Zercher Squats, although not commonly used, have various benefits going for it. It’s an anteriorly loaded squat exercise, similar to the front squat which particularly benefits contact sport athletes who engage in plenty of anterior loading when colliding with the opposition. Contrary to popular belief, it can be loaded quite heavy with many athletes being able to load it more than their front squat due to the lower mobility demand and stable positioning.

This can be quite beneficial for new athletes or those with shoulder injuries who lack the mobility for a front squat but want to chase anterior squat loading. You can also manipulate how much counterbalance you experience by just moving your arms further forward. For taller lifters or lifters with limited ankle ROM, this is fantastic for chasing depth. On top of this, you can also perform other variations of a zercher position such as split stance, lateral and hinge patterns.

The one drawback to a zercher squat, is that it tends to bloody hurt the first time you do it. But just like wearing a watch for the first time, the more you wear it, the less you notice it. By the time you have done your 3rd or 4th bout of a zercher position you will have noticed a dramatic difference in sensitivity.