18 Trainer-Approved Weight Plate Exercises That Belong In Your Fitness Routine

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, deltoids, core

Benefits: You can never go wrong with penciling a dynamic squat variation into your strength training program. The squat reach not only targets your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves, but also your shoulders, triceps, and upper-back muscles, as you have to press the weight plate forward at the bottom of the movement. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a weight plate against your chest. 
2. Descend into a squat position by driving your weight through your heels. 
3. Thrust the weight plate forward, keeping your arms extended and parallel to the ground. 
4. Push through your heels to rise back to the starting position, pulling the weight plate back to your chest. 
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. 

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, deltoids, trapezius, core

Benefits: The lunge is a fundamental movement pattern that can enhance your lower-body strength and stability. The overhead lunge takes things a step further by getting your core and upper body involved. This variation tests your balance and coordination while also allowing you to address any muscular imbalances by working each leg independently. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a weight plate overhead with both hands so your arms are fully extended. 
3. Step forward with your right leg and lower your body by bending both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the ground. 
4. Keep your core engaged and arms extended, then push through your right heel to return to the starting position. 
5. Repeat on the other side, alternating legs for the desired number of reps. 

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius, obliques, abdominals, erector spinae

Benefits: The reverse lunge and twist helps develop balance, flexibility, and strength by using a weight plate to develop rotational strength. Just don’t be surprised if this unilateral exercise exposes some imbalances or weaknesses. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Hold a weight plate with both hands in front of you with your arms fully extended. 
3. Take a step back with your right leg and rotate your torso to the left. 
4. Lower yourself until your right knee is just above the floor and your left thigh is parallel to the floor. 
5. Push off your right foot, rotate your torso back to center, and return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat on the other side, alternating legs for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, deltoids, triceps, pectorals, latissimus dorsi, core

Benefits: Talk about a full-body exercise that’ll get your blood pumping and muscle fibers firing. Thrusters essentially combine a squat and overhead press into a dynamic movement that builds upper- and lower-body strength and tests your cardiovascular conditioning.

While I typically perform thrusters with a barbell and weight plates, you can still get the job done with just the latter.

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 
2. Hold a weight plate with both hands at chest level. 
3. Descend into a squat position by pushing your hips back, keeping your back straight and your weight through your heels. 
4. Drive back up through your heels, extending your arms overhead to press the weight plate above your head. 
5. Lower the plate to your chest to return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps. 

Muscles worked: Glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, triceps, core

Benefits: Building a strong posterior chain can help keep lower back issues at bay and allow you to perform better on key lifts like the deadlift and barbell bent-over row. The bridge pullover effectively targets your glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles while also engaging your deltoids and lats. Look at it as a full-body exercise that gives you incredible bang for your buck—especially if you focus on a slow, controlled tempo to increase time under tension.

How to do it: 

1. Lie on your back with your feet hip-width apart, knees bent, and feet planted on the floor. 
2. Hold a weight plate with both hands, keeping your arms extended toward the ceiling. 
3. Lift your hips off the ground to form a bridge. 
4. Slowly lower the weight plate behind your head while maintaining a bridge position. 
5. Lower the weight until you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders, then pull the plate back to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Pectorals, deltoids, triceps, biceps, rhomboids, core

Benefits: The standing version of the chest squeeze press involves your core and shoulders more than the supine version. This exercise is great for developing your pecs, triceps, and anterior delts, as you must squeeze the plate(s) together from start to finish.

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a weight plate with both hands at chest level so your elbows are bent and close to your sides. 
3. Squeeze the weight plate between your hands to engage your pecs. 
4. Engage your core, then press the plate straight out in front of you until your arms are fully extended. 
5. Hold the contraction for one second, then slowly bend your elbows to bring the plate back to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Deltoids, triceps, pectoralis major, core

Benefits: The overhead press remains one of the best shoulder exercises because it activates not only your delts but also your traps and triceps. While you can perform this movement with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, or a resistance band, you can still get a great muscle-building stimulus using only weight plates. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate at chest level. 
2. Engage your core, then press the plate overhead until your arms are fully extended. 
3. Lower the plate back to chest level under control. 
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Latissmus dorsi, rhomboids, rear deltoids, biceps, erector spinae, core

Benefits: Build a strong, thick back and a stable core with this variation of the barbell row. The plate row will allow you to work on your hip hinge mechanics while engaging your lats, rhomboids, and rear delts. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight plate with both hands. 
2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips. 
3. Keep your back straight, engage your core, and pull the plate toward your chest. 
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then lower the plate back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps. 

