Zombie Squats: Ultimate Workout for Legs and Core Strength

Squats are often called the king of exercises. This is a title they undoubtedly deserve, as few movements have the potential to build muscle, strength, and fitness like squats can. As a young athlete, my coach often told me, “A workout without squats is barely a workout at all,” and that’s a philosophy I agree with.

Now, over 40 years later, and a veteran personal trainer myself, I almost always include squats in my clients’ workouts. That’s because squats are one of the most potent and transformative exercises around.

In fact, squats are such an effective exercise that entire training programs have been written around them, such as the old-school 20-rep squats routine and Smolov squats routine.  

As a former powerlifter, I’ve done more than my share of barbell back squats. However, I also acknowledge that this is not the only way to do squats. There are many other variations that can be just as effective and, in some cases, even better.

In this article, I discuss zombie squats – a unique exercise for building stronger, better-conditioned legs.

Correct Form  

Get more from zombie squats while minimizing your risk of injury by following these step-by-step instructions.

1. Place a barbell in a squat rack so it’s just below shoulder height.
2. Step up close to the bar so it’s touching the front of your neck.
3. Raise your arms forward so they’re parallel, and your shoulders form a shelf for the bar. Brace your core.
4. Unrack the bar and stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart.
5. Keeping your torso upright and your arms raised, squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Descend deeper if your knee health and flexibility allow.
6. Stand back up and repeat.

Muscles Worked

Zombie squats are a compound exercise, meaning they involve multiple muscles and joints working together. In reality, they work virtually every muscle in your lower body and many upper body muscles, too. However, the main muscles trained by zombie squats are:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Gluteus maximus
• Abductors
• Adductors
• Core
• Deltoids

Pro-Trainer Tips

Get more from zombie squats with these tried-and-tested pro-trainer tips.  

• Start light: Zombie squats are a challenging exercise, and it takes plenty of stability and control to keep the bar in the correct position. So, don’t go too heavy too soon, or you may drop the weight. Start with an empty barbell and only add weight when you have mastered the movement.
•  Raise your heels: Lack of ankle mobility can make it hard to keep your torso upright during zombie squats. Weightlifting shoes have raised heel blocks, which can help. Alternatively, rest your heels on weight plates.
• Wear a weightlifting belt: Zombie squats will challenge your core strength. Wearing a weightlifting belt will help you brace even harder so you can handle heavier weights.
• Use a squat rack: The only safe and effective way to do zombie squats is with a power or squat rack. Do not attempt this exercise without one.

Related: No-Squat Leg Workout for Lifters with No Squat Rack

Zombie Squat Mistakes to Avoid

Make zombie squats as safe as possible by avoiding these common mistakes.

• Incorrect bar position: While you probably won’t find it comfortable, the bar must sit at the top of your arms and close to your neck. Resting the bar lower down your arms means the weight will be further away from you and much harder to control.
• Letting your arms drop: Lowering your arms means the bar will roll forward, and you’ll probably drop the weight. Keep your arms level with the floor or, better still, raise them slightly above parallel.
• Leaning forward: Leading on from the point above, you’ll find it much easier to keep your arms up with your torso upright. Leaning forward will inevitably result in the bar rolling down your arms.
• Letting your knees cave in or fall out: Make sure your knees track over your toes and do not fall out or in. Any such deviations increase the stress on your joints and could result in injuries.
• Rounding your lower back: A rounded lower back puts unwanted stress on your intervertebral lumbar ligaments and disks. Squat as deeply as you can, but avoid the posterior tilt that indicates you’ve lost your lumbar arch.

Related: The 6 Most Common Squat Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Zombie Squat Benefits

Not sure if zombie squats deserve a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide.

Fix Your Front Squat

Conventional front squats are a popular leg exercise. They increase quadriceps engagement, and the upright torso position means less strain on your lower back (1). Zombie squats are an excellent assistance exercise that will help you fix your front squat form.

Increased core strength

Zombie squats require and develop tremendous core strength. You’ll need to brace your core throughout each rep to keep your torso upright. A strong core is critical for stabilizing your spine, helping to reduce the risk of lower back pain and injuries (2). Core strength also plays a vital role in sports and everyday activities.

A More Effective Workout with Less Weight

“Go heavy or go home” is a popular gym meme, but there is more to a good workout than huge weights. Zombie squats are hard even when you use lighter loads, making them ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to crush their spines at the gym.  

Related: Myth or Fact: Do Squats Make You Shorter?

Variety

While squats are one of the most productive exercises you can do, it’s a mistake to use the same variation all the time. Getting stuck in an exercise rut can make your workouts less enjoyable and hurt your progress. Adding zombie squats to your exercise rotation will help keep your workouts fresh, interesting, and productive.

Zombie Squat Alternatives  

Zombie squats are an excellent exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. Here are three exercises that work the same muscles in slightly different ways.

1. Front Squat with Arms Crossed

The hardest part of zombie squats is keeping your arms up. This front squat variation lets you bend your elbows and grip the bar. This is more comfortable than raising your arms to parallel, and makes it a little easier to stabilize the weight.

Steps:

1. Place a barbell in a squat rack so it’s just below shoulder height.
2. Step up close to the bar so it’s touching the front of your neck.
3. Cross your arms and grip the bar close to your shoulders.
4. Unrack the bar and stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart.
5. Keeping your torso upright, bend your knees and squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
6. Stand back up and repeat.

2. Zercher Squats  

Zercher squats share many benefits with zombie squats but are easier to learn. This is an excellent exercise for anyone who finds zombie or front squats difficult but still wants to do an anteriorly loaded squat variation.

Steps:

1. Hold a barbell in the crooks of your elbows. Bend your arms and clasp your hands in front of your chest.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, core braced, and shoulders down and back.
3. Bend your knees and squat down to parallel while keeping your torso fairly upright.
4. Stand back up and repeat.

3. Overhead Squats

Like zombie squats, overhead squats are a challenging exercise that will elevate your squatting game. They require and develop excellent upper and lower body mobility and stability. If you’ve mastered zombie squats, overhead squats should be next on your list of progressions.

Steps:

1. Hold a barbell overhead using a slightly wider-than-shoulder-width grip.
2. Brace your core and actively engage your shoulders and upper back.
3. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly outward.
4. Bend your legs and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Make sure you keep the weight over your feet.
6. Stand back up and repeat.

Closing Thoughts

You won’t see many people doing zombie squats, and that’s a shame. This demanding exercise will fix your front squat form and deliver a great workout even with lighter loads. It’s also an effective way to develop upper and lower body mobility and core strength.

On the downside, zombie squats are pretty challenging, and it’ll probably take some time to master them. However, your efforts will be rewarded.

So, give zombie squats a try – I think you’ll like them!

References:

1. Coratella G, Tornatore G, Caccavale F, Longo S, Esposito F, Cè E. The Activation of Gluteal, Thigh, and Lower Back Muscles in Different Squat Variations Performed by Competitive Bodybuilders: Implications for Resistance Training. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 18;18(2):772. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020772. PMID: 33477561; PMCID: PMC7831128.
2. Smrcina Z, Woelfel S, Burcal C. A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Core Stability Exercises in Patients with Non-specific Low Back Pain. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022 Aug 1;17(5):766-774. doi: 10.26603/001c.37251. PMID: 35949382; PMlD: PMC9340836.

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