Scroll down to “miseres” post. It’s an article where Dave Tate (a powerlifter) says “The Zercher squat has been one of the biggest secrets of powerlifters over the years. A great movement for building your squat and deadlift because of the development can create for the torso and glutes.”
Then scroll down to the next post. Phill (a powerlifter) says they’re a “great move and under used.” I watched Phill pull 750+ (I forget the exact weight) pounds raw and then watched him JUST miss an 804 deadlift a few months back.
In this article:
Mike Robertson (a powerlifter) goes on to say: “The Zercher squat is another great exercise to include during this time because it really loads our anterior stabilizers (our rectus abdominus) versus the spinal erectors (think movements like good mornings and squats). While Zercher squats can be brutally painful, they can be brutally effective as well.”
In this thread:
MarauderMeat says:
“i like a lot of variety with squat variations and i feel that zerchers are the best lower variation you can do. it not only will improve your squat but also your dead.”
He also says: “again… i can’t say enough about zerchers and front squats. i only perform back squats now when i’m getting ready to compete. for overall quad development and core strength, they can’t be beat.”
And as for the bicep thing, MM says in the same thread: “i do zerchers pretty much on a weekly basis” and has worked up over 600lbs.
Hungry4more said in another thread he’s worked up to 525 and he hasn’t had a bicep injury from it, either.
But hey, let’s all listen to prof X.