Strength
Zercher or crossed arm Front squat
8-8-8
Workout
12 Min AMRAP
10 Box Jumps (24/20)
10 Dips
10 D-Ball to shoulder (100/60)
**One thing I want to correct from the video is “Zercher” does not have to do with where you hold the barbell (crooks of your arms), but instead is the last name of the creator of this type of hold – Ed Zercher – who was a ‘bare bones’ lifter without a squat rack, so this is how he held the barbell to squat. And that’s how you got the Zercher Squat.
The dude in the video gets pretty hyped up about the movement, spending a lot of time shouting out the parts of the body the movement works. Everything. Zercher squats work everything. But since you’re holding the bar in the crooks of your elbows, of course your abs and upper back will be working more to stabilize and support the weight. Notice the placement of his hands and elbows as well as the position of his upper back at the bottom of the squat. These aren’t “Zercher good mornings” so we’re not bowing forwards; we’re squatting, so sit your butt down. Working sets of 8 reps will be challenging, but a good challenge.
The workout will challenge your quads, calves, hip extenders, tricep extenders, core flexors, biceps femoris, and sarcasm intermedius.