Barbell visualizer & warm-up lab Free ยท lb & kg
Plate Calculator: What Goes on Each Side
Enter the weight you want and pick your bar. See exactly which plates to put on each side, with a picture of the loaded bar.
- lb and kg plates
- Pick the plates you have
- Nearest weight if not exact
How does the barbell plate calculator work?
It takes your target weight, subtracts the bar, and splits the rest in half for each side. Then it loads the biggest plates first, the way you would in the gym. For example, 225 lb on a 45 lb bar is 90 lb per side: 45 + 45. And 100 kg on a 20 kg bar is 40 kg per side: 25 + 15.
Untick any plates your gym does not have. If your target cannot be made exactly, the calculator shows the closest weights you can load below and above it. It remembers your plate set in your browser for next time.
How much does a barbell weigh?
- Standard men’s Olympic bar: 20 kg, or 45 lb in pound gyms.
- Women’s Olympic bar: 15 kg, or 35 lb.
- Technique bars: often 10 kg or 15 lb.
- Trap bars, safety squat bars and EZ bars vary a lot. Check the label, or weigh the bar, and use “Custom”.
A 20 kg bar is about 44.1 lb, so pound and kilogram bars are close but not the same.
Plate loading tables
| Total weight | Each side |
|---|---|
| 95 lb | 25 lb |
| 135 lb | 45 lb |
| 185 lb | 45 + 25 lb |
| 225 lb | 45 + 45 lb |
| 275 lb | 45 + 45 + 25 lb |
| 315 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 lb |
| 365 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 + 25 lb |
| 405 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 lb |
| 495 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 lb |
| Total weight | Each side |
|---|---|
| 40 kg | 10 kg |
| 60 kg | 20 kg |
| 80 kg | 25 + 5 kg |
| 100 kg | 25 + 15 kg |
| 120 kg | 25 + 25 kg |
| 140 kg | 25 + 25 + 10 kg |
| 160 kg | 25 + 25 + 20 kg |
| 180 kg | 25 + 25 + 25 + 5 kg |
| 200 kg | 25 + 25 + 25 + 15 kg |
How to use the plate calculator
- Choose lb or kg to match the plates in your gym.
- Enter your target weight, the total including the bar.
- Pick your bar, or choose Custom and enter its weight.
- Untick plates you don’t have. The plate calculator will only use the ones left.
- Load the plates shown, biggest first, the same on both sides.
Plate loading tips
- Load plates evenly, one side then the other, so the bar never tips.
- Put the heaviest plates on first, closest to the collar.
- Use collars for heavy sets so plates cannot slide.
- In a kilogram gym, remember that 1.25 kg and 2.5 kg plates let you make small jumps.
Do collars count?
Standard spring clips weigh very little and are usually ignored. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, so a pair adds 5 kg. If you use them, include them in the bar weight with the Custom option.
More tools
The 1RM calculator and every lift calculator also show plates: tap any weight in your results.
Frequently asked questions
How many plates do I need for 225 lb?
Two 45 lb plates on each side of a 45 lb bar. That is 45 + 90 + 90 = 225 lb.
What if my weight can't be loaded exactly?
The calculator shows the nearest weights you can make below and above your target with your plates. Pick one, or add fractional plates if your gym has them.
Does the calculator work in kilograms?
Yes. Switch to kg to use 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg plates on a 20 kg, 15 kg, 10 kg or custom bar.
Why load the biggest plates first?
Fewer plates means less loading, a shorter bar end and better balance. It is also how most lifters and meets load a bar.