[quote]imhungry wrote:
It’s cool to see the OP is making use of what he has and not making excuses for not working his lower body. He’ll have a good base to work with when he finally joins a gym.
Keep up the good work, op.[/quote]
Just to clarify, I do belong to a gym. It just sucks.
Thanks.
I was going to type something redundant and funny for the sake of showing the ridiculousness of these opposing views (and how they’ll never agree) but instead I thought of something semi related but not really at all:
Has anyone in here ever broken their collarbone (clavicle) and since they’ve fully recovered have added front squats back into their routine?
just curious
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
Just to clarify, I do belong to a gym. It just sucks.
Thanks.[/quote]
you belong to a gym that doesnt have any sort of a squat rack? not even a smith machine with the hooks on the front?
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
Just to clarify, I do belong to a gym. It just sucks.
Thanks.[/quote]
you belong to a gym that doesnt have any sort of a squat rack? not even a smith machine with the hooks on the front?[/quote]
Well there is a smith machine, but I don’t use it.
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
i use the zercher squat as a variation all the time. it’s an awesome movement to increase lower back strength. they are specifically good for strengthening your lockout in the deadlift. it’s one hell of a movement to increase core strength as well. i’ve never found holding the weight in the crook of the arm as a limiting factor. i just put my elbow sleeves over the elbow to add a little padding.
don’t dismiss a lift without understanding what it’s for.
here’s some variations i’ve done.
Thank you for the post. I like them as a variation as well and have had no difficulty with my arms and elbows or biceps. I put it more as a dead lift assistance. The most I’ve pulled from a dead stop in a rack is 295 for a double from about mid-thigh. Sometimes I start from the top and go lighter/deeper for reps.
I put my bench belt around the back of my neck, get the bar in my elbows and grab the ends of the belt in either hand kind of like a harness. It eliminates some of the issues with arm strength being a limiting factor. I’ve gotten some awesome looks doing this at a commercial gym.
I’ve tried doing them off the floor only to end up in an ugly tangle of arms and legs. It’s beyond my level of coordination.
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
Just to clarify, I do belong to a gym. It just sucks.
Thanks.[/quote]
you belong to a gym that doesnt have any sort of a squat rack? not even a smith machine with the hooks on the front?[/quote]
Well there is a smith machine, but I don’t use it.[/quote]
that sucks man.
Your smith machine doesnt have hooks on the front? (like in the picture?
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote. The people here are way too fucking transparent.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
Just to clarify, I do belong to a gym. It just sucks.
Thanks.[/quote]
you belong to a gym that doesnt have any sort of a squat rack? not even a smith machine with the hooks on the front?[/quote]
Well there is a smith machine, but I don’t use it.[/quote]
that sucks man.
Your smith machine doesnt have hooks on the front? (like in the picture?[/quote]
This is the exact one that my gym has.
I’ve tried Zerchers before…didn’t like them…not my cup of tea. To each his own. But then again, since your bicep IS in a flexed state, acting as a stabalizing muscle in the lift…I can see how you can MOSDEF tear a bicep in the lift. You people are acting like it’s impossible.
Futhermore, I believe you can get the same type of activation by doing heavy Good Mornings and Rack Pulls…but thats just my opinion. My buddy used to do Zerchers all the time…you know what I said to him? “Good for you!” In my OPINION, too much risk, not enough reward.
And OP, congrats on your progress. Just one thing…just because you don’t have a rack doesnt mean you’re limited to Zerchers. You can prop the bar up on cinder blocks or other things to deadlift from a deficit etc. And I would squat with just light weight just to get form down and used to the movement until you can find a good gym.
[quote]Quick Ben wrote:
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
Yes it IS a point against them. Holding a large load in a static hold while performing the lift meant to target another bodypart (thereby taking the mind-focus away from the injury site) is a recipe for impending doom, IMHO.
Conversely, training a previously injured bodypart through a full range of motion on an exercise specifically for that part, and where the mind/bodypart connection is strong, is not only intelligent, but in contrast to the logic you’re trying to apply with your deadlift illustration.
[/quote]
Wait, I need some clarification. Are you saying that it’s a recipe for impending doom for you specifically, or in general?
All I’m saying is that a personal pre-existing injury precluding your use of a particular lift, is not a point against that lift in general (people whose biceps are just fine). It’s the same point I made against the other guy, just without the word “dumbass.”
