Svend press
Also called standing plate squeeze press, plate press.
What is a Svend press?
A Svend press is a standing chest exercise with light weight plates held between your palms. You squeeze the plates together as you press them away from your chest and bring them back.
How do you perform a Svend press?
Set up
- Choose two small, light plates with dry, flat faces. Stand with your feet comfortably apart and enough clear space in front of you to extend your arms.
- Place the plates together at mid-chest height, with one palm pressing against each outer face. Keep your fingers spread against the faces and your elbows bent. Check that the upright plates stay secure between your hands.
Execution
- Hold your torso upright and press your palms firmly toward each other before moving the plates away from your chest.
- Straighten your elbows to press the plates forward, keeping the inward squeeze. Finish around shoulder height with your torso upright.
- Bend your elbows to bring the plates back toward your chest while continuing to squeeze.
- After the last repetition, bring the plates close to your body and grip their rims securely before lowering and setting them down.
Common mistakes
Letting the plates slide
Return them toward your chest and end the set before your grip gives way. Use lighter plates if you cannot keep them firmly together.
Raising the plates in an arc
Start at your chest and press forward by straightening your elbows. Lifting from the thighs with nearly fixed elbows turns it into a front raise.
Leaning back to finish a repetition
Shorten the set or reduce the load so you can reach forward while keeping your torso upright.
Where it fits in a session
Use it where your session calls for light chest accessory work.
Choose the plates for a secure squeeze and a controlled return. End the set when you can no longer keep the plates together or your torso still.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
The chest contributes to the inward squeeze. The front shoulders help hold the plates in front of you.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Svend press work?
The chest contributes to pressing the hands inward, while the front shoulders help support the plates in front of the body. Holding a heavier plate and squeezing harder are different demands: the plate’s weight pulls downward, while the inward pressure comes from you.
Is a plate press the same as a plate front raise?
Plate press can mean the Svend press described here: plates squeezed between the palms and pressed forward from the chest. A plate front raise holds the rim of one plate and lifts it from the thighs with nearly fixed elbows. Check the setup as well as the exercise name.
Do you need two plates?
You can use one light plate between your palms, or two light plates pressed flat together as in the steps above. In either case, press against the flat faces throughout the repetition. Choose a load you can keep secure; if it starts slipping or you have to lean back, set it down and use less weight.
Sources
- Solari F; Burns B. Anatomy, Thorax, Pectoralis Major Major. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK525991/
- Elzanie A; Varacallo MA. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Deltoid Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK537056/