Chest · Bodyweight
Standing Plate Press
How to do the standing plate press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall holding a weight plate flat between both palms at chest level, fingers spread on the sides. Squeeze the plate hard to keep your chest engaged, then press it straight out in front of you until your arms are extended. Pull it back to your chest under control and repeat.
- 1Chest squeezing the plate inward the whole set
- 2Front delts and triceps pressing it forward
- 3A tight core keeping the torso upright
Common mistakes
- Letting the plate drift down or away from the body
- Leaning back or arching the low back
- Easing off the inward squeeze on the plate
Muscles worked
The standing plate press mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, front delts, forearms, and lower chest assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the standing plate press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.