the weight which requires muscles of the upper back, shoulders and biceps.

Targets Stabilising Muscles

There is more instability in the bar due to its narrow grip, requiring greater control around the core, glute and quads.

The main downfall of a Zercher position is that it is uncomfortable on the arms. Using a Barbell Pad can help alleviate this pressure.

Our Top Zercher Exercises

Zercher Squat

Muscles Worked - Quads, glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae, abs, traps, and biceps.

• Position the bar in a Zercher grip by either using a power rack or squatting to get your arms under the barbell if you are lifting from the floor.

• Place your feet just wider than hip width and your toes slightly turned out.

• Brace your core. Keeping your eyes facing forward, simultaneously bend at the knees and the hips until the thighs are parallel to the floor or lower.

• Drive through the heel and glutes to return to the starting position.

Zercher Deadlift

Benefits - The Zercher deadlift increases your range of movement and quadricep activation compared to standard deadlifts.

Muscles Worked - Hamstrings, glutes, quads, erector spinae, lats, traps, and biceps.

• With the barbell positioned in front of you, squat down so that your arms are just inside your knees.

• Place your forearms under the bar. Keep the barbell in the elbow crease with the elbows tucked into the side of your chest.

• Lift your hips to get to the start of a deadlift position. Your back will be more rounded compared to a standard deadlift.

• Drive through your heels and extend your knees to start lifting the bar.

• Then drive your hips forward to extend your back to get into the standing position.

• To lower the weight, reverse the order.

Zercher Split Squat

Benefits - This improves any strength imbalances between the legs, as well as placing a large demand on your stability due to the bar bar movement.

Muscles Worked - Quads, glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae, abs, traps, and biceps.

• Using a Zercher grip, position your feet in a split stance.

• Brace your core and slowly lower the back knee to the floor so that your knee is bent at 90 degrees.

• Drive through the front leg to return to the split stance position.

Zercher Walking Lunge

Benefits - Many people have the tendency to lean forward in a lunge. By loading the weight onto the front of the body you are making the muscles of the upper and lower back work hard to prevent the barbell pulling you forward. The lunge also requires vertical height changes in the bar, making it difficult to stabilise, particularly around the knees.

Muscles Worked - Quads, hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae, abs, traps, and biceps.

• Holding the barbell in a Zercher position, take a step forward and pause for a second to eliminate forward momentum.

• Keeping an upright torso, lower the back knee towards the floor.

• Drive through the front heel to stand back up to an upright position.

• Repeat by using alternate legs.

Zercher Hold

Benefits - Zercher holds are fantastic to load the core in a more functional way such as carrying boxes.

Muscles Worked - Abs (including transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis and obliques), erector spinae, traps, and biceps.

• Stand tall with the barbell in a Zercher position.

• Make sure your core is braced, your glutes are squeezed and your shoulder blades are pulled down your back.

• Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds.

Zercher Carry

Benefits - The Zercher carry develops dynamic core stability. As you move the barbell will become unstable and you stabilisers will work hard to maintain balance.

Muscles Worked - Glutes, hamstrings, calves, transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques, erector spinae, traps, and biceps.

• Set up as you would for a Zercher hold.

• Walk with the weight making sure to keep a good posture.

Zercher Good Morning

Benefits - It is easier to keep a neutral spine with a Zercher good morning, as opposed to the standard exercise.

Muscles Worked - Glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae, multifidi, abs, traps, and biceps.

• Hold the bar with a Zercher grip. Tighten your core.

• Hinge at the hips and lean forwards until your chest is parallel to the floor.

• Push your hips forward and pull your torso up to get back to the upright position.

Zercher Shrug

Benefits - Zercher shrugs will help you work both your core and your shoulders in one exercise.

Muscles Worked - Traps, levator scapula, abs, erector spinae, and glutes.

• Start with the barbell in a Zercher grip.

• Pull your shoulders up towards your ears and slowly return to the starting position.

Zercher Front Raise

Benefits - This version of a front raise makes use of a shorter lever, allowing you to lift a heavier weight.

Muscles Worked - Anterior deltoid, traps, abs, erector spinae, glutes, and biceps.

• Start with the bar in a Zercher grip. Brace your core.

• Lift your elbows forward to chin height.

• Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.

By including Zercher grip exercises into your workout you can get the benefits of the exercise as well as increasing the demand for core strength and stability.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars and Weight Plates ; Exercise Type > Strength