Zercher Deadlift Guide: How To, Benefits, Progression, Muscles Worked, and Variations

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The Zercher deadlift is the Zercher squat’s sibling. These exercises are the namesake of the 1930s strongman Ed Zercher. Although the strongman originally invented the Zercher squat, his lifting techniques have touched the deadlift, and this unconventional exercise has been growing in popularity recently.

The Zercher exercises involve holding the barbell in your elbow crooks. Holding the bar against your torso results in greater upper-body and core engagement. The Zercher variations are advanced exercises that can be painful, especially as you start lifting heavier.

Because of its unique setup, the Zercher deadlift is an excellent exercise for combat sports and strongman athletes, who might find themselves lifting heavy objects (and humans) off the floor in their arms. The Zercher deadlift involves lifting the bar in your elbow crease, which is also how you lift a person off the floor or carry heavy objects in Strongman events like the loading race and shield carry. 

In this article, we cover everything you need to learn about the Zercher deadlift to perform it safely, including its benefits, common mistakes, progression exercises, and alternatives and variations. 

What is a Zercher Deadlift?

The Zercher deadlift is an advanced deadlift variation that will help you build overall muscle mass and strength. However, you need good mobility to perform this exercise correctly and safely. This deadlift variation requires you to hold a barbell in the crooks of your elbows, which results in traps, biceps, and core stimulation besides your quad and glutes engagement.

The Zercher deadlift uses a more extensive range of motion than the conventional deadlift, as you must squat deep to hold the bar in your elbow pits. Holding a barbell in your elbow crease is also known as the Zercher grip. 

Although the Zercher variations look much more appealing than the conventional lifts, they are equally harder — and more painful. You must use the perfect form and a slow and controlled range of motion to limit your risk of injury. 

Since the Zercher deadlift is a complex exercise, we recommend starting with progression exercises (detailed below) until you’ve built enough mobility and muscle memory to carry out the lift safely. 

Muscles Worked During Zercher Deadlift

The Zercher deadlift works the following muscles:

Back

Like all the other deadlift variations, the Zercher deadlift primarily works your back. Since this deadlift variation involves rounding your shoulders and back at the bottom, it results in upper and lower back engagement. 

Legs

Although the conventional deadlift is primarily a hip-hinge movement, the Zercher variation requires a full-depth squat with every rep, resulting in lower-body stimulation. The Zercher deadlift works your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. 

Biceps

Since the Zercher exercises require holding a barbell in your elbow crease, it engages your biceps. You’ll feel greater stimulation in your biceps as you increase the weight on the bar. You must warm up your pythons before performing the Zercher deadlift to reduce your risk of injury. 

Traps

The trapezius muscle is located on your upper back. Bending over and rounding your shoulders to lift the bar off the floor results in trap muscle engagement. You’ll also feel your traps as you pull back your shoulder blades during the concentric part of the movement. 

Core

The Zercher deadlift requires you to maintain an upright torso during the upward motion, which fires up your core and stabilizers. Crunching and extending your midsection at the bottom also results in abdominal recruitment. 

Benefits of Zercher Deadlift

Here are the advantages of adding the Zercher deadlift to your training regimen:

Helps Build Muscle Mass and Strength

The Zercher deadlift is a compound (multi-joint) exercise that works all your major muscle groups. It engages your back, legs, and traps. Furthermore, its versatility makes it suitable for various training regimens, including bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman, CrossFit, and combat sports. 

Whether you want to build muscle mass or strength, the Zercher deadlift can help you achieve your goal. Perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps of the exercise using 60-70% of your Zercher one-rep max (1RM) to induce hypertrophy. On the flip side, do 1-3 sets of 3-5 reps with 80-90% of your 1RM to build strength. [1]

Core Engagement

The Zercher deadlift is an incredibly effective exercise to work your core, even more so than the Zercher squat. Holding a barbell next to your midsection while performing this exercise will help build a strong and shredded abdomen. 

Works Your Lower Back

You must have a developed lower back to achieve the Christmas back look. The Zercher deadlift is one of a few exercises that train your lower back optimally. However, you must ensure you don’t lift too heavy on this exercise, as it can increase your risk of injury. 

Improves Your Conventional Deadlift and Squat

As the Zercher deadlift combines the squat and deadlift, the strength you develop from performing this exercise will carry over to other compound exercises, such as the conventional squat and deadlift. 

