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Plate Steering Wheel
A shoulder conditioning drill using a weight plate held at arm's length and rotated side-to-side, targeting the anterior deltoids and rotator cuff for endurance and stability.
About Exercise
Equipment
Plates
Difficulty
2/5 • Beginner
Primary Muscle Groups
Shoulders
Secondary Muscles
Traps, Forearms, Abs
Popularity Score
5
Goals
Training Style
Setup Requirements
Requires Rack
No
Requires Bench
No
Requires Spotter
No
Space Needed
Small
Noise Level
Low
Muscle Breakdown
View Muscle MapShoulders
9/10Anterior Delts
Shoulders
6/10Medial Delts
Traps
5/10Upper Traps
Forearms
4/10Flexors
Abs
3/10Rectus Abdominis
Programming
Typical Rep Range
10-20 reps
Rest Between Sets
45-60 seconds
How to Perform
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a weight plate at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions. Raise the plate until your arms are fully extended and parallel to the floor.
- Brace your core and keep your shoulders down.
- Rotate the plate to the right as far as comfortable.
- Immediately rotate the plate to the left side.
- Maintain the height of the plate at shoulder level throughout.
- Repeat the alternating rotation for the desired reps or time.
Coaching Tips
Form Cues
- Arms straight
- Shoulders down
- Core braced
- Don't lean back
- Keep height constant
Breathing
Breathe rhythmically throughout the movement; do not hold your breath.
Tempo
1-0-1
Range of Motion
Rotate the plate roughly 90 degrees or more in each direction without dropping the arms.
Safety
Safety Notes
- Start with a light plate to ensure form
- Stop if you feel sharp pain in the shoulder joint
Spotting
No spotter required.
Common Mistakes
- Bending elbows
- Leaning torso back
- Dropping arms below shoulders
- Shrugging traps
- Rushing the tempo
When to Avoid
- shoulder impingement
- wrist strain
Flexibility Needed
- shoulder flexion to 90 degrees
- wrist extension flexibility
Build Up First
- basic standing posture
- gripping strength
Also known as
Plate Steering Rotation, Standing Plate Turn, Bus Drivers, Plate Drivers
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