Barbell plate calculator
Pick your bar, enter the total weight you want to lift, and this shows which plates go on each side. It subtracts the bar, splits what is left in half, and loads the biggest plates first, in pounds or kilograms.
Configuration
How do you work out what plates to put on a barbell?
Subtract the bar from the total, divide by two, then fill that amount from the biggest plate down. For 315 lb on a 45 lb bar: 315 − 45 = 270, and 270 ÷ 2 = 135 per side, which is three 45s. The longer version, with the mistakes that throw the total off, is in barbell plate math.
What plates make common barbell weights?
With a 45 lb bar and a standard pound plate set (45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5):
| Total (lb) | Each side |
|---|---|
| 95 | 25 |
| 135 | 45 |
| 155 | 45 + 10 |
| 185 | 45 + 25 |
| 205 | 45 + 35 |
| 225 | 45 + 45 |
| 245 | 45 + 45 + 10 |
| 275 | 45 + 45 + 25 |
| 315 | 45 + 45 + 45 |
| 365 | 45 + 45 + 45 + 25 |
| 405 | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 |
| 455 | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 + 25 |
| 495 | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 |
With a 20 kg bar and a standard kilogram set (25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25):
| Total (kg) | Each side |
|---|---|
| 40 | 10 |
| 60 | 20 |
| 80 | 25 + 5 |
| 100 | 25 + 15 |
| 120 | 25 + 25 |
| 140 | 25 + 25 + 10 |
| 160 | 25 + 25 + 20 |
| 180 | 25 + 25 + 25 + 5 |
| 200 | 25 + 25 + 25 + 15 |
| 220 | 25 + 25 + 25 + 25 |
If your program gives weights as a percentage of your max, the 1RM calculator turns your max into the training weights first.
Questions
How much does an Olympic barbell weigh?
A standard men's Olympic bar weighs 45 lb (20 kg) and a women's Olympic bar weighs 15 kg (about 33 lb; many US gyms round it to 35). Specialty bars vary, so the calculator lists common ones and lets you type in your own bar weight.
What plates make 225 lb?
On a 45 lb bar, 225 lb is two 45 lb plates on each side: 45 + (2 × 45) + (2 × 45) = 225.
Why does the calculator say a weight cannot be made exactly?
Plates come in fixed sizes, so some targets fall between what your plates can make. With a 2.5 lb plate as the smallest, the total can only change in 5 lb steps, because every plate goes on both sides.
Should I count the collars?
Standard spring clips weigh almost nothing and are usually ignored. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, so if you use them, add 5 kg to the bar weight.