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Barbell Help - Zercher Squat Form

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To be sure we're all talking about the same thing:

Zercher _Squat_ is either from a rack, or you deadlift it, set it on your thighs, and then you squat it much the same way as you would if you'd started from the rack.

Zercher _Deadlift_ is bar on the floor, and you bend way down and get the bar in your elbows while it's still on the floor, and stand up with it from the ground.

I agree with @Anna C in that the main benefit of the ZSQ is the squat itself, from upright to squatting and back up again. It's also important to perform it as a hip hinge - sit back into your ZSQ.

The ZDL is another thing entirely. Note, however, that people who demonstrate it starting in a very deep squat can almost always _not_ perform this movement this way. There's a picture of Pavel doing this at Stu McGill's, and if you go to YouTube and look up Zercher Deadlift Steve Freides, you'll find me doing 180 lb x 2 and then singles at 175 and 200 lbs.

-S-
Thanks for the the level set @Steve Freides.

I haven’t even opened the can of worms that is the Zercher DL. TBD on whether or not I explore that movement sometime in the future. Keeping it simple right now & I feel like the ZDL is NOT a simple lift.
 
Thanks for the the level set @Steve Freides.

I haven’t even opened the can of worms that is the Zercher DL. TBD on whether or not I explore that movement sometime in the future. Keeping it simple right now & I feel like the ZDL is NOT a simple lift.
We have deadlift blocks here - 2" each and they are perfect for something like this. Put the bar up 6" off the ground, work on that for a while, build up to a moderately heavy weight, then go to 4" with a light weight, work up again, etc.

Deadlift blocks: DC Blocks

I was fortunate to find mine used. The $846 + shipping for a set of 18 of them cost me, if memory serves, about $200 and there was no shipping because we just picked them up in the car. There are instructions on how to make your own on the Internet if you want to try it yourself.

-S-
 
We have deadlift blocks here - 2" each and they are perfect for something like this. Put the bar up 6" off the ground, work on that for a while, build up to a moderately heavy weight, then go to 4" with a light weight, work up again, etc.

Deadlift blocks: DC Blocks

I was fortunate to find mine used. The $846 + shipping for a set of 18 of them cost me, if memory serves, about $200 and there was no shipping because we just picked them up in the car. There are instructions on how to make your own on the Internet if you want to try it yourself.

-S-
Those are really nice. Rogue makes great products. I’ve got some shipping pallets (seen in the background of my vids) that I use for pulling higher than floor height. I’d probably need more of these to do this. Right now I only have one for each side that buys me around 3-4 inches.
 
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@Harald Motz

Just checked out your Zercher Lifts/Squats on your YouTube channel. Impressive stuff.

Most of your ZSQs are from the floor but you do have a couple sets from the rack.

In your opinion, what would you say the benefits are in starting Zercher Squats from the floor vs starting from the rack?
 
@Steve Freides @Anna C

Here’s 275 for a single. Starting to move a little slower. Feeling the weight. This is probably pretty close to my 1RM.

275lbs/1.5BW for a solid triple on a regular basis is my goal.

Still looking ok?


Looks good to me! Good job getting set up with minimal excess movement.
 
Playing around with the 8:00 position. The 8:00 feels more natural to me. My body just enjoys it more and I feel like it complements the full Zercher lift from the floor.

How do these look?

@Anna C
@Steve Freides



 
Position and lift looks great. Really solid!

Some minor details you might want to experiment with - just things that I would do:
  • Find one spot to fix your gaze on before the squat, then keep looking at it throughout the lift. Can help with balance.
  • Take a deeper breath and hold it for the lift, all the way down and all the way up. Between lifts, one or two slightly deeper breaths instead of many small ones.
  • Chest up a little more, fight the tendency to collapse in with the weight.
  • Keep the whole foot in contact with the ground (toes popping up, especially left)
Keep up the good work!
 
Position and lift looks great. Really solid!

