How long should you carry the plates for in the plate pinch carry when you are new to the exercise?

Aim for 2 to 3 rounds of a 15 to 20 second carry per hand, resting a couple of minutes between rounds since grip recovers slowly. Add five seconds to the carry before you add weight to the plates.

What can I do instead of the plate pinch carry without weight plates?

Pinch a pair of smooth, heavy hardcover books together the same way, gripping one face with the thumb and the other with the fingers. Two dumbbell heads pressed together also work if a full dumbbell isn't loose enough to pinch alone; the goal is a smooth, flat surface for the pinch.

What is the plate pinch carry good for, and when is it a poor choice?

It builds raw pinch-grip strength that barely gets trained anywhere else, useful for climbers, grapplers, and anyone whose grip lags their pulling strength. It's a poor choice for someone with an existing thumb or finger joint injury, since pinch grip concentrates load right at those small joints.

Intermediate

Plate Pinch Carry

Pinch grip is a weak point for most trainees because nothing in a normal program trains the thumb against the fingers. Carrying pinched plates hits that gap hard while adding a carry's trunk and trap demand. Use a pair of plates you can just barely hold and race the clock.

Equipment: Plate
Body part: Forearms
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Brachioradialis
Browse by movement: Carry

How to do it

1
Stand two plates together on the floor with the smooth sides facing out.
2
Set your fingers on one side and thumb on the other and pinch firmly.
3
Stand up tall with the plates hanging at your side, keeping the shoulder packed.
4
Repeat with the other hand, or lift a pinched pair in each hand.
5
Walk with steady steps until your grip is close to failing.
6
Set the plates down deliberately rather than letting them slip.

Tips

Keep the wrist straight so the pinch, not a curl, holds the plates.
Chalk helps, but build honest thumb strength rather than relying on it.
Start with lighter smooth plates and add weight as the pinch improves.

Variations

Common mistakes

The shoulder rounds forward and dips down on the carrying side as the grip starts to fatigue, letting the lat and shoulder take over holding the plates up.
The plates get set down hard or dropped the instant the grip gives out, instead of being lowered with whatever control is left.
Curling the wrist to trap the plates against the forearm turns a pinch grip carry into a different, easier grip that skips the whole point of the drill.
Uneven or rusty plate faces get used instead of smooth ones, changing the friction and making the carry easier or harder than intended without the lifter realizing it.
The pace turns into short, hurried steps as the grip fatigues, instead of holding the same steady stride from the first step to the last.

Frequently asked

How long should you carry the plates for in the plate pinch carry when you are new to the exercise?: Aim for 2 to 3 rounds of a 15 to 20 second carry per hand, resting a couple of minutes between rounds since grip recovers slowly. Add five seconds to the carry before you add weight to the plates.
What can I do instead of the plate pinch carry without weight plates?: Pinch a pair of smooth, heavy hardcover books together the same way, gripping one face with the thumb and the other with the fingers. Two dumbbell heads pressed together also work if a full dumbbell isn't loose enough to pinch alone; the goal is a smooth, flat surface for the pinch.
What is the plate pinch carry good for, and when is it a poor choice?: It builds raw pinch-grip strength that barely gets trained anywhere else, useful for climbers, grapplers, and anyone whose grip lags their pulling strength. It's a poor choice for someone with an existing thumb or finger joint injury, since pinch grip concentrates load right at those small joints.

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