Muscles worked: Deltoids, pectorals, latissimus dorsi, core

Benefits: Want to look intimidating in a tank top? Pencil the plate front shoulder raise into your upper-body routine. This timeless exercise will allow you to mold massive front delts, giving you that rounded aesthetic that’ll turn heads. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate with both hands in front of your thighs.
2. Keep your arms completely straight and lift the plate till your arms are parallel to the floor. 
3. Lower the plate back to the starting position under control.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Pectorals, deltoids, triceps, rhomboids, core

Benefits: While there’s nothing wrong with standard push-ups, this variation increases the range of motion by elevating you off the ground. Every part of your upper body will be put to the test, primarily your triceps and chest. 

How to do it: 

1. Set up a pair of weight plates on the floor so they’re at least shoulder-width apart. 
2. Place a hand on each plate and extend your arms to get into a push-up position. 
3. Lower yourself toward the floor until you feel a deep stretch in your pecs. 
4. Pause for one second at the bottom, then extend your arms to return to the starting position. 
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Triceps, latissimus dorsi, core

Benefits: Create that signature horseshoe shape with one of the most popular triceps exercises. The plate overhead triceps extension puts a massive stretch on this three-headed muscle while also forcing you to maintain a stable core.  

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate overhead with both hands. 
2. Keep your elbows tucked and close to your head. 
3. Lower the plate behind your head until you feel a deep stretch in your triceps. 
4. Extend your arms to lift the plate overhead. 
5. Lower the plate under control and repeat for the desired number of reps. 

Muscles worked: Trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, forearms, core

Benefits: A conditioning exercise that has a direct carryover to everyday life, the farmer’s walk will test your grip strength, shoulder stability, and cardio capacity. It may sound and look simple, but don’t be shocked if you struggle to hold on to the weight plates as you cross the finish line. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate in each hand. 
2. Keep your back straight and shoulders and core engaged. 
3. Walk forward for a set amount of time or distance. 
4. Turn around and walk back to the starting point, carefully lowering the weights to the floor when finished.

Muscles worked: Deltoids, trapezius, triceps, latissimus dorsi, obliques, rectus abdominis 

Benefits: The halo exercise can help improve your shoulder mobility and stability while simultaneously engaging your abdominal and upper-back muscles. I recommend starting with a light weight so you get used to the motion before going heavier. 

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate in front of your chest with both hands. 
2. Keep your core engaged and circle the plate around your head in a clockwise motion. 
3. Perform the desired number of reps, then reverse direction and repeat the process.

Muscles worked: Obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, hip flexors

Benefits: Russian twists target your obliques and core by testing your rotational strength. You can use just about any type of weight to perform this exercise. Make sure to engage your abs rather than relying on your hip flexors to keep your legs elevated. 

How to do it: 

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet planted. 
2. Hold a weight plate with both hands at chest level. 
3. Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground. 
4. Rotate your torso to the right, touching the plate to the side of your hip. 
5. Rotate to the left, touching the plate to your other hip. 
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, deltoids, core, hip flexors

Benefits: This ab exercise is really more of a full-body movement, as you must control the weight plate with your upper body, raise your legs, and engage your abs. The V-up is one of my personal favorites for building a rock-solid core, especially if you go at a slow, deliberate pace to increase time under tension. 

How to do it: 

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs fully extended. 
2. Hold a weight plate behind you with your arms fully extended.
3. Lift your legs and arms simultaneously so they come together to form a “V” shape. 
4. Squeeze your abs, then slowly lower your arms and legs to the floor to return to the starting position. 
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Muscles worked: Obliques, rectus abdominis, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, forearms

Benefits: The side bend effectively targets your obliques—a set of two broad abdominal muscles that assist in bending, rotating, and flexing your trunk forward. Although this exercise doesn’t require much technical prowess, it won’t take long before you feel a burn in the sides of your abs—if you choose a heavy enough weight plate.  

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. 
2. Hold a weight plate in your right hand, keeping your arm close to your side. 
3. Bend to the side, slowly lowering the weight plate toward your knee while keeping your legs straight.
4. Contract your obliques, raising your upper body back to the starting position. 
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch sides. 

Muscles worked: Deltoids, latissimus dorsi, pectorals, obliques, rectus abdominis

Benefits: Plate woodchoppers also help develop rotational strength and core stability. This dynamic exercise effectively targets your shoulders, obliques, and other abdominal muscles.  

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight plate with both hands at waist level. 
2. Lift the plate diagonally across your body from your left hip to your right shoulder. 
3. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. 
4. Switch sides and repeat the process.  

Muscles worked: Deltoids, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, pectorals, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, core

Benefits: Planks are one of my favorite core exercises because they’re simple and highly adaptable. Adding a plate on your back makes this bodyweight exercise even more difficult, as you must engage your abdominal and lower-back muscles to maintain a neutral spine.  

How to do it: 

1. Get in a plank position by anchoring your forearms and toes to the ground, keeping your back flat and head in a neutral position. 
2. Have a partner carefully place a weight plate on your back. 
3. Hold the position for the desired amount of time.