Tried zercher's for the first time

[the People's Champ]

definitely a different feeling. I wasn't having any trouble cradling the bar on my arms, but just ascending from rock bottom was very different. I had to use a wide stance so I could place my arms in between my legs in order to get the full range of motion, and at the bottom, the bar was lower than my knees. going back up, I totally felt the rounding of the back, and can see that this is NOT a heavy exercise, heavy being relative.

this exercise sure woke up some muscles that I didn't know I had

 

[spatts]

I keep it wide, and the bar hits right about at my knees, but I DO do these really heavy. I keep a tight arch and my back doesn't round at all....this is why I think they're AWESOME for my sumo deadlift. Same move, only cradled rather than hanging. These are around 250 x 5 for me. I rarely do them for more or less than that, so I duno about the max.

 

[the People's Champ]

I did feel these on the outer portion of me hams. I think i will continue to do these replacing the front squat for a while. and as far as the arch, does that limit the downstroke, hence the bar only going to your knees?

 

[spatts]

A-ha...it might! I also do zercher sit-ups, where I sit on a box and the elbows DO descend between the legs, and the back rounds some. Owie...

I think zercher squats (just another variation of the front squat) and kneeling squats have really helped my sumo deadlift alot.

The way I look at it, a sumo deadlift is really just a "hanging front squat."

...well, in reverse.

 

[b fold the truth]

They are definately interesting...

B True

 

[the People's Champ]

so is the rounding of the back bad in this movement? I would think so, but I just am not sure. B Fold, gimme some input please.

 

[spatts]

I suppose it depend what you're trying to target and what weight you're using.

 

[the People's Champ]

well, I do want to do this exercise properly, and since I am doing this on a leg day, I would like to target my thighs. if this exercise also affects other movements, please list them, and the variations of the zercher please.

 

[b fold the truth]

so is the rounding of the back bad in this movement? I would think so, but I just am not sure. B Fold, gimme some input please.

My back rounds just a little...upper back mostly. When Cheese does them...his back rounds a lot. I have much stronger hips and a lot more flexibility too...

B True

 

[spatts]

TPC, I really think that as long as you know what muscle you're tyring to work, then form is subjective. If you want to do them with a rounded back, you might do a different amount of weight, and you might conisder it part of "back day." It would almost be like a front squat version of a "Combo Squat/GM." Not sure if you've ever seen one, but you good morning the weight down, then arch and squat the weight back up. This would be like doing a "zercher GM down," so to speak, and a squat back up. I guess I'm saying there is no right or wrong, as long as you're aware of which muscle(s) you're trying to work.