SETUP: Grip each side of a weight plate and stand upright, bracing your abs. I like to be in a split-stance for this move, as it protects the lower back from fatigue.
LIFT: Raise the plate from your thighs in an arc, until it is directly above your head. Lower to the start position with control.
TIP: Your front delts are the main mover until the plate progresses above shoulder level. The lower traps, an often overlooked muscle group but crucial for great posture, take over to drive the weight up overhead and back. If you want to work your lower traps even more you can perform this move with a Smith Machine bar set to shoulder level, so you only ever hit the top half of the motion – or perform a “Y” Raise from down below.
