[quote]kickingking wrote:
Zercher Squat. Ed Zercher came up with this squat variety many years ago. In 1966 or 1967, I read about a prisoner by the name of Robert Barnett, who had just pulled a 675 deadlift at 165 BWT. He related that the Zercher squat was responsible for his success. He reported that his best was 395 x 5 reps done off the floor. The article also said that Alexander Karelin, the famous Soviet wrestler, had done 440 for 5 reps while visiting Finland. I was sold on this exercise and have been doing them for years. I found them tough right after my right bicep tendon rupture in 1979. I finally came up with a device called the Zercher harness, TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF THE BICEPS. Our deadlifts started going up again when we added heavy Zerchers into the rotating program. Thanks, Ed Zercher, wherever you are.
That was written by Louie Simmons, Westside barbell, it seems like he wanted to take the pressure off the biceps and so came up with a harness. Is this a powerlifter who thought zercher squats put pressure on the bicep?
[/quote]
“Pressure on the biceps” does not equate to “tearing the biceps.” Even if you type it in all caps. One could wish to take pressure off the biceps solely due to discomfort. Herp a derp.
Okay, what kind of depth can you get with zerchers? I don’t get anything near what I would on a front squat because my elbows hit my thighs. It’s helped a bit by holding onto a belt around the back of my neck which keeps my elbows up a bit…[/quote]
I know what you mean.
I used to Z squat lower by moving my arms in a bit and spreading my legs. This allowed my elbows to end up inside my legs at the bottom of the lift. Then one day my elbows bumped my thighs on a 300+ pound rep and I dumped the whole bar and “there arose such a clatter” that I decided to make the point of my elbows lightly touching my quads the designated stopping point for the eccentric bottom. I videoed myself to check my depth and it was still below parallel for me so I decided I was good to go.
[/quote]
These are zerchers at 185 last winter (hence the beanie) You can see the belt keeps my elbows higher so my depth isn’t really all that bad. It kind of acts like a harness. Before I tried the belt, reps were limited because my arms tired out. Like this, the stress is more on my traps.
[/quote]
Omg!!! I never thought it was possible. Something useful in this God forsaken thread!
[quote]Bret - thanks for the advice. I was trying to go “old school” and do them without a pad. The pain wasn’t that bad when i was doing them, it just so affected the insertion point of my elbow flexors that my strength dropped a lot. But the pad or that harness is a probably a good idea. Looks like you should be able to combine a front squat harness and a zercher squat harness if it is set up right.
[/quote]
Other comments about how much pain it causes in that area don’t sound like things someone would want if they are also training their biceps as hard as everything else directly. Once again, since I know so many don’t even read before commenting, the issue is NOT tearing a muscle while doing a zercher. It is the cumulative damage of an entire routine…and bodybuilders train that muscle group directly quite a bit.
I have no intent to argue this bullshit anymore…but the very fact that it does seem as if what I said was valid even though this much crap was the result of speaking an opinion just blows my mind.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I am honestly in awe that someone would be this butt hurt in a thread like this to even write all of the crap above.
Some of you have issues. My initial response in this thread was directly to someone else, not the OP.
I think some of you need medication.
That is some serious shit.[/quote]
I haven’t read forums on this site in years(this name is a different id). I came back to take a look around, I remember you, and I can’t believe you are STILL here! Honestly, when was the last time you left your parents basement and saw sunlight? Are you still telling people you’re some big black dentist? LOL Your trolling was kind of entertaining back in the day, but the fact that you’re STILL spewing your make-believe-life bullshit and personal insults after all these years is just plain sad. Yes, I know it’s an internet forum and it’s common for people to bullshit/troll. But to do it that much(almost 40k posts, yikes) and for that long…come on, man. Get a job, get a life, and forget about living vicariously through the internet.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I am honestly in awe that someone would be this butt hurt in a thread like this to even write all of the crap above.
Some of you have issues. My initial response in this thread was directly to someone else, not the OP.
I think some of you need medication.
That is some serious shit.[/quote]
I haven’t read forums on this site in years(this name is a different id). I came back to take a look around, I remember you, and I can’t believe you are STILL here! Honestly, when was the last time you left your parents basement and saw sunlight? Are you still telling people you’re some big black dentist? LOL Your trolling was kind of entertaining back in the day, but the fact that you’re STILL spewing your make-believe-life bullshit and personal insults after all these years is just plain sad. Yes, I know it’s an internet forum and it’s common for people to bullshit/troll. But to do it that much(almost 40k posts, yikes) and for that long…come on, man. Get a job, get a life, and forget about living vicariously through the internet.[/quote]
Feel better now now that you got that out of your system?
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I am honestly in awe that someone would be this butt hurt in a thread like this to even write all of the crap above.
