It is common to use dumbbells and barbells for weightlifting to work out your body. However, if you don’t have either of these pieces of exercise equipment, you can still lift weight plates. There are numerous exercises you can do with weight plates to gain muscle, and you’ll find they’re similar to barbell exercises.
Halo
The halo exercise is a great way to work out your shoulders, biceps, upper back, and abs. Hold the weight above your head like an angel’s halo. Make sure you extend both arms but keep them slightly bent at the elbows. Gripping the weight, move it around your head at an angle and make circles in the space above your head.
Make sure your back is straight and only your shoulders are moving. Don’t strain your body to make large circles as this will cause your posture to change and possibly affect your back.
Chest Squeeze Press
This workout is an excellent exercise you can do using weight plates. Normal chest squeezes work out the outer muscles of your pecs. But the added weight using weight plates will require you to use your shoulders and back muscles to carry the weight and retain your posture.
Bicep Curls
Bicep curls are an exercise that allows you to use any weighted object. Weight plates are no different. Balance the plate on your forearm and grip it with your hand. You will work out the entire arm by using the muscles in the forearm for balance and the bicep to lift the plate. Usually, this exercise is for muscular strength, so it would be best to perform with more weights and fewer reps instead of less weight and more reps.
Lateral Raises
This exercise is one of the easiest to do using only weight plates. With the weighted plates in the same position as for bicep curls, position your arms flat at your sides with your palms facing in. Lift your arms in a lateral movement while keeping them straight and holding onto the weight.
Raise your arms to the height of your shoulders and then move them back down to your side at a controlled rate. This exercise will help your shoulders and forearms gain strength and endurance when lowering your arms slowly.
Leg Raises
Performing leg raises with added weight will help you gain more muscle strength in your thighs, core, and abs. Balance the plate on or between your shins, and keep your legs straight. Lift your legs slowly to keep the plate from dropping, and use your abs to move your upper body so your legs are at a 45-degree angle.
The use of weight plates is an effective exercise method. You may perform numerous workouts with these plates, so try these exercises first and get creative with them later.
