This is another article from Jim Smith of Combat Core – The Benefits of Zercher Lifts
You would be hard pressed to find a strength professional that wouldn’t back up the benefits of zercher style lifts. They are irrefutably some of the toughest means of core training that should be part of any serious strength program.
A zercher lift involves the weight, typically a bar, being held in front of the body in the bend of your arms. When the weight is in place you perform a basic movement, instantly turning the exercise from basic to a “big money” movement; getting more bang for your buck so to speak. Try for yourself and experiment with one of the following combinations and see if you can find a muscle group that you weren’t aggressively engaging.
Zercher lifts can be performed with:
* Sandbags
* Barbells
* Axles
* EZ Curl Bar
* Rocks
* Logs
* Partner’s Bodyweight
Zercher movements include:
* Lunges
* Step-ups
* Squats
* Deadlifts (sometimes called Prisoner Squats)
* Walks
* Torso Rotations
Zercher lifts require the athlete to aggressively brace and maintain a static upright torso position while the rest of the body executes some type of movement. This immediately teaches the athlete how to transfer force and breath while under great tension.
This is the most basic requirement of creating great power.
About the Author
Jim Smith is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist who writes for Men’s Fitness and the Elite Q/A Staff. Jim has been involved in strength training as a performance enhancement specialist for over 8 years and has worked with athletes from various sports who compete at various levels. He has published articles about his unique training style and innovative methods for many prominent strength and fitness related sites. He is also the authored of three renowned strength manuals.
To read my interview with Jim go here ===> Jim Smith Interview
For more innovative training solutions, visit www.CombatCoreStrength.com
