Barbell Plate Calculator
Which plates go on each side, drawn on the bar.
Bar included — the number a programme means when it says a lift of 100 kg.
Fill in the fields and the answer appears here.
Gym plates are often a little off their stamped weight, so treat the total as close rather than exact. Use collars on both ends, and load and unload the two sides in turn so the bar never tips off the rack.
How this was worked out
Fill in the fields and the answer appears here.
Guide: From the total to each side3 min read
From the total to each side
Programmes talk in the total on the bar: squat 100 kg. When you load it, the question is different — which plates go on each side. The arithmetic: take the bar off and halve what is left. For 100 kg on a 20 kg Olympic bar, that is 80 kg of plates, 40 on each side.
Then the plates, heaviest first, always the largest that still fits: 40 kg is a 25 and a 15. The calculator does exactly that, shows the arithmetic, and draws the loaded bar with the big plates against the collar.
When the plates can’t make it
With plates down to 1.25 kg, totals go up in steps of 2.5 kg — a pair of the smallest. A load in between, such as 101 kg, cannot be built: the calculator loads the nearest below and names the next one up, so you can choose.
The bar can be Olympic, women’s, technique or another weight you type in. In pounds the bars are 45, 35 and 15 lb, with plates from 45 down to 2.5 lb.
Loading it safely
Gym plates are often a little off their stamped weight, so the total is close rather than exact. Use collars on both ends, and load and unload the sides in turn so the bar never tips off the rack.
How we calculate
Loading the bar
Per side = (total − bar) ÷ 2, filled with the heaviest plate that fits until nothing is left. Plates assumed: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 kg or 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5 lb. Bars: 20, 15, 10 kg or 45, 35, 15 lb.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out the plates for each side?
Take the bar's weight off the total and halve what is left: that is each side. Then fill it with the heaviest plate that fits, again and again, until nothing is left. For 100 kg on a 20 kg bar: 80 kg of plates, 40 a side, which is a 25 and a 15. The calculator shows the arithmetic and draws the bar.
How much does an Olympic bar weigh?
A men's Olympic bar weighs 20 kg (usually 45 lb in pound gyms), a women's bar 15 kg (35 lb), and a technique bar is often 10 kg (15 lb). Gym bars vary; if yours is different, choose another weight and type it in.
What if the plates can't make my weight?
The calculator loads the nearest weight below and tells you the next one up. With kilogram plates down to 1.25 kg, totals go up in steps of 2.5 kg; with pound plates down to 2.5 lb, in steps of 5 lb.
Which plates does it assume?
25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg, or 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb. If your gym is missing one, the next plate down covers it with two of its own.
Does the total include the collars?
No. Spring clips weigh next to nothing; competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, and if you use them, add 5 kg to the bar by choosing another weight.
Why are the plates drawn in one colour?
Because plate colours differ between federations and gyms. A red 25 on screen against a black one on the floor would mislead; the numbers under the bar say what each plate is.