Some minor details you might want to experiment with - just things that I would do:
  • Find one spot to fix your gaze on before the squat, then keep looking at it throughout the lift. Can help with balance.
  • Take a deeper breath and hold it for the lift, all the way down and all the way up. Between lifts, one or two slightly deeper breaths instead of many small ones.
  • Chest up a little more, fight the tendency to collapse in with the weight.
  • Keep the whole foot in contact with the ground (toes popping up, especially left)
Keep up the good work!
Thanks @Anna C.

Really enjoying the journey with the Zercher movements!
 
@Chase Hines, there are a few differences between your videos and even better the two reps in the 2nd set.

Experiment with how far your knees go forward. I liked your 2nd video better because in your first video, after your pause at the bottom, your knees slid forward as you started up. I thought your first rep of the 2nd set was the best one.

-S-
 
@Chase Hines, there are a few differences between your videos and even better the two reps in the 2nd set.

Experiment with how far your knees go forward. I liked your 2nd video better because in your first video, after your pause at the bottom, your knees slid forward as you started up. I thought your first rep of the 2nd set was the best one.

-S-
Thanks @Steve Freides!

I wouldn’t have noticed this without you pointing it out.

Two quick questions -

1 - Is this an issue I should focus on or be concerned about?

2 - If so, how would you prevent this?
 
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The Zercher Squat is a movement taught at our Barbell Certification - honestly, these are questions that would be well asked there.

In general, it's good to get the knees where you want them relatively early in any squat and then keep them there until you're past parallel and any sticking point on the way back up again. I think the fact that it's happening says you aren't getting into the ideal bottom position for you. "Ideal" would be like a loaded spring, ready to come back up.

-S-
 
The Zercher Squat is a movement taught at our Barbell Certification - honestly, these are questions that would be well asked there.
In general, it's good to get the knees where you want them relatively early in any squat and then keep them there until you're past parallel and any sticking point on the way back up again. I think the fact that it's happening says you aren't getting into the ideal bottom position for you. "Ideal" would be like a loaded spring, ready to come back up.

-S-
The Zercher Squat is a movement taught at our Barbell Certification - honestly, these are questions that would be well asked there.
In general, it's good to get the knees where you want them relatively early in any squat and then keep them there until you're past parallel and any sticking point on the way back up again. I think the fact that it's happening says you aren't getting into the ideal bottom position for you. "Ideal" would be like a loaded spring, ready to come back up.

-S-

Gotcha! I’ll explore this a bit more. It certainly doesn’t “feel” like a sticking point but I totally see the small forward shift on almost all of my 8:00 reps.
 
@Steve Freides

First of all, thank you for all your input. If there’s anything I can do to support StrongFirst please let know.

Here’s one of my first Zercher Deadlift experiments.

This is a strange movement & I have no idea where this fits into my practices. I do REALLY like the way it feels with this minimal load but I could definitely see how you could put yourself in a bad spot on this one by increasing the load too quickly or by simply not focusing on what your doing.

 
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First of all, thank you for all your input.
My pleasure, Chase.

If there’s anything I can do to support StrongFirst please let know.
There's lots of great stuff for sale if you want to buy something. Events to attend, really good kettlebells, books. Most important, though, is tell your like-minded friends - StrongFirst isn't going to be for everyone, but we need to be better known, even if everyone who knows what we're about won't be interested.

This is a strange movement & I have no idea where this fits into my practices. I do REALLY like the way it feels with this minimal load but I could definitely see how you could put yourself in a bad spot on this one by increasing the load too quickly or by simply not focusing on what your doing.

There are two ways to perform this. One, which you're doing, is to squat at the bottom. For most people, this ceases to be an option once the weight becomes heavier. My choice is to try to perform it as an extended ROM deadlift, so my hips aren't as low as yours at the beginning.

There's a picture of Pavel doing this with 315 lbs, I think, somewhere - anyone have a reference or link?

-S-
 
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