When you think of a weight plate, you probably imagine a barbell. After all, weight plates are designed to fit perfectly over a barbell.
But did you know you can great a full body workout using a weight plate by itself?
A weight plate can be as versatile as your imagination. You can hold the weight plate to add resistance to functional movements in all planes of motion.
Here are 20 exercises using one weight plate:
1. Alternating Split Squat Press
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, chest, core quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes
Alternating split squat press will strengthen your upper and lower body while getting your heart rate up.
Tip 1. Keep your core engaged.
Tip 2. Squeeze your glutes as you jump.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly throughout.
2. Squat Drive The Bus
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, core quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes
Squat drive the bus will strengthen your shoulders while holding an isometric squat.
Tip 1. Keep your core engaged.
Tip 2. Keep your arms straight.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly throughout.
3. 180 Swing Jump
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, core quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves
180 jump swing trains power and timing.
Tip 1. Spring off your toes.
Tip 2. Land softly.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly throughout.
4. Speed Skater Twist
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Primary muscles targeted: Adductors, glutes ,core, calves
Speed skater twist gets your heart rate up while strengthening your inner thighs and outer glutes.
Tip 1. Jump off the outer part of your foot.
Tip 2. Land softly.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly throughout.
5. Squat Chest Pass
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes ,core
Squat chest pass strengthens your shoulders and chest while targeting your lower body .
Tip 1. Sit back as you push the weight forward at chest height.
Tip 2. Gaze straight in front of you.
Tip 3. Exhale as you squat.
6. Tricep Extensions
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Triceps, core
Tricep extensions strengthen your triceps.
Tip 1. Keep your elbows close to your head.
Tip 2. Hold your chin level.
Tip 3. Exhale as you extend your arms.
7. Front Shoulder Raise
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Deltoids, core
Front raises strengthen and tone the front of your shoulders.
Tip 1. Bend your knees slightly.
Tip 2. Keep you core engaged throughout.
Tip 3. Exhale as you raise your arms.
8. Reverse Lunge Twist
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Obliques, quads, hamstrings, glutes
Reverse lunge twist strengthens your core while building lower body strength.
Tip 1. Maintain balance before twisting.
Tip 2. Keep your spine tall.
Tip 3. Exhale as you twist.
9. Reverse Lunge Overhead Raise
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, quads, hamstrings, glutes
Reverse lunge overhead raise strengthens your upper and lower body simultaneously.
Tip 1. Step back in a controlled manner.
Tip 2. Raise your arms directly overhead.
Tip 3. Exhale as you raise your arms.
10. Calf Raises
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Calves, feet
Weight plate calf raises strengthen your calves while improving balance.
Tip 1. Shift your weight from your heels to your toes.
Tip 2. Keep your ankles directly below your hips.
Tip 3. Gaze straight forward.
11. Jump Plate Press
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Chest, quads, hamstrings, glutes
Weight plate squat jump press improves plyometric lower body power while strengthening your shoulders and chest.
Tip 1. Spring off your toes.
Tip 2. Squeeze your glutes as you jump.
Tip 3. Gaze straight forward.
12. Bent Over Row
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Back, core
Weight plate bent over row strengthens your mid back.
Tip 1. Pull the weights close to your side.
Tip 2. Draw your navel in throughout.
Tip 3. Gaze through your eyebrows.
13. Single Arm Pinch Grip Row
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Back, glutes, fingers
Weight plate single arm pinch grip row strengthens your mid back while improving grip strength.
Tip 1. Hold the weight with your fingers.
Tip 2. Draw your navel in and keep your spine long throughout.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly.
14. Single Leg Deadlift
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Primary muscles targeted: Hamstrings, glutes, core
Weight plate deadlift strengthens your posterior chain while improving balance.
Tip 1. Stand tall with firm footing.
Tip 2. Move in a slow, controlled manner.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly throughout.
15. Half Kneeling Twist
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Obliques, glutes
Weight plate half kneeling twist improves trunk rotation and hip stability.
Tip 1. Draw your navel in and keep your spine long.
Tip 2. Gaze straight forward throughout.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly.
16. Half Kneeling Chop
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Obliques, glutes
Weight plate half kneeling chop improves core and glutes strength.
Tip 1. Draw your navel in and keep your spine long.
Tip 2. Keep your arms straight or slightly bent.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly.
17. Russian Twist
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Primary muscles targeted: Obliques
Weight plate russian twists strengthens your core muscles.
Tip 1. Draw your navel in and keep your spine long throughout.
Tip 2. Twist as far as you can each direction.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly.
18. Sit Up With Plate
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, core
Weight plate sit up strengthens your core with the help of additional resistance.
Tip 1. Begin with your lower back flat.
Tip 2. Exhale as you sit up.
Tip 3. Lie down at a slower pace than you sit up.
19. Single Leg Deadlift To Overhead Press
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, core
Weight plate single deadlift to overhead press strengthens the glutes while improving balance.
Tip 1. Draw your navel in and keep your spine long.
Tip 2. Gaze straight forward throughout.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly.
20. Get Up With Plate
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Primary muscles targeted: Shoulders, core, glutes, quads, hamstrings
Getting up with weight plate improves your ease of motion getting on and off the ground.
Tip 1. Begin with your feet firmly planted.
Tip 2. Swing your arms forward.
Tip 3. Breathe calmly throughout.
Watch me demonstrate the exercises in the video below.
I am using a 10 pound plate by Ethos.
Give these exercises a try and let me know what you think in the comments section below!
