Zercher squats have been regarded as a squat variation in and of their own. However, I think it’s just another front squat variation. You have:
Olympic style front squats
Body builder front squats (arms across each other)
Front squats with straps
But I think Zercher squats are just simply another front squat variation.
What do you guys think? Yes or no? Why or why not?
I would say completely different variation because of where the weight is situated. Generally the difference between the shoulders(front squat) and elbows (zercher) is a good amount. Maybe around a foot. Not about to measure my arm but either way, the change completely shifts the center of gravity.
That shifts the muscles used as well. The lower position puts a lot more stress on the core than the front squat IMO. The shift is a big enough reason to make it its own variation.
Absolutely not.
Have you ever actually front squatted and zercher squatted?
speaking of the zercher squat, how do people manage to keep the bar in their arms? its incredibly painful to keep it in the crooks of your arms.
In a zercher squat you can sit back into the squat with minimal dorsiflexion so its more hip dominant. with front squats sitting back with the weight over your heels is impossible consequently there is more dorsiflexion and quad dominance as everyone knows
[quote]mbag012 wrote:
speaking of the zercher squat, how do people manage to keep the bar in their arms? its incredibly painful to keep it in the crooks of your arms.[/quote]
Its supposed to be.
I saw someone put a thicker pvc pipe sleeve over it in a different thread.
[quote]hungry4more wrote:
Absolutely not.
Have you ever actually front squatted and zercher squatted?[/quote]
obviously he hasn’t. it would take doing this exactly one time to become aware of the enormous difference between the two.
Worst squat variation ever.
They’re very different.
They’re really only very painful for a few sessions until you get over it then they’re fine.
I have actually always felt that Zerchers carried over more to my deadlift than my squat. I don’t really use them much though.
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
I have actually always felt that Zerchers carried over more to my deadlift than my squat. I don’t really use them much though.[/quote]
I would have to say the same…for a period I did them pretty consistently, and got good at them…but I didn’t see much carryover to anything, and I get MUCH better carryover to deadlift from front squats.
low-bar front squats
[quote]forbes wrote:
Zercher squats have been regarded as a squat variation in and of their own. However, I think it’s just another front squat variation. You have:
Olympic style front squats
Body builder front squats (arms across each other)
Front squats with straps
But I think Zercher squats are just simply another front squat variation.
What do you guys think? Yes or no? Why or why not?[/quote]
The opposite. The Zercher puts the weight more in front of you and rotating you forward with a line of force running through the shoulders or a little lower. Since the bar is further forward you can go back more with the hips because the weight is a counter balance. (If your knees go forward then both the knees and the waight are in front of the toes and you will tip over so you HAVE to stay back.
In the front squat since the weight will be lost if it gets too far out you have to keep the torso upright which means that ONLY the knees have the freedom to move in front of the balls of the feet to stay in balance.
Basically the only way to not tip over is to keep the weight between the heels and balls of the feet. The only 2 ways to do this are to bend forward more at the waist or come forward more at the knee. The front squat prohibits coming forward at the waist so it is knee (quad) focused. The Zercher prevents/minimizes coming forward with the knee.
Zerchers feel practically nothing like front squats to me.
You know what Zerchers felt exactly like though? Atlas stones. In fact the muscles I felt it hit were so similar, I would say that if you are interested in strongman, but don’t have any stones, Zerchers may give you better carryover than anything else.
On the flip side, if you do have access to Atlas stones, imo they make Zercher squats almost obsolete. Lifting the stones felt basically just like Zercher squats with 100% less strain on my bicep tendons lol.