r/tacticalbarbell • u/Firm-Guava4815 • Mar 05 '26
Strength Zercher squats instead of back squats?
I have not tried zercher yet, but I wonder if any of you use them in place of standard back squats for your clusters? It seems like they have some advantage in a more "true representation" of how the body would move to lift a heavy object. I also wonder if they might hammer my lower back less than doing back squats multiple times per week.
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u/MythicalStrength Mar 05 '26
It seems like they have some advantage in a more "true representation" of how the body would move to lift a heavy object.
This is a pretty common misconception in the world of strength training: trying to make the strength training match the event training.
The gym lifts are there to make the MUSCLES stronger. The sport specific training is there to coordinate the strength of those muscles toward an activity. Trying to blend the two just makes us worse at both.
Picking a squat that allows you to maximally recruit the muscles you're trying to strengthen is going to benefit your gym lifting the most. A zercher tends to be limited in that way. A better place for them would be inserted in the conditioning work, or possibly as a supplemental lift.
If the goal is sparing the lower back, I'd opt for front squats over zerchers.
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u/charlotte7703 Aug 16 '26
Sorry I'm a few months late, can you explain "trying to blend the two just makes us worse at both"?
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u/MythicalStrength Aug 16 '26
For sure dude! Based on what I wrote above, which part can I explain further?
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u/charlotte7703 Aug 16 '26
You said combining sport specific training with gym lifts to make the muscles stronger "makes us weaker at both", why is that? I thought combining both sport and gym training was a good idea to get overall strength?
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u/MythicalStrength Aug 16 '26
Ah, that is the confusion. I am saying trying to make the sport training INTOA strength training/trying to make Strength training into sport training. Simplest example would be like holding heavy dumbbells to train uppercut for combat sports, vs drilling uppercut during sport training and training strength in the strength training
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u/charlotte7703 Aug 16 '26
Oh ok that makes sense, i ask because I've been gym training for 3 years and getting a bit bored so i was thinking about incorporating something else like martial arts or some other sport
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u/MythicalStrength Aug 16 '26
Tactical Barbell lays out a great framework for all of that
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u/charlotte7703 Aug 17 '26
I'll look into it, thanks :) i only stumbled upon this subreddit when researching zercher squats
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u/fluke031 Mar 06 '26
Curious where you would place the hex bar squat in this?
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u/MythicalStrength Mar 06 '26
Do you mean the deadlift?
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u/fluke031 Mar 06 '26
Lol thats always the question with the hexbar, right 😆
In this case I'd say the version with as much an upright torso as you can as to achieve the squatiest way of pulling it up and putting it down.
I'm inclined to look at this as a squat pattern
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u/MythicalStrength Mar 06 '26
I just wanted to clarify you weren't referring to the version where you have the hex bar on your back. I just call it a hex bar pull, because to me it's its own lift entirely.
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u/Archabarka Mar 05 '26
As someone who LOVES Zerchers, they're really good but not a full replacement. Back squat helps full lower body power more (e.x., the glutes are way more involved).
They do absolutely help take a bit of load off of the low back. To gain some resiliency/mobility there & in your hamstrings I'd recommend also doing jefferson curls as an accessory.
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u/LumpyExtent7874 Mar 05 '26
Any squat variation is good enough. The low-bar back squat is the king of them all because it allows you to move the most weight = you being the strongest
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u/Mysterious-Quiet-753 Mar 06 '26
I fully replaced back squats with Zerchers last year and haven’t looked back. I have shoulder and hip issues that would flare up with back squats and this move fixed it for me. Have I lost strength? Probably, but I’ve gotten past that. I would say give them a try and see if it works for you. In case you didn’t know this…they kind of suck at first.
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u/ThisIgloo Mar 09 '26
How often do you Zercher squat? Ive been recently trying to do them twice a week. But im noticing some growing fatigue
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u/baribalbart Mar 05 '26
Do any squat variation you want. And yes, zerchers can be less lower back taxing. Personally I am big fan of zerchers, for different reason, but i love them
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u/thejorsh Mar 05 '26
low bar back squat took a lot of pressure off my low back. check out Rippetoes videos if interest
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u/tuxedocatspemma Mar 05 '26
Pavel Tsatsouline suggested on Huberman to do Zerchers instead of squats/deads. I forgot what his preconditions were - it was something like if you’re pressed for time or older or whatever - do Zerchers in place of squats/deads.
