Plate Calculator: What to Load on Each Side of the Bar
Enter a target weight and see exactly which plates go on each side. Count what's already on the bar, or build a warm-up ramp up to your working weight.
TL;DR
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (45 lb); a women's bar weighs 15 kg (35 lb). Enter a target weight and this plate calculator shows exactly which plates go on each side, counts what's already loaded, or builds a warm-up ramp to your working weight, in kilograms or pounds.
Plates available
Load per side
45 + 45
Exactly 225 lb.
Log every set, plates included
PR Streak knows exactly which plates to load on each side, in kilograms or pounds, and marks warm-up sets so they never count as a PR.
How much does a barbell weigh?
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (44.1 lb) for men and 15 kg (33.1 lb) for women. In most US gyms these are rounded to "45 lb" and "35 lb", but the bar itself is still the same metric weight, which is why a barbell calculator or bar weight calculator gives a slightly different number in each unit.
Competition rules fix these numbers. Under IWF rules the men's bar is 20 kg and the women's bar is 15 kg, plus 2.5 kg competition collars on each side. Under IPF rules the bar plus its collars comes to 25 kg total, and IPF plates run from 1.25 kg to 25 kg.
IPF rules fix colors for only three plates: 25 kg is red, 20 kg is blue and 15 kg is yellow. Green for 10 kg, white for 5 kg, black for 2.5 kg and chrome for 1.25 kg are a common convention among manufacturers, not an official rule.
Standard bar weights, olympic barbell to Smith machine.
| Bar | Pounds | Kilograms |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic barbell | 45 (44.1) lb | 20 kg |
| Women's barbell | 35 (33.1) lb | 15 kg |
| EZ curl bar | 15-35 lb | 7-16 kg |
| Trap bar (hex bar) | 45-75 lb | 20-34 kg |
| Smith machine bar | 6-45 lb | 3-20 kg |
How much does a bench press bar weigh?
The bench press bar in most gyms and every powerlifting meet is the same standard Olympic barbell: 20 kg (45 lb, or 44.1 lb exactly). A dedicated bench press station sometimes uses a shorter bar, so check the label if your number looks different from 45 lb.
How much does a trap bar weigh?
Trap bar weight, also called hex bar weight, typically runs about 45 to 75 lb depending on the manufacturer. Rogue's TB-2 trap bar, for example, weighs 60 lb. Always check the weight stamped on your own bar before loading plates for a trap bar deadlift, since trap bars vary more than a standard barbell.
How much does an EZ curl bar weigh?
EZ curl bar weight is typically about 15 to 35 lb (7 to 16 kg). Eleiko's curl bar, for comparison, weighs 12 kg. Because EZ bars vary this much between brands, weigh yours or check the manufacturer's spec before you rely on a default number.
How much does a Smith machine bar weigh?
Smith machine bar weight varies more than any other bar. Counterbalanced commercial machines are typically about 6 to 15 lb, since the counterbalance carries most of the bar's real weight. Typical home units run about 15 to 25 lb, and a Smith machine with no counterbalance can be 30 to 45 lb. Check the label on your machine; it's the only reliable answer.
How this plate calculator works
Load mode takes a target weight, perhaps a working weight from the 1RM calculator, and loads it with the largest plates first, the way gyms actually load a bar, using as many pairs of each ticked plate size as it needs. If your target can't be made exactly with those plates, it shows the closest weight at or below your target and the next weight up.
Count mode works the other way: tap the plates already on one side and get the bar's total weight.
Warm-up mode turns this into a warm-up calculator. Enter your working weight and it builds a common ramp: the empty bar for 10 reps, then about 40% for 5 reps, 60% for 3 reps, 80% for 2 reps and 90% for 1 rep, rounded down to a weight your plates can make. See how to load a barbell and warm-up sets; this is a starting point, not a fixed rule.
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plates come standard at most gyms?
This weight plate calculator defaults to a common plate set: 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb, or 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg. Tick or untick sizes above to match what's actually on your rack, and the load and warm-up modes will only use the plates you have.
Why can't I hit my exact target weight?
Your target falls between two weights your available plates can make. When that happens, the calculator shows the closest weight at or below your target, plus the next weight up, so you can pick whichever is closer to what you meant to lift.
What do the colors on weight plates mean?
IPF competition rules fix three colors: red for 25 kg, blue for 20 kg and yellow for 15 kg. Green for 10 kg, white for 5 kg, black for 2.5 kg and chrome for 1.25 kg are a common convention among manufacturers, not an official rule, so a gym's actual plates can vary.
How much weight do the collars add?
In IPF competition, the bar plus its collars totals 25 kg, so the collars and bar together already account for the 5 kg above the 20 kg bar. IWF competition collars add 2.5 kg per side on top of the bar. Everyday gym collars are much lighter and mainly hold plates in place.
Is a Smith machine bar counterbalanced?
Many commercial Smith machines are, which is why their bars can feel as light as 6 to 15 lb even though the physical bar weighs more. Home and older units are less consistent, from about 15 up to 45 lb uncounterbalanced. Check the label on your specific machine.
What's a good warm-up before a heavy set?
A common ramp is the empty bar for 10 reps, then roughly 40% for 5 reps, 60% for 3 reps, 80% for 2 reps and 90% for 1 rep of your working weight. Switch this plate calculator to warm-up mode to get that ramp loaded for your exact weight and plates.
Does this work as a kg-to-lb plate calculator?
Yes. Switch the unit toggle and every target, bar weight and plate size updates to that unit's standard sizes, so you can plan a lift in kilograms even if your gym's plates are labeled in pounds, or the other way around.
Sources
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