How To Do Zercher Deadlift

This is how to perform the incline hex press with the correct form:

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a wider-than-hip-width stance.
2. Your foot placement should be wide enough so that your shoulders can pass between your knees at the bottom of the movement.
3. Place a barbell against your shins. The bar should be over your midfoot.
4. Squat to the floor.
5. Bend forward and hold the bar in the crooks of your elbows. Your elbows should be shoulder-width apart.
6. Your back will be rounded in this position.
7. Lift the bar off the floor by driving through your whole foot.
8. In the first quarter of the movement, focus on rising by extending your knees.
9. As the bar reaches your knee levels, raise your torso by driving your hips forward.
10. Your body, from head to heels, should be in a straight line at the top of the movement.
11. Reverse the order of movement to return the bar to the floor.
12. Repeat for recommended reps.

Zercher Deadlift Tips:

1. There are two acceptable hand placements while performing this exercise. You could keep your lower arms parallel to each other or interlock your fingers for more stability.
2. Wrap a towel or a squat pad around the barbell to keep the bar from digging into your skin. You should always use a wrap if the barbell has sharp knurling.
3. Although your back will round at the bottom of the movement, restoring a natural curvature to your back should be your top priority during the concentric movement.
4. Avoid overextending your back at the top, as it can put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
5. Unlike the conventional deadlift, where most lifters want to bang out as many reps as quickly as possible, you must use a slow and controlled range of motion while doing the Zercher deadlift.
6. Keep your neck neutral throughout the exercise. Looking up during the concentric motion can sprain your neck.
7. Avoid performing the Zercher deadlift if you are a beginner. Use the progression exercises mentioned below to master the movement and lower your risk of injury.

Zercher Deadlift Progression

Use the following progression exercises to warm up to the Zercher deadlift: 

Block Zercher Deadlift

Performing the Zercher deadlift requires a decent amount of upper and lower body mobility. If you can’t achieve the depth needed to pull a bar off the floor in your elbow crease, you should begin practicing this exercise by placing the bar on a plyo box. Use a box that is at least six inches tall. 

Steps:

1. Put an appropriate weight onto a barbell and set it up on elevated platforms, such as plyo boxes or aerobic steps.
2. Stand with a wider-than-hip-width stance.
3. Squat as deep as possible with the bar over your midfoot.
4. Hold the bar in your elbow crease.
5. Stand up by driving through your feet and keeping the bar as close to your body as possible.
6. Drive your hips forward as the bar passes your knees.
7. Reverse the movement to return the bar to the floor.
8. Repeat for recommended reps.

Two-Step Zercher Deadlift

The two-step Zercher deadlift is an excellent option for people who have trouble lifting the bar off the floor using a Zercher grip. This progression exercise involves deadlifting the bar to your quads and then transitioning to a Zercher grip. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a wider-than-hip-width stance and a barbell placed against your shins.
2. Lower toward the floor by bending your knees, pushing your hips back and down, and lowering your torso toward the floor.
3. Grab the bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip.
4. Lift the bar by driving through your whole foot.
5. After you lock out the deadlift at the top, drop into a half squat and rest the bar on the bottom of your upper legs.
6. Once the bar is stable, release your overhand grip and drive your arms between your legs to hold the bar in a Zercher grip.
7. Perform a Zercher squat.
8. Reverse the movement to return the bar to the floor.
9. Repeat for recommended reps.

Common Mistakes While Performing Zercher Deadlift

Avoid these Zercher deadlift errors to make the most of the exercise and lower your risk of injury:

Attempting the Zercher Deadlift With Poor Mobility

The Zercher deadlift involves a wide stance, squatting ass-to-the-grass, bending forward, and holding a barbell in your elbow pits. This deadlift variation demands good lower and upper body mobility. Performing this exercise with poor hip, lower and upper back, legs, and shoulder mobility significantly increases your risk of injury. Hold off performing this exercise until you are comfortable in the bottom position. 

Using a Narrow Stance

Folks that lack lower body mobility find the conventional shoulder-width stance more comfortable than the wider foot position. However, you cannot hold the bar using a shoulder-wide Zercher grip in a hip-width stance. Your upper legs should have enough space between them at the bottom of the movement for your shoulders to pass through. 

Not Using Lifting Accessories 

Using lifting accessories like a weightlifting belt and knee sleeves in this exercise can reduce your risk of injury. Furthermore, you should use a barbell pad or thick elbow sleeves to keep the bar from digging into your skin. You could also wear your knee sleeves around your elbows to soften the bar’s blow. 