Some of you have issues. My initial response in this thread was directly to someone else, not the OP.
I think some of you need medication.
That is some serious shit.[/quote]
I haven’t read forums on this site in years(this name is a different id). I came back to take a look around, I remember you, and I can’t believe you are STILL here! Honestly, when was the last time you left your parents basement and saw sunlight? Are you still telling people you’re some big black dentist? LOL Your trolling was kind of entertaining back in the day, but the fact that you’re STILL spewing your make-believe-life bullshit and personal insults after all these years is just plain sad. Yes, I know it’s an internet forum and it’s common for people to bullshit/troll. But to do it that much(almost 40k posts, yikes) and for that long…come on, man. Get a job, get a life, and forget about living vicariously through the internet.[/quote]
Okay, what kind of depth can you get with zerchers? I don’t get anything near what I would on a front squat because my elbows hit my thighs. It’s helped a bit by holding onto a belt around the back of my neck which keeps my elbows up a bit…[/quote]
I know what you mean.
I used to Z squat lower by moving my arms in a bit and spreading my legs. This allowed my elbows to end up inside my legs at the bottom of the lift. Then one day my elbows bumped my thighs on a 300+ pound rep and I dumped the whole bar and “there arose such a clatter” that I decided to make the point of my elbows lightly touching my quads the designated stopping point for the eccentric bottom. I videoed myself to check my depth and it was still below parallel for me so I decided I was good to go.
[/quote]
These are zerchers at 185 last winter (hence the beanie) You can see the belt keeps my elbows higher so my depth isn’t really all that bad. It kind of acts like a harness. Before I tried the belt, reps were limited because my arms tired out. Like this, the stress is more on my traps.
[/quote]
Omg!!! I never thought it was possible. Something useful in this God forsaken thread![/quote]
That’s not just a beanie I’m wearing, it’s a thinking cap.
[quote]hungry4more wrote:
I broke my collarbone when I was 3-4 years old, so it’s not 100% level ont he left/right sides, but wtf, I still love my front squats.
As far as zerchers go, I prefer doing them from the pins, a bit above parallel, to focus on hammies and hips and glutes…not quads. I think as far as that goes, they have use in the PL world…not much in the BB world probably. [/quote]
It is amazing how you can post without all of the bullshit some others do…over and over and over again.[/quote]
Meh, I just give my opinion and try to gtfo without letting myself get caught up in silly shitstorms. Don’t have the time for that shit haha.
This thread could’ve had a discussion between powerlifters and bodybuilders, and it’d have went like this:
BB: bicep tear!
PL: Not really, but they’re not meant for BBing purposes anyway. They’re an excellent lift for developing posterior chain strength.
BB: Ok, so they’re not for bodybuilders?
PL: Nope.
BB: leaves thread
PL: continues discussion with numerous other powerlifters in this thread
But instead, this thread played out like it did.
As for appologizing, I made a comment about whiteflashes armband tattoo being a little bit fruity, then he let me know that it wasn’t a tribal band, but rather a tattoo in remembering a dead family member. The first thing in my response to that was an appology.
Whatever.
This thread’s turning into a discussion about zerchers in regards for what they’re meant to do.
Let’s hope it stays that way
Push, I know you use the sleeves, but out of curiosity, have you ever used the 2x4 trick?
Also, since you’ve got a home gym, you may want to look into the zercher harness if you’re going to keep them as a staple in your training. It’s great for eliminating the ‘weak link’ in the movement (ie, holding the bar) and really allows you to load on the weight to really hammer the posterior chain.
Also, try adding bands or chains - fucking BRUTAL.
[quote]hungry4more wrote:
I broke my collarbone when I was 3-4 years old, so it’s not 100% level ont he left/right sides, but wtf, I still love my front squats.
As far as zerchers go, I prefer doing them from the pins, a bit above parallel, to focus on hammies and hips and glutes…not quads. I think as far as that goes, they have use in the PL world…not much in the BB world probably. [/quote]
It is amazing how you can post without all of the bullshit some others do…over and over and over again.[/quote]
Meh, I just give my opinion and try to gtfo without letting myself get caught up in silly shitstorms. Don’t have the time for that shit haha. [/quote]
Well, it is one of the reasons I mention you along with KB when speaking of those who make the most progress here. Discussions can happen with you. Fights can only happen with a lot of others.
I was just dropping a duece and using my laptop at the same time. after wiping I needed to wash my hands so I held my laptop in the crooks of my arms and zerchered my way to the sink to wash my hands.
I am now fully qualified to speak on this subject… I did feel quite a bit of pressure on my biceps tendon TBH, but I do have the MacBook Pro, not just a regular MacBook.[/quote]
Zerchered is my new favorite verb. I’m going to zercher the World!
