What is the lying plate chest press?
The lying plate chest press is a variation of the barbell chest press and is a great workout to add some depth to your chest.
This exercise targets the triceps, pectoral muscles and shoulders. In a lying chest press, a weight plate is used instead of barbells or dumbbells.
It also involves strengthening the core, as you need more core engagement to stabilize the plate while lying down on the bench.
If your aim is to grow massive chest muscles, then this exercise might not be a good option for you because it aims to achieve a fuller chest.
It may look like a very simple exercise, but it covers many areas, making it an effective chest exercise. It involves core stability, engagement of the muscles in the upper body, and ample support from the lower body.
There are some other names for the lying plate chest press:
Plate squeeze press
Lying Svend press
Plate pinch press
Lying supine plate press
How to perform the lying plate chest press?
Here is a detailed guide on how to perform the lying plate chest press for maximum result
Starting position
- Take a weighted plate and hold it vertically between your hands.
- Lay on the flat bench with your feet on the floor. The position is the same as any bench press.
- Hold the plate above your chest with both hands in the praying position. Keep your elbows bent while doing so.
Execution
- Press the plate up to your arm’s length with a controlled movement.
- As you reach the top, hold the plate for a second or two while constantly pressing into the plate as if you are putting pressure on your palms.
- Lower your arms back to the starting position with controlled movements.
- As you bring the plate down to the starting position, the outer edge of the plate should touch your lower chest or sternum.
Additional tips
- The idea is to create a squeeze and hold it till the end of the exercise while you do the whole range of mention. Your goal should be to keep pressing your hands into each other the entire time.
- You don’t have to use a heavy plate because it doesn’t depend on resistance. Instead, it’s about balance, core strength and endurance of chest muscles.
- It can be used as a last workout when doing chest exercises.
- This exercise can never be your main chest exercise because it never involves using a heavy load.
- The more you use slow and controlled movements, the more effective this exercise will be.
- All the while doing the exercise, keep your elbows tucked at your sides.
Mistakes to avoid while doing the lying plate chest press
Not bracing your midsection: One of the most common mistakes while performing the lying plate chest press is not bracing the midsection during the exercise.
When you don’t brace your midsection, it becomes very hard to maintain your balance as you hold the weight up and bring it down.
You can avoid this mistake by engaging your midsection and holding it rigidly until you finish the set.
Keeping your chest muscles engaged: Since this exercise works on your chest muscles, it is crucial that you keep your chest muscles engaged the whole time you are doing the set.
When you don’t pay attention to your chest muscles, it prevents you from training effectively and getting the best results.
Try to focus on keeping your chest muscles engaged by squeezing them while you are performing each set.
Short range of motion: When you keep your range of motion very short, it does not make the exercise effective enough.
This mistake can also happen if you carry a hefty plate for this exercise. Try to avoid this mistake by starting from the torso and pushing the plate upwards to your arm’s length by extending your arms fully.
Lifting too heavy: Another common mistake you tend to make with the plate press is using a very heavy plate.
It is a unique exercise because you need to push the plate away from your chest. When you lift a heavy plate, it will be impossible for you to maintain balance and core stability. Avoid this mistake by taking a comfortable weight and performing each set with controlled movements.
Apart from building muscles, the lying chest press makes you stronger and prepared for handling any activity involving the upper body’s engagement. It makes us more athletic and functional in our everyday lives.
The best time to do the lying plate chest press is in the middle of your workout or as the last exercise to wrap up your chest exercise routine.
This workout alone cannot give you a well-defined chest; instead, pair it with other chest exercises to build an impressive chest physique.
Variation of the lying plate chest press
What muscles does the lying plate chest press work on?
The major muscles that work during a lying plate chest press are the pectoralis major or the chest muscles.
These muscles are large and thick and originate from the upper bone. Our chest muscles are engaged and activated when we push the plate away from the chest and extend our elbows. And as we push the plate up, it increases the pressure on the chest muscles.
The triceps are the second muscle group targeted during the plate press. These muscles are in the rear of our upper arms, allowing us to extend our elbows.
Like the pecs, our triceps also activate as we push the plate away from our body. As we press on the plate and push it up, the triceps provide the balance and support that we need to complete one set.
The third group of muscles that are targeted are the deltoids. The main aim of the deltoids is to help us raise the plate and bring it down with the same level of engagement and stability.
Our front deltoids help the chest muscles and triceps keep pressing the weight as it goes up and down.
The Serratus anterior is also another group of muscles that works during a lying plate chest press.
Our serratus anterior includes the upper portion of the ribcage by connecting the scapula to the ribcage. This muscle group creates shoulder protraction as we press the plate upward.
Aside from all these muscle groups, our core keeps us stable from the start until we finish all repetitions.
The erector spinae, abdominis, glutes, obliques and other various muscles work as a joint team to keep us engaged and stable. And, of course, the upper back muscles stay engaged so that we can lift the plates.
