Myth: The Limiting Factor In A Zercher Is Arm Strength

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
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I love the Zercher squat, mostly because it’s the squat variation most challenging for the core.

Critics like to point out that it’s a shitty leg exercise because you’re limited by arm strength… even though a lot of the people I work with eventually Zercher more than they front squat. (Does that make the front squat a shitty movement too?) Some even approach or beat their back squat like @ajcampbell_training who has done over 500lbs.

Well, here’s @naomi.phoenixperformance doing 180kg/398lbs. Pretty sure she doesn’t curl 400 seeing as she never trains biceps.

So much for biceps being a limiting factor.

If anything is gonna be a limiting factor in a Zercher squat, it’s core strength… and it’s actually a great reason to do it.

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I’ve Zerchered more than I can even back squat. Maybe it’s due to my long torso, squats in general are a weakness, my deadlift has always been well over my squat. But I find Zercher squats to be a position where I feel very strong. There’s no arm strength involved in a Zercher Squat, lol.