I have no experience with zerchers, and neither should you. They are not an alternative to squats, and they are not good for your elbows. Squat racks are not that exotic, so get some.
Member
zercher squat relative volume
Coach Rip,
I wanted to ask you if you think if it's easier to overtrain zercher squats when compared to back squats - maybe due to the similar feel to deadlifts (concentric starting position, relative lack of stretch reflex maybe) - and if a person training with minimal equipment like myself and therefore NDTFP should substitute the squat with it's zercher variant with less volume in a trying-to-emulate-SS-with-no-power-rack program?
I'm only asking because up until recently I did zercher squats 3x a week and I think I was getting overtraining symptoms.
TMPHBITEU
I have no experience with zerchers, and neither should you. They are not an alternative to squats, and they are not good for your elbows. Squat racks are not that exotic, so get some.
Starting Strength Coach
The problem with Zerchers is not, in my experience, the elbows but the shoulders. This is most likely because I used them as a recovery (from injury) exercise rather than a strength-building exercise. Proper execution of the Zercher requires several things: Weight over or slightly in front of the mid-foot, balanced by a vertical shin (which means sitting back), and a strong set of abs to support the front of the body. One would think that the weight would simply "hang" over the mid/fore-foot, but one would be wrong. The weight has to actively be pushed away from the body during the descent portion of the lift. And herein lies the problem: this is done with the relatively weak (comparatively) shoulder muscles of the rotator cuff. As we know from training, these muscles are smaller and more susceptible to exertion than the large muscles of the trunk, posterior chain, and quadriceps. They are almost always the weakest link in the movement, which means that none of the other muscles utilized are being trained - only exercised.
The lift, IMO, is a good lift for recovery from injury in some limited cases, but otherwise has little use in a strength program, because as Rip points out, they are not good for your elbows once weights are reached that would have any training effect.
Member
If you really have no way to fashion a squat rack, get yourself one of these handles. I got one on eBay for $24 (that included the shipping):Originally Posted by ag858
Chinning%20Triangle%20Handle.jpg
Set the barbell up on the floor. Straddle the bar with your footline perpendicular to it. Slip the handle under the middle of bar in front of your body. Grab the handle, squat down and pull the bar up by pushing with your legs. To get a full ROM, do the aforementioned off deficit blocks.
This is a variation of the old Jefferson Lift and it works your legs QUITE well. These handles make this lift quite doable, and they are very stout, complete with deeply knurled handles. I've lifted 475# in this fashion and the handle just laughs at me, saying, "What? That's it?"
TMPHBITEU
Not an entirely stupid suggestion.
Member
Why, thank you Mark. From you I take that as high praise!
Seriously though, this variation of the Jefferson Lift is just a fantastic lower body movement. It mimics exactly how you would pick up an object at your feet. Good stuff.
Member
I tried this yesterday...it seemed workable but balance was an issue. If you were lifting that much in this movement...obviously you can get used to it but would you completely deload at the bottom like a deadlift? Any tricks to keeping the bar from sliding or just "be careful"?
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