So, I’ve been wondering…what’re the major differences between fronts and zerchers? Intuitively, it seems that zerchers put the center of mass lower and slightly forward more, which in turn will have you sitting back more during the movement, and seem to involve more of the lower body than fronts, which seem to hammer quads exclusively.
But that’s just based on experience, not knowledge. I love zerchers, and can move much more weight with them than I can with fronts.
Thanks Eco. All I know is I am absolutely wiped after the back/front/zercher combo. I have just enough energy left afterwords to drive home and crawl in bed and cry like a little girl.
MCL: I have only been doing Zerchers for about a month, and I do them at the end after I am wiped out by back squats and front squats, so I am not 100% sure of the differences. The back squats seem to hit my hips, ass, and lower back, and the front squats hit my quads and core and are just plain exhuasting. Then I just work up to a heavyish single for the Zercher and this basically just shocks my system and seems to work everything, including inner thighs. Litterally, it felt like my eyes were coming out of their sockets on my last Zercher and I was shaking on the way up. They must be doing something. Buyt basically, I do Zerchers because I saw DCA doing them, and I figure he knows what he is doing.
Jack
Wave 3, Week 3, Deads, 5-3-1, 75, 85, 95%, Training Max 355
Time In: 6:15
Time Out: 7:15
Weight: 215.6
Warm-up: mobility/tread
Deads: 45 x10, 90 x10, 135 x5, 225 x3, 265 x5, 300 x3, 340 x10 (Rep PR).
BBB Deads: 240 x 5 sets x 10 reps
Dips: BW x10, +20 x10, +40 x5, +60 x5, +80 x4 (rep PR), bw x10
HS Curls: 110 x5, 130 x5, 170 x5, 110 x5
Notes: My hands/callouses were shredded from skiing and they hurt during deads and the weight felt heavy today. But I basically pulled 10 low/no rest singles with 25 lbs less than my tested max of three months ago. So I am happy with the session. My lower back is still my weak point on these, it felt real tweaky on the last few reps. The BBB set almost did me in, I took very little rest, and almost puked on sets 4 and 5. Dips are feeling strong. All in all, pretty good morning.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Wave 3, Week 3, Deads, 5-3-1, 75, 85, 95%, Training Max 355
Time In: 6:15
Time Out: 7:15
Weight: 215.6
Warm-up: mobility/tread
Deads: 45 x10, 90 x10, 135 x5, 225 x3, 265 x5, 300 x3, 340 x10 (Rep PR).
BBB Deads: 240 x 5 sets x 10 reps
Dips: BW x10, +20 x10, +40 x5, +60 x5, +80 x4 (rep PR), bw x10
HS Curls: 110 x5, 130 x5, 170 x5, 110 x5
Notes: My hands/callouses were shredded from skiing and they hurt during deads and the weight felt heavy today. But I basically pulled 10 low/no rest singles with 25 lbs less than my tested max of three months ago. So I am happy with the session. My lower back is still my weak point on these, it felt real tweaky on the last few reps. The BBB set almost did me in, I took very little rest, and almost puked on sets 4 and 5. Dips are feeling strong. All in all, pretty good morning.[/quote]
Nice job! lookin’ good Jack
I’m no expert, but, it does look as if you are setting up with your shoulders in front of the bar and I’ve seen the suggestion to move your feet back a bit so that you pull back instead of up. 'course I’m still trying to find that spot too…
Thanks Dog, I think you are right about the shoulders. I felt that a bit today, and that is one more thing I need to work on. I am also trying to get my breathing/inhaling right and I am still not comfortable pulling in the belt. So many factors involved in picking up a bar and setting it down!
Wave 3, Week 3, Bench. Training Max 240. 5-3-1 75, 85, 95 %
Time In: 6:15 a.m.
Time Out: 7:25 a.m.
Warm-up: 5 Min tread, mobility
Bench: 45 x20, 90 x10, 135 x5, 165 x3, 180 x5, 205 x3, 230 x9 (Rep PR)
Incline DB Bench: 45 x10, 65 x10, 95 x7 (Rep PR)
Chins: 8, 6, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3 (40 total)
Superset 5 Sets of BB Bench (165 x10) with Kroc Rows (100 x10) (this was a ball buster)
Stairs: 10 flights
Notes: Good workout today. We mixed things up a bit. I got nine reps last 5-3-1 day with 225 and did the same with 230, so that is progress. My elbows are still flairing to much. I’ll keep working on the bench set-up. Kroc rows and BBB bench felt good–tiring. Elbows are tweaky, but deload is coming soon.
