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Barbell Full Zercher Squat
A deep squat with the bar cradled in the elbow crooks, training quads and glutes while forcing a strongly braced, upright trunk.
LegsBarbellSquat
GoLightWeight mediabarbell-full-zercher-squat
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
QuadricepsGlutes
Secondary
CoreSpinal erectorsBicepsAdductors
Equipment
Barbell
Pattern
Squat
Setup
- 01Set the bar in the rack at roughly elbow height.
- 02Hook both elbows under the bar so it sits in the crooks of the arms, and clasp the hands together.
- 03Pull the bar tight to the torso and stand it out of the rack.
- 04Step back into a shoulder-width stance with toes slightly out.
Execution
- 01Brace hard and take a full breath before each rep.
- 02Squat down between the hips while keeping the torso as vertical as possible.
- 03Descend below parallel until the elbows nearly reach the thighs.
- 04Drive through the whole foot and stand tall without letting the bar drift away from the body.
Checkpoints
- -Bar stays pinned in the elbow crooks against the torso.
- -Torso stays upright throughout the descent.
- -Knees track in line with the toes.
- -Depth reaches below parallel every rep.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the bar roll down the forearms instead of staying in the elbow crooks.
- -Rounding the upper back as the load pulls forward.
- -Cutting depth once the elbows approach the thighs.
- -Skipping a towel or bar pad and losing reps to elbow discomfort rather than leg fatigue.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 5 sets of 4 to 8 reps; grip and elbow comfort limit very heavy singles.
- -Works well as a front squat alternative when wrist or shoulder mobility blocks a clean rack.
- -Pad the bar for higher-rep sets of 8 to 12 so leg fatigue is the limiter.
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