zercher squats vs. front squats

[tbomb]

what are the pros and cons of performing one of them over the other one?...(with respect to targetting the quads.) i've never tried zerchers, but they look like theyd be a little less awkward than front squats, which i have tried.

and would it be too much to do one of these in addition to back squats?

[Heisman]

I've never done Zerchers, so I can't give a good opinion, but:

You can definitely fit one of them and back squats in your routine.

If you ever plan on doing olympic lifting, front squats with a clean grip will help a lot.

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

they're both good; comes down to personal preference

[LatsMakeTheMan]

I just recently started doing zerchers......they take some getting used to but I like them a lot. I have to use a wider stance when I do them, otherwise my elbows get in the way of my knees at the bottom of the movement.

here's some advice as well....if you have one, use the pad that wraps around the bar when doing zerchers....it makes it much easier on your arms.

[tbomb]

Originally posted by LatsMakeTheMan
I just recently started doing zerchers......they take some getting used to but I like them a lot. I have to use a wider stance when I do them, otherwise my elbows get in the way of my knees at the bottom of the movement.

here's some advice as well....if you have one, use the pad that wraps around the bar when doing zerchers....it makes it much easier on your arms.

i probably wont be doing any significant amount of weight for a while, so ill see how i do without a pad at first.

is forearm position really that important? in every video i watch, the guy always keeps his forearm parallel to the floor, but doesnt the weight feel like it might roll off your arm like that?

luckily today's leg day, and since its nice out, the gym will probably be empty so i wont look like an reject if i screw them up

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

Originally posted by tbomb
i probably wont be doing any significant amount of weight for a while, so ill see how i do without a pad at first.

is forearm position really that important? in every video i watch, the guy always keeps his forearm parallel to the floor, but doesnt the weight feel like it might roll off your arm like that?

luckily today's leg day, and since its nice out, the gym will probably be empty so i wont look like an reject if i screw them up

no; if the weight starts rolling forward you know you're coming down wrong...probably leaning forward and sitting down and forward instead of downa nd back

[tbomb]

Originally posted by hyp3r3xt3nsion
no; if the weight starts rolling forward you know you're coming down wrong...probably leaning forward and sitting down and forward instead of downa nd back

yup

i just got home from the gym. after 3 sets of heavy back squats, i did 3 sets of front squats (no/light weight), and 3 sets of zerchers (no/light weight) just to see how i liked them...

front squats: this isnt the first time i tried these, and theyre still incredibly awkward. i did one set with just the bar, and 2 sets with 50 lbs loaded on the bar and my shoulders were definitely feeling it (where the bar rests on your shoulders.) i kept envisioning that one pic floating around on here of layne front squatting 315 or something, and it just blows my mind - i think that would shear my arms off at the shoulder

zercher squats: this was the first time i tried these. i did 1 set with just the bar, and 2 sets with 50 lbs loaded on there (working on form for a while.) the set with just the bar, i didnt use the pad, and i thought "oh, i wont need a pad at all; this should be no problem", then i put 2 25 lb plates on there, and tried without the pad, and i had to throw the pad on the bar after one rep however, i didnt think the actual movement felt awkward at all, but thats just me - i can see how other people would think its a little weird. though, this doesnt seem like an exercise where i'm gonna be moving the same amount of weight as i do when i do back squats.

final verdict: i'm a BIG BIG fan of zercher squats (with the pad on the bar of course.) as of right now, it will be a staple exercise in my leg routine

ever since i started reading, and then posting on this site a little over a year ago, i dont do ANY of the same leg exercises that i used to, lol.

[deowal]

Zerchers will toast your whole midsection, great for it I think

[BPP]

with time it will come bro

my zercher is higher than my back squat, and i use no pad

^^ words of a strongman

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

Originally posted by bigpoppaproppy
with time it will come bro

my zercher is higher than my back squat, and i use no pad

^^ words of a strongman

bragger

[tbomb]

alright guys, im up to doing a reasonable amount of weight on my zerchers, but my arms are holding me back. my legs could have definitely dealt with more weight, but my arms were having a little bit of trouble. how do you guys deal with this?...suggestions? (btw, i DO use a pad on the bar, and its still tough on my arms. i guess im not used to having that much weight sitting in the "crotch" of my elbow.)

[midian]

Originally posted by hyp3r3xt3nsion
no; if the weight starts rolling forward you know you're coming down wrong...probably leaning forward and sitting down and forward instead of downa nd back

You should lean foward when going down and stand upright when going up.

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s.asp?exid=176

Zerchers = very good core exercise (underestimated) great for lockouts on deadlift too.

Front squats = less of a core exercise imo but good for hammering the quads.

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

Originally posted by midian
You should lean foward when going down and stand upright when going up.

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s.asp?exid=176

Zerchers = very good core exercise (underestimated) great for lockouts on deadlift too.

Front squats = less of a core exercise imo but good for hammering the quads.

true, but i'm talking about excessive; like you know in the gym there's alwyas somebody who, when doing back squatting, back is almost parallel to the ground because of how th eweight is crushing them.

[midian]

Originally posted by hyp3r3xt3nsion
true, but i'm talking about excessive; like you know in the gym there's alwyas somebody who, when doing back squatting, back is almost parallel to the ground because of how th eweight is crushing them.

That might quallify as a goodmorning squat or in case of a zercher a spider squat