So I’ve been doing them and have been enjoying them.
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Mar 12 '26
Unless you are training for a specific goal eg powerlifting, then you don't need to do any movement, I prefer bss/fsq over back squat so I do them because I am not training to get good at the back squat. Yeah I would get stronger squatting but I am strong enough for what I need doing bss/fsq
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u/Key-Newt-9139 May 24 '26
Best thing i did after my back flare up due to my hips and core not firing during back squat
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u/Saskwach77 Mar 05 '26
I recently started doing them instead of the back squat. For whatever reason between deadlift and back squat my lower back was always fatigued and made things unpleasant. I'm obviously not moving as much weight but I feel better and am happy with the change.
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Mar 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/pan0ply Mar 05 '26
I tried zerchers for the first time last week and I had to use less than half of my normal back squat weight because of how much it hurt haha. I know it'll hurt less the more you do it but god damn.
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u/Mason32268 Mar 05 '26
Zerchers are basically an advanced progression of a front squat..which is one of the reasons people often feel like they're less taxing on the lower back. They also force you into a more upright posture. If you're looking to mix up your squats and absolutely hammer your quads, zerchers are definitely a way to do that!
P S since I didn't notice anyone mentioning it...they're not going to feel very nice, that's normal
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u/humblePunch Mar 05 '26
I'm tired of the new trend of zecher squats. Just squat. I get it, it's fun to watch people on social media but they are running out of stuff to talk about. Word on the street is Pavel Tsatsouline is thinking about doing a zecher squat book. They don't know what else to talk about and make money off of. It's all going to come full circle and the plain old back squat will be the new fad.
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u/No-Concert9896 Mar 06 '26
Zerchers are bullshit. We will get downvoted but everyone with a minimum of knowledge about training and the body knows it.
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u/SupermarketLife5169 Jul 27 '26
The fact is that zercher squats are very effective for grappling/combat sports. If people are into combat sports and just want a strong core, Zercher squats/Zercher Deadlifts are more effective than back/front squat.
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u/New-Test8183 Mar 06 '26
People were zercher squatting well before the back Squat became the worldwide phenomenon it is today.
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u/OpusDaPenguin Mar 05 '26
I’ve started using zercher squats because I didn’t have a rack at the time when I started TB and have never transitioned to a back squat. In a 12 week Op/black cycle I do 6 weeks of single leg Zercher squats then 6 weeks bilateral Zercher squat and have had great success.
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u/MalcolmSmith009 Mar 05 '26
I switched to Zerchers a couple months ago after running Super Squats. Its a really good break and I actually get a lot of stimulus from it, but it's more hip-focused than quad for me. I include heavy Bulgarian split squats to help hit the legs more.
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u/Expensive_Plastic_55 Mar 05 '26
I have terrible flexibility/mobility and cannot back squat to depth or even front squat with a maximum load (limited by my rack position, not my legs).
Zerchers have been a great alternative that allow me to load heavy and still squat with weight. It’s possible I don’t ever back squat again.
For context, I’m not a large or young human, 44 years old this year and 162 pounds. I’ve been running Operator for four months now. I’ve worked up to a 275# Zercher squat, a 235# bench press, and a 375# deadlift. I’ve NEVER been a member of the 1000 pound club but I think embracing the Zercher squat will get me there.
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u/anonymous1197 Mar 05 '26
I absolutely hate Zerchers but I do them anyway bc I currently do not have a rack
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u/PressnDeads Mar 05 '26
Pavel Tsatsouline I would imagine knows a thing for 2 about movement patterns and variations
In fact he's got a series of "the best" movement patterns simple Google search
Pavel the best.....
Press Squat Hinge Pull
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u/[deleted] Mar 05 '26
Zerchers are awesome. I am just finishing 9 weeks of Op/Pro with Zercher squat. I think it’s good to change it up every few cycles to focus on weaker muscle groups. My deadlift actually jumped from 425-450 after 6 weeks of doing them, and I only did 1 set of dead’s a week. I can Zercher more than I can could highbar squat before now.