The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week we highlight Plate Holds, an upper-body exercise that increases strength and endurance

Who’s Doing It

• Skip Schumaker, St. Louis Cardinals 2B

Muscular Benefits

• Increases core and upper-body strength, including grip strength
• Improves core and upper-body endurance

Sports Performance Benefits

As an athlete, you need endurance in your core and upper body. Without it, you won’t be able to power a line drive in the ninth inning or battle a blitzing linebacker in the fourth quarter. Plate Holds build endurance by challenging your upper-body muscles to fight for as long as possible to hold the plates. Yes, your forearms will be burning, but your shoulders, chest, back and core must also engage to support the weight and keep you in a balanced position.

Plate Holds How-To

• Assume athletic stance
• Grasp edges of two plates and hold them by your sides, keeping arms straight and core tight
• Maintain position for specified duration

Sets/Duration: 1-2xMax

Coaching Points

• Hold plates as tightly as possible
• Maintain upright and tall posture
• For an additional challenge, grasp plates with a towel

Do you have an exercise that you want to see featured as a STACK Exercise of the Week? Comment below to let us know.