How to do a Plate Pinch
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Plate Pinch
Workouts with Plate Pinch
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.
- Grasp the edge of a plate in a single hand between your thumb and fingers.
- Engage your shoulder to raise your arm out to the side.
- Squeeze the plate to prevent it from falling.
- Maintain this grasp for the duration of the exercise.
- Slowly place the weight on the floor by descending into a squat position as you finish the exercise.
- You should feel this exercise primarily in your forearms and shoulders.
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Generate My PlanAlternative Exercises to Plate Pinch
1. Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl
87.6 mSCORESWAPPED 657 TIMESAn isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.
2. Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl
87.4 mSCORESWAPPED 594 TIMESPalms 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. Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl
68.4 mSCORESWAPPED 388 TIMESAn isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.
4. Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl
69.9 mSCORESWAPPED 387 TIMESPalms 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.
5. Cable Wrist Curl
53 mSCORESWAPPED 316 TIMESTargets 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.
- Beginner
- Forearms
- Rope Cable
- Flat Bench
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
6. Plate Flips
66.9 mSCORESWAPPED 220 TIMESPlate 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. Farmer's Walk
86.8 mSCORESWAPPED 145 TIMESFarmer'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. Handle Band Reverse Curl
28.9 mSCORESWAPPED 122 TIMESThis 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.
- Beginner
- Forearms
- Handle Bands
9. Single Arm Farmer Walk
36 mSCORESWAPPED 121 TIMESThis 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. Kettlebell Single Arm Farmer Walk
40.3 mSCORESWAPPED 99 TIMESA functional exercise focusing on grip strength, core stability, and unilateral strength. This exercise engages the entire body, particularly the core and forearm muscles. Unlike the standard variation, by holding the weight in one hand, you drastically increase the need to recruit your core for stability.
- Beginner
- Forearms
- Kettlebells