Plate curl

[xazaralix]

hey everybody, I have been doing plate curls. I started off doing singles with a 25 lb plate and I have built up to 3 sets of 5 reps with it now. I don't know what to do to progress    Should I try to do more reps or should I try to increase the weight? :crazy I would appreciate any advice you guys can give.  :hehe Thanks.

[Nathan Say]

Add weight a bit at a time.

[Guest IrNLifter]

i'm at the same place in  my training, been working with 25 lber's and tried just pinching an extra 2 1/2 on top or the 25 for my curls yesterday...also I've noticed an increased density to my biceps since I started plate curling....I'm doing 3 sets of 6-8, when should I switch to a 35 plate?

[Mjoynt]

How do you guys add weight?  Loading pin?  If you use a loading pin which way does it face?

[bseedot]

Hi xazaralix-

It really depends on what you mean by "progress".  If you mean that you'd like to do high reps with a 25 pound plate then I would just keep increasing the reps you're doing whenever possible.  However, if by progress you mean that you'd like to move on to a 35, and eventually a 45, I'd begin now by adding weight (via a loading pin) to your 25 and keep the reps in the low single digits.  Remember that a 35 has a larger diameter (making the leverage less advantageous on your wrist) so you'll have to add more than 10 pounds to your 25 to be able to truly curl the larger 35.

Have fun!

BC.

[Guest woody36]

Get a clamp,and clamp a small weight to the farthest

side of your plate so that it's not hanging over but tight to

the edge.

Then every training session move the small plate further

 out about 1cm -3/4cm at a time till after a few weeks the

 small plate is hanging almost fully over the edge.

 Once this is done put this plate onto a loading pin in the

 middle and place another small plate onto the edge again

 and repeat.

[Tyrannosaurus Dave]

To add weight, I use a short dumbbell bar, loaded about evenly, for balance.  Use small plates or a spacer on the flat side to protect your fingers.  You'll need to curl about 40 pounds+ with an 11 inch diameter 25 pounder to start thinking about a 35 pounder with 14.5 inch diameter.  Someone once posted here that you can multiply the weight x the radius to compare weights on different size plates.  It seems to work out pretty close and it's at least a way to track progress.  Every pound you add to a 25 is about a 5-pound gain.

Working up to combinations of plates, like 25+10+5 (pounds)or 3-10's, will also help you get to the next level.  To get the feel of bigger plates, curl them 2-handed.  Good luck!

[apdwler]

I used platemates (magnetic weights), and attached them to the far end. I like the idea of using a clamp. If you don't have platemates, it would be a lot cheaper.

Try to find odd-ball plates that are longer. I have a slightly longer 25 and a 40 that is the size of a 45. I have have a bumper-plate 33.

I like the idea of multiplying. For a 45 plate you would need a little over 55 on a 35plate.

[Guest IrNLifter]

Grat idea clamping the plates on! I'm a carpenter, you'd think i'd a come up with that one....duh! I thought about moving them around the perimeter of the 25...now I have a way! THANKS!

[komodo]

I have 1 1/4 lb plates that I add to the 25lb plate by putting a short piece of PVC with an electrical tape knob at the end

thru both plates.  I like to use small incremental steps in this exercise.  

Thanks,

Jeff

[bencrush]

Sadly, I wasn't even able to curl a 25 pound plate the first time I tried.  I worked up to it in less than a month by curling the 10 pound plate for as many reps as possible, resting 5 minutes, and then adding weight via the Ironmind large loading pin stuck through the middle of the 10.  Of course I also added in the weight of a collar to the total.  Works quite nicely for progression.