Kettlebell Squats/ Zercher Squat

There are an amazing number of ways to perform the same exercise. One of those exercises is the squat.

The squat is a whole body exercise in which the athlete must keep proper form to reduce shear forces and undue weight load on the lower back. During the maneuver the athlete places weight back on the heels, bending the knees and hips while keeping the back straight from head to hip. The knees should stay inside the feet and behind the toes while the athlete lowers himself as far as is comfortable. Keep the abs tight and engage the glutes and quads to stabilize the body.

You can lower your hips as low as you can while holding perfect form and hold it there for a count of 10 or longer. As your muscles fatigue you can raise your body slightly to engage other parts of the quads and glutes.

The kettlebell squat can be done with either one kettlebell or two depending upon the weight you are using. This exercise is a good comparison to the front squat done with a traditional bar. The front squat will allow the athlete to fully extend the hips and will be harder to ‘cheat’ at than the back squat. But the kettlebell squat has an even better advantage.

With the kettlebell squat the weight is a bit more awkward and will increase the challenge to your abs and core to stabilize your body during the squat. You may not notice the activation of your core during the squat with the kettlebell, but you will over time notice the improvement in your abdominal muscle development.

On the other hand, the Zercher Squat is done with a traditional weighted bar, but held in a different position. The exercise was named after Ed Zercher who was a strongman from the 1930s.

The major benefit to the Zercher squat is the reduced compression force on the spine because of the position of the bar, and the athlete is able to get a deeper squat and better develop the posterior chain.

The Zercher squat should be done in a squat cage or near a power rack for safety. The athlete takes the proper standing position. The bar is positioned in the crook of the arm with elbows shoulder width apart, bent, hands together and knuckles facing the ceiling. The bar is held close to the body as the athlete does a squat, knees behind the toes and inside the feet, head facing forward, back straight and glutes engaged.

Resources:

TNation: Goblet Squats 101

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/goblet_squats_101&cr=

KettleBellsWorkouts: Teaching Points for the Kettlebell Squat

http://kettlebellsworkouts.com/teaching-points-for-the-kettlebell-squat/

iPsort Fitness: how to do Kettlebell Front Squats

http://fitness.isport.com/fitness-guides/how-to-do-kettlebell-front-squats

Muscle and Fitness: Squat, Swing, Carry for Lean Muscle

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/squat-swing-carry-lean-muscle

BodyBuilding: Zercher Squats

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/zercher-squats

TNation: Two Kinds of Squats You’re not doing