Zercher Squat

Setup

1. 01Set the bar in the rack at roughly the height of your bent elbows, just below the sternum.
2. 02Wrap a bar pad or towel around the bar if elbow discomfort limits loading.
3. 03Hook the bar in the crooks of the elbows and clasp the hands together in front of the chest.
4. 04Pull the elbows tight to the ribs, brace hard, and step back into a stance slightly wider than shoulder width.

Execution

1. 01Take a big breath and brace before each descent.
2. 02Squat down between the hips while keeping the torso as upright as possible.
3. 03Descend until the elbows approach the inside of the thighs or depth is reached.
4. 04Drive through the whole foot to stand, keeping the bar pinned tight to the body.

Checkpoints

• -Bar stays cradled tight against the torso, not drifting forward.
• -Torso stays notably more upright than a back squat.
• -Knees track in line with the toes through the full range.
• -Upper back stays rigid with no rounding under the load.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the elbows drop so the bar rolls down the forearms.
• -Rounding the upper back instead of bracing against the front load.
• -Cutting depth because the brace is lost at the bottom.
• -Loading past what the arms can cradle, turning it into an arm-endurance test.