Muscles worked
The plate front raise trains your front delts, with your upper chest and serratus anterior lending a hand. Unlike the dumbbell version, both hands hold the same object. Your arms work together, so a stronger side can take more of the load without you noticing. Gripping the plate by its edges also works your hands and forearms. The less your elbows bend, the longer the lever and the heavier the same plate feels.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a plate that is too heavy. The steps between standard plates are large, and going from 5 to 10 kg doubles the weight. Start light and add reps rather than switching too soon.
- Bending your elbows more and more. The lift becomes half curl, half front raise, and your shoulders get less to do. Set the bend in your elbows at the start and keep it for the whole set.
- Tilting the plate to one side. That shows one arm is lifting more than the other. Keep the plate level, like a steering wheel you are not turning, all the way up and down.
Variations and alternatives
- The dumbbell front raise offers smaller weight steps and lets each arm work on its own, so differences between sides show.
- The cable front raise is done one arm at a time with a weight you can adjust in smaller steps than plates.
- The standing shoulder press trains the front of your shoulders with heavier weights, using a press instead of a raise.
Sets and reps
Most people do well with two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps. Control does the work, so reps that fly up do not count. Do the exercise late in your session, or at home when a plate is all you have. You will find more advice in the guide to sets and reps.
With such large steps between plates, progressive overload needs other tools than a heavier plate: more reps or a longer pause at the top. A little less bend in your elbows also makes the same plate harder. Once you manage 15 controlled reps on every set, move to the next plate and expect your reps to drop sharply.