Skipping Warming Up

You must invest 5-10 minutes before each workout to warm up, as it can improve your flexibility and mobility and reduce your risk of injury. Your warm-up routine should have a balance of static and dynamic exercises to prepare your body for your training session. 

Going Too Heavy

Many lifters try to lift as heavy on the Zercher deadlift as the conventional deadlift. However, since this deadlift variation involves holding the bar in your elbow pits and uses a more extensive range of motion, it increases your risk of injury. You should ideally lift 20-30% lighter on the Zercher deadlift compared to the standard lift. 

Variations and Alternatives of Zercher Deadlift

Use the following Zercher deadlift variations and alternatives to add variety to your training regimen:

Zercher Romanian Deadlift

This RDL variation is incredibly effective for working your hamstrings and lower back. Since you’ll hold the bar with a Zercher grip, you must use a weight you can handle without overexerting your biceps. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a wider-than-hip-width stance while holding a barbell in your elbow pits.
2. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, slowly push your hips back and lower your torso toward the floor.
3. Your elbows should pass below your knees while moving between your legs.
4. Pause at the bottom and feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.
5. Return to the starting position.
6. Rinse and repeat.

Deadlift

The deadlift is one of the three big lifts, the other two being the squat and bench press. You must master the conventional deadlift before moving on to the Zercher variation.

Steps:

1. Stand tall with a hip-width stance with a barbell resting against your shins.
2. Bend down and grab the bar with an overhand or mixed grip.
3. Lift the bar off the floor while driving through your whole foot.
4. Lock out your knees at the top.
5. Slowly return to the start position.
6. Repeat for recommended reps.

Check out our complete deadlift guide here!

Trap Bar Deadlift

The trap bar deadlift puts less stress on the lumbar spine than barbell deadlifts. Most lifters can lift heavier on the trap bar than the conventional deadlift. 

Steps:

1. Step inside the bar and stand with a shoulder-wide stance.
2. Bend down and grab the bar handles with a neutral (palms facing each other) grip.
3. Brace your core and lift the bar, driving through your feet.
4. Lockout at the top.
5. Return to the starting position.
6. Rinse and repeat.

Check out our complete trap bar deadlift guide here!

Deficit Deadlift

The Zercher deadlift uses a bigger range of motion than the conventional deadlift. However, if you are uncomfortable using a Zercher grip, you can opt for the deficit deadlift, which involves standing on an elevated platform while performing the exercise. 

Steps:

1. Place an elevated platform under a barbell, such as weight plates or gym floor mats.
2. There should be enough space between the bar and the platform for your feet and then a few inches.
3. Stand on the elevated surface with a hip-width stance.
4. Bend down and grab the barbell with a shoulder-wide overhand or mixed grip.
5. While maintaining a neutral spine, lift the bar off the floor by driving through your midfoot.
6. Lock out your knees at the top.
7. Slowly return to the start position.

Check out our complete deficit deadlift guide here!

Jefferson Deadlift

Since we are talking about unconventional exercises in this article, we couldn’t miss the Jefferson deadlift. This exercise helps strengthen your core and grow your legs, and works your body in all three planes of movement — sagittal, frontal, and transverse. 

Steps:

1. Take a shoulder-wide staggered stance with your feet on either side of a barbell. The bar should be under your torso.
2. Turn your rear foot outward so its toes are at a 90-degree angle with the front foot’s toes.
3. Push your hips back and down and lower your torso over the bar.
4. Grab the bar using a mixed grip.
5. Drive through your feet to extend your knees and stand tall, bringing the bar straight up between your legs.
6. Reverse the movement to return the bar to the floor.
7. Repeat for recommended reps.

Check out our complete Jefferson deadlift guide here!

Wrapping Up

The Zercher deadlift is an unorthodox advanced exercise that will help you break through strength and muscle plateaus. You must, however, ensure that you’re performing the exercise with the correct form to lower your risk of injury and get the best bang for your buck. 

Folks that are new to the Zercher deadlift should begin by performing it every alternate week in their back workout. Do 1-5 sets of 5-10 reps with 65-85% of your Zercher deadlift one-rep max. Ensure that you are not prioritizing lifting heavy over following a picture-perfect form. Best of luck!

References

1. Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.