[/quote]
I merely make the recommendation against them based on my experience, yes.
It’s not unlike any T-Nation author who has penned articles against certain moves (like Behind Neck Presses, Upright Rows, etc).
Proceed at your won risk is usually the sign-off.
[quote]FrozenNinja wrote:
I’ve tried Zerchers before…didn’t like them…not my cup of tea. To each his own. But then again, since your bicep IS in a flexed state, acting as a stabalizing muscle in the lift…I can see how you can MOSDEF tear a bicep in the lift. You people are acting like it’s impossible.
Futhermore, I believe you can get the same type of activation by doing heavy Good Mornings and Rack Pulls…but thats just my opinion. My buddy used to do Zerchers all the time…you know what I said to him? “Good for you!” In my OPINION, too much risk, not enough reward.
And OP, congrats on your progress. Just one thing…just because you don’t have a rack doesnt mean you’re limited to Zerchers. You can prop the bar up on cinder blocks or other things to deadlift from a deficit etc. And I would squat with just light weight just to get form down and used to the movement until you can find a good gym. [/quote]
Good post. Half of this thread is straight bullshit…and honestly, I am tired of seeing it.
If they won’t attack one guy but will fuck up a thread for pages because someone else writes the same thing, I think it is time for those people to fucking relax.
We can’t even have discussions anymore because half of the people here seem to be out to attack WHO wrote what instead of what was actually written.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote.[/quote]
you dont say…
I’M COMING FOR YOU IRON DWARF!!!
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
This is the exact one that my gym has.
[/quote]
is it possible for you to switch to a new gym?
How old are you op? Sorry if I missed it.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote.[/quote]
you dont say…
I’M COMING FOR YOU IRON DWARF!!![/quote]
Get in line. Gavin is ahead of you.
lol
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote.[/quote]
you dont say…
I’M COMING FOR YOU IRON DWARF!!![/quote]
Get in line. Gavin is ahead of you.
lol
[/quote]
Careful Greg we all know Gavin likes guys to be behind him. 
[quote]DJHT wrote:
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote.[/quote]
you dont say…
I’M COMING FOR YOU IRON DWARF!!![/quote]
Get in line. Gavin is ahead of you.
lol
[/quote]
Careful Greg we all know Gavin likes guys to be behind him. :)[/quote]
So does that mean you spot him during his zercher squats? lol
[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
[quote]DJHT wrote:
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote.[/quote]
you dont say…
I’M COMING FOR YOU IRON DWARF!!![/quote]
Get in line. Gavin is ahead of you.
lol
[/quote]
Careful Greg we all know Gavin likes guys to be behind him. :)[/quote]
So does that mean you spot him during his zercher squats? lol[/quote]
Gavin? Greg? or ID? Sorry man you lost me.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]xjusticex2013x wrote:
This is the exact one that my gym has.
[/quote]
is it possible for you to switch to a new gym?
How old are you op? Sorry if I missed it.[/quote]
I’m 16. My dad doesn’t want me to go to a different gym for some reason unfortunately and there’s at least one other decent, local gym in the area. He has a life membership to Bally’s, and the particular one that he has gone to is a big, commercial type; almost guaranteed to have a rack. He could get me a membership there, but it’s further away (which costs him moar gas money) and, according to him, it’s not as good as it used to be (although my personal criteria of “good” for a gym is pretty conservative).
Oh, and this probably isn’t worth mentioning, but there’s a straight up powerlifting gym that I’ve heard of: Celli’s Fitness Center (http://www.cellisfitness.com/). If I ever move closer to Pittsburgh (I live ~10 miles east of the city; right near the county border) while going to college for whatever, that place would be awesome to go to. But it’s pretty damn expensive for me. 
Joe Defranco had someone* doing zerchers in the 300+ range…
jump to 2:13 in the vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekZYPGxQbno&feature=channel_video_title
[quote]DJHT wrote:
[quote]Loudog75 wrote:
[quote]DJHT wrote:
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
LOL at the lack of “guns a’blazin’” over what Iron Dwarf wrote.[/quote]
you dont say…
I’M COMING FOR YOU IRON DWARF!!![/quote]
Get in line. Gavin is ahead of you.
lol
[/quote]
Careful Greg we all know Gavin likes guys to be behind him. :)[/quote]
So does that mean you spot him during his zercher squats? lol[/quote]
Gavin? Greg? or ID? Sorry man you lost me.[/quote]