Zercher Squats

How to do the Zercher Squats

1. This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. The correct height should be anywhere above the waist but below the chest. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, lock your hands together and place the bar on top of your arms in between the forearm and upper arm.
2. Lift the bar up so that it is resting on top of your forearms. If you are holding the bar properly, it should look as if you have your arms crossed but with a bar running across them.
3. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances discussed in the foot stances section).
4. Begin to lower the bar by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees (which is the point in which the upper legs are below parallel to the floor). Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly.
5. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the ball of your foot mainly as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	expert
Type	compound

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell

Easier than the Zercher Squats

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge beginner · Barbell Bodyweight Walking Lunge beginner · Bodyweight

Superset the Zercher Squats with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Power Clean hamstrings Romanian Deadlift hamstrings Snatch Pull hamstrings Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Zercher Squats work?

The Zercher Squats primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, and hamstrings as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Lunge, and Barbell Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Zercher Squats?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, Freehand Jump Squat, and Bodyweight Squat train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Zercher Squats suitable for beginners?

It is rated expert. Start with Barbell Squat, Barbell Walking Lunge, and Bodyweight Walking Lunge and work up.

Where should the Zercher Squats go in a workout?

Early — the Zercher Squats is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Power Clean and Romanian Deadlift later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell