Free tool
Barbell Plate Calculator
Type the weight you want on the bar. You see which plates to put on each side, and a picture of the bar.
Works in kg and lb. Set your bar and the plates your gym really has, and it only uses those.
Your numbers stay on your device. We never see them.
Your plates
Example: 100 kg on a 20 kg bar is 2 x 20 kg on each side. Type your own weight above to see yours.
Check this
Your result
Plates on each side
100kg
Check that your own bar and collars match the settings. This is education, not coaching. Medical disclaimer.
Warm-up ramp
A common pattern, not a rule. Rest as long as you need between warm-up sets and stop if the bar feels wrong.
How much is a plate on each side?
In gym talk, "a plate" is the biggest standard plate, one on each side. In a kg gym that is 20 kg on a 20 kg bar. In a pound gym it is 45 lb on a 45 lb bar.
| Plates a side | Total |
|---|---|
| 1 | 60 kg |
| 2 | 100 kg |
| 3 | 140 kg |
| 4 | 180 kg |
| 5 | 220 kg |
| 6 | 260 kg |
| 7 | 300 kg |
| 8 | 340 kg |
| Plates a side | Total |
|---|---|
| 1 | 135 lb |
| 2 | 225 lb |
| 3 | 315 lb |
| 4 | 405 lb |
| 5 | 495 lb |
| 6 | 585 lb |
| 7 | 675 lb |
| 8 | 765 lb |
A 20 kg plate is 44.1 lb and a 45 lb plate is 20.41 kg, so the two columns do not match. "Two plates" is 100 kg in one gym and 225 lb in the other.
Common weights
Plates for each side with the usual plate sets and a standard bar. Other mixes can make the same weight. The calculator picks the one with the fewest plates.
| Total | Each side |
|---|---|
| 40 kg | 10 kg |
| 50 kg | 15 kg |
| 60 kg | 20 kg |
| 70 kg | 25 kg |
| 80 kg | 20 kg + 10 kg |
| 90 kg | 25 kg + 10 kg |
| 100 kg | 2 x 20 kg |
| 110 kg | 25 kg + 20 kg |
| 120 kg | 2 x 25 kg |
| 130 kg | 2 x 20 kg + 15 kg |
| 140 kg | 3 x 20 kg |
| 160 kg | 2 x 25 kg + 20 kg |
| 180 kg | 4 x 20 kg |
| 200 kg | 2 x 25 kg + 2 x 20 kg |
| Total | Each side |
|---|---|
| 95 lb | 25 lb |
| 115 lb | 35 lb |
| 135 lb | 45 lb |
| 155 lb | 45 lb + 10 lb |
| 185 lb | 45 lb + 25 lb |
| 205 lb | 45 lb + 35 lb |
| 225 lb | 2 x 45 lb |
| 245 lb | 2 x 45 lb + 10 lb |
| 275 lb | 2 x 45 lb + 25 lb |
| 315 lb | 3 x 45 lb |
| 365 lb | 3 x 45 lb + 25 lb |
| 405 lb | 4 x 45 lb |
Under the hood
How we work it out
The total on the bar is the bar, plus any collars, plus the plates on both sides. Plates go on in pairs, so each side holds the same. That means the plates on one side must add up to (your weight minus the bar and collars) divided by 2.
Many calculators just grab the biggest plate that fits and repeat. That fails when a size is missing. For 30 kg a side with only 25, 20 and 10 kg plates, grabbing the 25 first leaves 5 kg that you cannot make. The right answer is 20 plus 10. So this page checks every mix of the plates you switched on and picks the one with the fewest plates. If two mixes use the same number of plates, it leans toward 20, 10 and 5 kg plates (45 and 25 lb in pounds) and fewer different sizes. You can always switch a size off under Your plates.
If your weight cannot be made, it shows the closest weight below and the closest above, and says why. The bar moves in jumps of twice your smallest plate.
