Zercher Squat

Muscles worked by the Zercher Squat

Primary

GlutesGluteus MaximusQuadsQuadriceps Femoris

Secondary

BicepsBiceps BrachiiLower BackErector SpinaeHamstringsHamstring Muscles

Also called: glute, glutes, gluteus maximus, buttocks, butt, quad.

Equipment

Barbell

Also called: bar, olympic barbell, straight bar, olympic bar, power bar.

How to do the Zercher Squat

1. Set a barbell in a rack at about waist height, step in and hook it into the crooks of the elbows, with the forearms crossed or the hands clasped in front of the chest.
2. Lift the bar out of the rack, step back and stand with the feet about shoulder-width apart.
3. Brace the core and keep the chest up and the elbows pressed together.
4. Squat down by bending the hips and knees until the thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
5. Drive through the middle of the feet to stand back up.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then re-rack the bar.

Form tips

• Wrap the bar in a pad or towel; the elbow crease is sensitive and can bruise.
• Keep the elbows high and together so the bar does not roll toward the hands.
• Keep the torso upright; if the chest drops, lower the load.

At a glance

Zercher Squat in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Banded Squat
• Barbell Back Squat
• Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
• Bodyweight Squat
• Box Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Deep Squat Hold
• Dumbbell Front Squat

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "zercher-squat",
  "name_en": "Zercher Squat",
  "name_de": "Zercher Kniebeuge",
  "name_es": "Sentadilla Zercher",
  "description_en": "A squat in which the barbell is held in the crooks of the elbows at the front of the body. The front-loaded bar keeps the torso upright and works the quadriceps, glutes, upper back and core.",
  "description_de": "Eine Kniebeuge, bei der die Langhantel in den Ellbogenbeugen vor dem Körper gehalten wird. Die vorn getragene Stange hält den Oberkörper aufrecht und trainiert Quadrizeps, Gesäß, oberen Rücken und Rumpf.",
  "description_es": "Una sentadilla en la que la barra se sostiene en el pliegue de los codos, delante del cuerpo. La barra cargada al frente mantiene el torso erguido y trabaja los cuádriceps, los glúteos, la parte alta de la espalda y el core.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "push",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "advanced",
  "equipment": "barbell",
  "body_part": "upper_legs",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "gluteus_maximus",
    "quadriceps"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "biceps_brachii",
    "erector_spinae",
    "hamstrings"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "hypertrophy",
    "strength"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "leg_day"
  ],
  "variation_group": "squat",
  "is_unilateral": false,
  "is_bodyweight": false,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Set a barbell in a rack at about waist height, step in and hook it into the crooks of the elbows, with the forearms crossed or the hands clasped in front of the chest.",
    "Lift the bar out of the rack, step back and stand with the feet about shoulder-width apart.",
    "Brace the core and keep the chest up and the elbows pressed together.",
    "Squat down by bending the hips and knees until the thighs are at least parallel to the floor.",
    "Drive through the middle of the feet to stand back up.",
    "Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then re-rack the bar."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Leg eine Langhantel in einem Rack auf etwa Taillenhöhe, tritt heran und hake sie in die Ellbogenbeugen ein, die Unterarme gekreuzt oder die Hände vor der Brust verschränkt.",
    "Heb die Stange aus dem Rack, tritt zurück und stell dich etwa schulterbreit hin.",
    "Spann den Rumpf an, halte die Brust oben und die Ellbogen zusammengedrückt.",
    "Geh in die Kniebeuge, indem du Hüfte und Knie beugst, bis die Oberschenkel mindestens parallel zum Boden sind.",
    "Drück dich durch die Mitte der Füße wieder nach oben.",
    "Wiederhole für die gewünschte Anzahl an Wiederholungen und leg die Stange dann wieder ins Rack."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Coloca una barra en un rack aproximadamente a la altura de la cintura, acércate y engánchala en el pliegue de los codos, con los antebrazos cruzados o las manos entrelazadas delante del pecho.",
    "Saca la barra del rack, da un paso atrás y colócate con los pies a la anchura de los hombros aproximadamente.",
    "Contrae el core y mantén el pecho erguido y los codos juntos.",
    "Baja en sentadilla flexionando caderas y rodillas hasta que los muslos queden al menos paralelos al suelo.",
    "Empuja con el centro de los pies para volver a ponerte de pie.",
    "Repite el número de repeticiones deseado y luego vuelve a dejar la barra en el rack."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Wrap the bar in a pad or towel; the elbow crease is sensitive and can bruise.",
    "Keep the elbows high and together so the bar does not roll toward the hands.",
    "Keep the torso upright; if the chest drops, lower the load."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Polstere die Stange mit einem Pad oder Handtuch; die Ellbogenbeuge ist empfindlich und kann Blutergüsse bekommen.",
    "Halte die Ellbogen hoch und zusammen, damit die Stange nicht Richtung Hände rollt.",
    "Halte den Oberkörper aufrecht; sinkt die Brust ab, reduziere das Gewicht."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Envuelve la barra con una almohadilla o una toalla; el pliegue del codo es sensible y puede amoratarse.",
    "Mantén los codos altos y juntos para que la barra no ruede hacia las manos.",
    "Mantén el torso erguido; si el pecho se cae, reduce la carga."
  ],
  "met": 6.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/zercher-squat-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/zercher-squat-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "zercher-squat");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.