I can think of a dozen other movements for my lower back that DON’T put my biceps tendon at risk.
zerchers seem cool and all… but honestly why?
I just dont see the point?
Why do zerchers?
why?
WHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYY!?!?!? lol
^^ I’m thinking it’s a way for some to show that they are apparently advanced lifters in that they are “beyond” squats and front squats and leg presses and lunges.
^^I’m so far beyond all of those exercises that I dont even do any of them.
[quote]gregron wrote:
^^I’m so far beyond all of those exercises that I dont even do any of them.[/quote]
I’m so far beyond those exercises that all I have to do is think about them and they jack my legs up.
On a related note Ed Zercher also invented the barbel leg press.
That’s just silly.
Cycling in zerchers in powerlifting routines as a means to improve your deadlift is one thing and obviously legitimate.
For bodybuilders or other people that lift purely for physique purposes, there’s no reason to bother with them really.
Isn’t it really that simple?
Now go outside and play.
Many Highland Game competitors use zercher squats to train specifically for the Caber Toss. Even there it’s not unanimously agreed to on their efffectiveness vs GMs, Romanian DLs, or similar lifts.
Hell yeah highland games are awesome
“Tossing the caber” always sounded like a Scottish euphemism for masturbating.
Sort of like “Pulling the goalie” does in Canada.
[quote]Nards wrote:
“Tossing the caber” always sounded like a Scottish euphemism for masturbating.
Sort of like “Pulling the goalie” does in Canada. [/quote]
It is, except when we get wood, it’s for real.
Zercher squats are bitches but I do them when I want too look badass in the gym and mostly 'cos I love pain.
On a serious note I think they’re great for core strength and stability but I don’t do them to improve my deadlifts. I just focus on my rack pulls, good mornings, ghrs, T rows, for that…
I found that adding band tension is a great (read: awful, masochistic) way to make this exercise better for your lockout. It’s a great way to learn to throw your hips thru at the end of the deadlift. Also, since when you lock out a zercher lift, you’re not actually “locked out” to the point where you can just kinda stand there with a DL bar in your hands, you gotta give everything you got to stay upright, adding band tension really makes this movement more effective.
I wouldn’t try adding band tension, though, unless you’ve got access to a zercher harness. At the very least, use the 2x4 trick.
I’ve done Zercher squats for reps North of 405 - can’t remember how far North. As far as the stress on the forearms and elbows - it’s definitely an “acquired taste”, meaning tolerance is built over time, along with strength. I feel they have good carryover to your deadlift, but I don’t see the point of the “zercher lift” - none at all. Only risk of injury. When you can pull from deficits and such, I see no point to the zercher “lift”. I also think heavy front squats are not a bad alternative for the zercher squat.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
^^ X2 - what’s the value of the zercher unless you’re doing functional strongman training?
Even for strongman (i’m ignorant on strongman lifts) why do you need to go so heavy? How much weight would be the normal amount for say Stone Lifts?[/quote]
It’s a biceps tear waiting to happen.
I swear, it is like some people do shit just so no one calls them a bodybuilder. If the result of a 400lbs “zercher squat” is to look like the guy in that vid, I’ll really fucking pass.[/quote]
Why are you so jelly? Its obvious those Zerchers are what made the guy in the video so huge. If you really focus and eat right you too can be 6’ 190. [/quote]
So now zerchers make you skinny? lolwut?
[/quote]
?
No, it is that if “400lbs” is the weight that someone like that can do, then 400lbs isn’t that fucking impressive.
Why would I do shit that leads to lesser progress in muscle growth?
It is a movement that serves little purpose unless specifically training for something with movements like that. So, again, why do people do shit that has such little return in terms of progress?
Oh, wait…that’s the function of most “functional” training…give people who don’t look like they lift seriously something to be proud of.
[/quote]
Because everyone doesn’t lift to get bigger - but you already knew that. This isn’t solely a BB site and not every lift is a BB lift. Yet already, you’ve judged the guy in the video as some sort of failure at achieving size. Typical of you.
If 400 isn’t impressive, we await your video of you knocking it off. Should be easy for you. We’ll save you the risk of injury too by only asking for a zercher squat.
[quote]Quick Ben wrote:
Cycling in zerchers in powerlifting routines as a means to improve your deadlift is one thing and obviously legitimate.
For bodybuilders or other people that lift purely for physique purposes, there’s no reason to bother with them really.
Isn’t it really that simple?
Now go outside and play.[/quote]
It IS really that simple.
I can think of other ways of inflicting that kind of pain on myself that don’t leave as many marks lol.
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
^^ X2 - what’s the value of the zercher unless you’re doing functional strongman training?
Even for strongman (i’m ignorant on strongman lifts) why do you need to go so heavy? How much weight would be the normal amount for say Stone Lifts?[/quote]
It’s a biceps tear waiting to happen.
I swear, it is like some people do shit just so no one calls them a bodybuilder. If the result of a 400lbs “zercher squat” is to look like the guy in that vid, I’ll really fucking pass.[/quote]
Why are you so jelly? Its obvious those Zerchers are what made the guy in the video so huge. If you really focus and eat right you too can be 6’ 190. [/quote]
So now zerchers make you skinny? lolwut?
[/quote]
?
No, it is that if “400lbs” is the weight that someone like that can do, then 400lbs isn’t that fucking impressive.
Why would I do shit that leads to lesser progress in muscle growth?
It is a movement that serves little purpose unless specifically training for something with movements like that. So, again, why do people do shit that has such little return in terms of progress?
Oh, wait…that’s the function of most “functional” training…give people who don’t look like they lift seriously something to be proud of.
[/quote]
Because everyone doesn’t lift to get bigger - but you already knew that. This isn’t solely a BB site and not every lift is a BB lift. Yet already, you’ve judged the guy in the video as some sort of failure at achieving size. Typical of you.
If 400 isn’t impressive, we await your video of you knocking it off. Should be easy for you. We’ll save you the risk of injury too by only asking for a zercher squat. [/quote]
He can do 5 plates on the hammer strength zercher squat machine, which is obviously equivalent to a 405 zercher lift.
I don’t use zerchers for my lower back. Mainly just my semitendinosus.