Bars and collars
- Men's Olympic bar
- 20 kg, about 45 lb. The usual bar in most gyms.
- Women's Olympic bar
- 15 kg, about 35 lb. Shorter and thinner.
- Training, EZ curl, trap
- These vary by maker. The presets are typical values only. Weigh your bar if you are unsure.
- Competition collars
- 2.5 kg each, so 5 kg for the pair (IPF rule). Spring clips are ignored.
- Plate colours
- In competition plates, 25 kg is red, 20 kg blue and 15 kg yellow. Green is the usual colour for 10 kg. Many gym plates are plain black, so always read the number.
Loading the bar safely
- 1Same plates on both sidesAn uneven bar can tip when you unrack it. Load one plate on the left, then the same one on the right.
- 2Biggest plates go on firstPut the heaviest plate next to the collar stop and the smaller ones outside it. The picture above shows this order.
- 3Strip both sides togetherWhen you take weight off, remove a plate from one side, then the same from the other. Do not leave one side heavy.
- 4Use collars when the lift calls for themOn squats, presses and deadlifts, collars stop plates from sliding. Set the rack safety arms before a heavy set.
- 5Check the bar and the platesBars and plates are not always the weight printed on them. If your numbers feel off, weigh the bar, or check the plate stamp.
Keep going
Where this fits
Questions
Barbell plate calculator FAQ
How do I work out the plates for a barbell?
Take the weight you want, subtract the bar, and split what is left in two. That is the plate weight for each side. For 100 kg on a 20 kg bar: 100 minus 20 is 80, half of that is 40, so you need 40 kg of plates on each side. Two 20 kg plates make 40. The calculator does this for you and picks plates from the sizes your gym has.
How much does a barbell weigh?
A men's Olympic barbell is usually 20 kg (about 45 lb). A women's Olympic barbell is usually 15 kg (about 35 lb). Training bars, EZ curl bars and trap bars vary a lot by maker. Check the end of the bar for a label or weigh it once. You can type any bar weight into the calculator.
How much is one plate or two plates on each side?
In gym talk, a plate is the biggest standard plate. In a kg gym that is 20 kg, so one plate on each side of a 20 kg bar is 60 kg, two plates is 100 kg and three plates is 140 kg. In a pound gym a plate is 45 lb, so one plate is 135 lb, two plates is 225 lb and three plates is 315 lb. The table below the calculator goes up to eight.
Why can't I load my exact weight?
Plates go on in pairs, one on each side. So the bar can only change in jumps of twice your smallest plate. With 1.25 kg plates the jump is 2.5 kg. If you ask for a weight between two jumps, or your gym is missing a size, the calculator shows the closest weight below and the closest weight above, so you can choose.
What if my gym doesn't have every plate?
Open Your plates and switch off any size your gym does not have. You can also limit how many of one size you have on each side. The calculator then only uses plates you can actually pick up. Your choices are saved on this device for next time.
Do collars count toward the weight?
Spring clips and clamps weigh almost nothing, so they are ignored by default. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, so 5 kg for the pair, and they do count. Choose Competition collars in the Collars box and the calculator takes them off the plate weight for you.
How many plates is 60, 80, 100 and 140 kg?
On a 20 kg bar with the usual plates: 60 kg is one 20 kg plate on each side. 80 kg is a 20 and a 10. 100 kg is two 20s. 140 kg is three 20s. There are other ways to make some of these, and the calculator picks the one with the fewest plates.
Is a 20 kg plate the same as a 45 lb plate?
No. A 20 kg plate weighs 44.1 lb. A 45 lb plate weighs 20.41 kg. That is why two 20 kg plates a side on a 20 kg bar is 100 kg, which is 220.5 lb, not 225 lb. When you switch units, the calculator converts your weight and then moves to the nearest weight you can actually load.
This tool is education. It is not medical advice. Read the medical disclaimer. Last updated: 16 October 2026.
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