WWE’s Ilja Dragunov is a wrestler who harkens back to an era of strong-style technical wrestling, ensuring that every move performed in the ring has a purpose. And as his sweat-filled gym sessions show, this Moscow-born mat star is just as aggressive with his workouts. Dragunov is a detail man when it comes to his training and is a proponent of Zecher movements. This is why they are so effective.
What are Zercher exercises?
In the 1930s and 1940s, a St. Louis strongman and weightlifter named Ed Zercher was looking for ways to train his lower body without the use of a squat rack. To this end, he would lift the bar to his core and squat from there. Nowadays, people often start movements like the Zercher squat from a painful position, but no matter which type of Zercher lift you perform, the telltale sign is the fact that the bar must be gripped in the crook of the elbows. Zercher lifts can be performed in a variety of ways, including squats and deadlifts, but they don’t just train the lower body. The range of motion and strength required to keep the bar stable make it a full-body workout that is not for the faint of heart.
Why does Ilja Dragunov train at Zerchers?
After tearing his ACL in a live event in 2024, Dragunov was forced to rebuild before returning to action on October 17, 2025. The past year has seen the ripped Russian make progress, with Zerchers one of his key moves. But why? Pro wrestlers often struggle to recreate the physicality of the wrestling ring in the gym, but Zercher moves are a great fit. As a functional exercise, Zercher hits multiple joints and muscle groups, and there is more emphasis on the arms than a traditional squat with a barbell across the back.
Zerchers can feel unorthodox, as can dealing with tough opponents who make unexpected moves. So the improved stabilization that comes from controlling the movements will pay off in the squared circle.
Zercher squats
The Zercher squat generates tension throughout the body. While traditional Zercher movements are stretchless, using a squat station or barbell rack to get into position is definitely a good idea for beginners. Once you have the bar between your inner elbows, squat down until your outer elbows touch your thighs, then stand and lift the bar back up for a full rep. Many people find the Zercher position somewhat uncomfortable, and those who subscribe to the “No Pain, No Gain” mentality feel that it is part of the gritty process of growing muscles. Others may opt for an elbow cover. It’s an individual preference.
Zercher Deadlifts
Dragunov starts his deadlift with the bar on the ground, but this is an extremely advanced move. If you want to try this out for yourself, make sure you go light and work on the shape first. You can also start with the bar in the crook of your elbow while you are in a squatting position, to put less strain on your back.
Zercher deadlifts train the upper back, quads, glutes and core, but also improve arm and grip strength.
Zercher pistol squats
In an incredible feat of strength and functionality that screams, “Don’t mess with Dragunov,” the WWE Superstar has also shared his mission with the Zercher pistol squat. The move is “A romance of self-destruction,” according to the man himself, and requires some serious heart to work through the burn, as this one-legged pistol exercise hammers the quads and glutes, while the Zercher modification again works the arms and core.
With an epic work ethic like Dragunov’s, it’s easy to see why he quickly won the United States Championship. The WWE Superstar is currently signed to the SmackDown brand and airs live every Friday on both the USA Network in the United States and on Netflix internationally, where you can watch him dominate the world of professional wrestling just as he rules the weight room.
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