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Plate Pinch being performed with proper form
Plate Pinch demonstration video — proper form for the full movement.

How to do a Plate Pinch

Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

About this exercise

Sets Logged
69,001
Popularity Rank
635th
Difficulty
Intermediate
Forearms Strength
60 mSCORE 8th
Equipment Required
  • Photo of Plates
    Plates

Workouts with Plate Pinch

    Target muscles worked

    Primary Muscles
    Forearms
    Secondary Muscles
    Trapezius, Shoulders

    Instructions for Proper Form

    A grip strength exercise involving holding weight plates between the fingers and thumb. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength.

    1. Grasp the edge of a plate in a single hand between your thumb and fingers.
    2. Engage your shoulder to raise your arm out to the side.
    3. Squeeze the plate to prevent it from falling.
    4. Maintain this grasp for the duration of the exercise.
    5. Slowly place the weight on the floor by descending into a squat position as you finish the exercise.
    6. You should feel this exercise primarily in your forearms and shoulders.

    Alternatives & Variations to Plate Pinch

    Filter By

    1. 1. Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl

      Photo of Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl being performed
      87.6 mSCORESWAPPED 637 TIMES

      An isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.

    2. 2. Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl

      Photo of Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl being performed
      87.4 mSCORESWAPPED 608 TIMES

      Palms Down Dumbbell Wrist Curls is an isolation exercise that hits your forearms. By securing your forearm against the pad, you ensure that only your wrist is able to perform the movement. Using a dumbbell allows you to target each side independently, as well as adding a bit more instability to the exercise.

    3. 3. Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl

      Photo of Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl being performed
      69.9 mSCORESWAPPED 405 TIMES

      Palms Down Barbell Wrist Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the forearm. By positioning your forearm against a bench or other flat surface, you restrict any motion to your wrist. The use of a barbell helps to add some stability to the movement, as well as allowing you to perform the exercise with both sides moving a single weight.

    4. 4. Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl

      Photo of Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl being performed
      68.4 mSCORESWAPPED 397 TIMES

      An isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.

    5. 5. Cable Wrist Curl

      Photo of Cable Wrist Curl being performed
      53 mSCORESWAPPED 313 TIMES

      Targets the forearm flexors, improving grip strength and forearm muscle development. Using a cable machine adds a consistent resistance throughout the movement, providing a more effective workout than free weights.

    6. 6. Plate Flips

      Photo of Plate Flips being performed
      66.9 mSCORESWAPPED 257 TIMES

      Plate Flip is an explosive exercise that forces you to toss a relatively light plate into the air, and then catch the opposite side of the lip in the same hand. By tossing the plate into the air, this becomes a more explosive exercise than simply moving the weight up and down. In addition, the catch helps you improve coordination, as well as stability and control as you have to slow the plate down in order to actually catch it.

    7. 7. Farmer's Walk

      Photo of Farmer's Walk being performed
      86.8 mSCORESWAPPED 153 TIMES

      Farmer's Walk is a compound exercise that primarily targets your forearms, shoulders, and core. By holding heavy weights in each hand and walking a set distance, you can develop strong grip strength, functional stability, and overall body conditioning. This exercise mimics real-world activities, making it highly effective for improving functional strength and endurance.

      • Intermediate
      • Forearms
      • Farmer's Walk Handles

    8. 8. Handle Band Reverse Curl

      Photo of Handle Band Reverse Curl being performed
      28.9 mSCORESWAPPED 133 TIMES

      This exercise is a variation on the standard curl. Like the standard curl, this exercise primarily targets your biceps, however there is a much greater need to recruit your forearms due to the reverse grip. The use of a handle band increases the resistance as you progress through the movement.

    9. 9. Single Arm Farmer Walk

      Photo of Single Arm Farmer Walk being performed
      36 mSCORESWAPPED 122 TIMES

      This exercise is a unilateral variation of the Farmer’s Walk. Like the standard Farmer’s Walk this exercise focuses on grip strength, core stability, and overall strength endurance. In addition, by holding the weight in a single hand, you drastically increase the demand for recruiting your core for stability.

    10. 10. Single Arm Bottoms-up Kettlebell Clean

      Photo of Single Arm Bottoms-up Kettlebell Clean being performed
      80.6 mSCORESWAPPED 112 TIMES

      This exercise is a variation on the Clean. Similar to the Clean, this compound explosive movement targets a wide range of muscle groups. By loading the weight on a single side, there is added instability to the movement. Additionally positioning the kettlebell with the bottom up forces you to keep the weight inline with your forearms.