MICROPLATES

Why Micro Plates Can Help Build Muscle

The presenter argues that building muscle is competitive, and that micro plates can help by making progressive overload possible in smaller, more manageable steps.

The Problem With Standard Weight Increases

For a bench press, someone lifting 100 kg for eight reps might add the smallest standard plates available, bringing the bar to 105 kg. The heavier load may initially reduce their reps, but they can work back up before increasing the weight again. This 5 kg jump is a modest 5% increase.

The same jump can be too large for lighter isolation exercises. For example, if someone can do a single-arm cable lateral raise at 5 kg, adding a standard 5 kg increment would double the load. The presenter says this can leave people stuck at the same weight or tempt them to use poor form, since cable stacks often don’t allow smaller increases, such as the 0.25 kg needed for a similar 5% progression.

How Micro Plates Help

Micro plates typically weigh about 0.12–1.25 kg (0.25–2.5 lb) and can bridge the gap between standard weight increments. The presenter explains that one can be attached to a cable stack by placing the stack’s pin through the plate. A weight-stack extender is generally unnecessary for small additions.

He recommends micro plates for light cable movements, including:

• Lateral raises
• Triceps exercises
• Rear-delt flies
• Front raises
• Curls
• Forearm work
• Chest flies

They can also be useful for any lift where progress has stalled. Larger exercises may tolerate bigger increases, but micro plates can still help when a lifter plateaus.

Closing Note

The presenter says he is not sponsored by a micro-plate company and presents the advice as a way to help viewers build muscle.

Presenter/source: wiz ard