Smith Zercher Squat
The Smith Zercher Squat is a compound exercise that targets the lower body and core. You perform this squat with the barbell positioned in the crook of your elbows, allowing for a unique loading pattern.
- Set the Smith machine bar to a comfortable height.
- Position yourself under the bar, resting it in the crook of your elbows.
- Stand up to lift the bar off the supports.
- Lower your body into a squat, keeping your chest up and back straight.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
How to perform the Smith Zercher Squat
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Smith Zercher Squat using your smith machine.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
- Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.
Coaching cues
- Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
- Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
- Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.
Common mistakes
- Using too much weight and losing positional control.
- Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
- Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.
Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.
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