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Last updated March 5, 2026
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shoulders
Overhead Plate Raise
Hold a weight plate with both hands and raise it from waist height to fully overhead. Targets the front deltoids through a long range of motion.
Quick facts
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
- Type
- Strength
- Injury Risk
- Moderate
- Hypertrophy
- Medium
- Calorie Burn
- Low-Medium
Muscle focus
Primary and secondary muscle groups targeted by this movement.
Primary
front shoulders
Secondary
side shouldersupper chestupper trapsdeep abs / core
Equipment & setup
What you need and how to position yourself before starting.
Equipment
plate
Movement pattern
Bilateral
Posture
Standing
Tracking parameters
repsweight
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these cues to master proper technique and stay safe through every rep.
- Step 1Setup
- Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grip a weight plate on its sides with both hands at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions.
- Hold the plate in front of your thighs with arms extended and a slight bend in the elbows.
- Step 2Execution
- Raise the plate in a controlled arc, keeping your arms relatively straight.
- Continue raising past shoulder height until the plate is directly overhead.
- Keep your core braced and avoid arching your lower back.
- Pause briefly at the top.
- Lower the plate slowly back to the starting position in the same arc.
- Step 3Tips
- Start with a lighter plate to master the full range of motion.
- Keep your core tight throughout to prevent your lower back from arching.
- Maintain a slight bend in the elbows to reduce joint stress.
- Exhale on the way up, inhale on the way down.
- This exercise provides a greater range of motion than a standard front raise.