Nice benching, jjack. The numbers keep going up!
Really wish I had some heavier DBs to play with…
Hmm. It seems my log is now in a bodybuilding sub forum. I may need to add some direct arm work and start keeping track of calories and food macros. Damn.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Hmm. It seems my log is now in a bodybuilding sub forum. I may need to add some direct arm work and start keeping track of calories and food macros. Damn. [/quote]
Looks like it’s fixed now… {edit} I see what you mean now. We are all part of the Body Building top level forum.
and nice benchin’ PR 9@230!
Wave 3, Week 3, Squat and Press, 5-3-1, 75, 85, 95%, Training Max 320/155
Time in 7:45
Time out: 9:25
Weight: 215.3
Squats: 45 x10, 90 x10, 135 x5, 185 x3, 220 x1, 240 x5, 270 x3 305 x11 (1 short of rep PR).
BBB Front Squats: 175 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 (+10 lbs. over last week)
Press: 45 x10, 85 x5, 115 x5, 130 x3, 145 x5 (got 6 to my forehead, but no go. 1 rep short of rep PR).
BBB Press: 80 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 9 (5 lbs. heavier than last week).
Zercher from low pins: 135 x1, 225 x1, 275 x1
295 x1 (weight PR from low pin position)
Goodmornings: 45 x10, 90 x10, 135 x5
Notes: This last workout before the deload felt strong. Core is holding back squats, my legs had more reps but my lower back and mid section didn’t. I am going to do some power-wheel work during deload. Front squats were exhausting, but they are coming along. I almost lost the last Zercher, but it went up. With skiing winding down, we may go to 4 days a week and do presses on Sunday and add more accessory work. I think doing presses on squat day is limiting their progress. Elbows could use some rest, they are tweaky.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Hmm. It seems my log is now in a bodybuilding sub forum. I may need to add some direct arm work and start keeping track of calories and food macros. Damn. [/quote]
Don’t forget telling people to eat, eat, eat, and calling anyone a troll that doesn’t want to get HUGE!
[quote]mathineer wrote:
jjackkrash wrote:
Hmm. It seems my log is now in a bodybuilding sub forum. I may need to add some direct arm work and start keeping track of calories and food macros. Damn.
Don’t forget telling people to eat, eat, eat, and calling anyone a troll that doesn’t want to get HUGE![/quote]
Mathineer, I’m callin’ you out!
jjack, as usual, the squats are looking great.
Those zerchers look like they took everything you had. Awesome effort… Great job pushing through them!.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Don’t forget telling people to eat, eat, eat, and calling anyone a troll that doesn’t want to get HUGE!
Mathineer, I’m callin’ you out![/quote]
Ya got me! I’m just a troll that wants to look like Brad Pitt.
[quote]mathineer wrote:
jjackkrash wrote:
Don’t forget telling people to eat, eat, eat, and calling anyone a troll that doesn’t want to get HUGE!
Mathineer, I’m callin’ you out!
Ya got me! I’m just a troll that wants to look like Brad Pitt.
[/quote]
Short, gay, and weak? YOU GO, GIRL!
Out of curiosity Jack, are you doing 5-3-1 on 3 days a week? Just wondering why you’re doing multiple primary lifts on the same day.
[quote]mcl wrote:
Out of curiosity Jack, are you doing 5-3-1 on 3 days a week? Just wondering why you’re doing multiple primary lifts on the same day.[/quote]
When I started 5-3-1, I was lifting Tues., Thurs., and Sat. and Skiing Fri. and Sun and sometimes Wed. morning. My buddy and I decided not to cycle the primary lifts and to double up on squats and overhead press. This has worked well, but I think it has impeded progress on the overhead press. It has also been a limiting factor in covering assistance lifts, although skiing is a big back workout so that’s ok. Skiing is winding down some, so we will likely go to 4 days a week after the next cycle and add presses on Sun. and add in a little more assistance work (more back and ab work). I can tell you, however, that when the deload rolls around I don’t have any thoughts about skipping it. I hate it, but I can really feel my body and joints crying out for some rest.
Wave 3, week 4, deload, deads.
Deads: 135 x5, 185 x5, 235 x5.
Dips: BW x10, 3 sets.
Went home.
I am beat to shit and I didn’t have any coffee or stimulants this morning. I did my deload sets and went home. I had planned on doing extra ab work, some cardio, and maybe some complexes, but I just didn’t have it in me. I need the rest.
Great training, you’ve earned the deload
nice work!
you start the zerchers so low!
enjoy the deload.