Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described in which a first wireless device, such as a user equipment (UE), may select a set of different groups of antenna elements that are preferred for use in millimeter wave communications at the first wireless device. The first wireless device may provide an indication of the set of different groups of antenna elements to a second wireless device, such as a base station. The second wireless device may initiate a beam training based on the set of different groups of antenna elements in order to establish one or more beams to be used for communications using one or more of the different groups of antenna elements that were indicated by the first wireless device.