Barbell Plate Calculator

Subtract the bar (and collars) from the target and divide by two. For 225 lb on a 45 lb bar: (225 − 45) ÷ 2 = 90 lb per side, which is two 45 lb plates on each side.

A standard men's Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (about 44 lb, often rounded to 45 lb in US gyms). A women's Olympic bar is 15 kg (33 lb, often called 35 lb). Technique bars, EZ curl bars and trap bars vary, so check the bar's label.

The calculator finds the heaviest load that does not go over the target with the plates you listed and shows how far short it is. Adding small fractional plates such as 1.25 kg or 2.5 lb lets you hit more exact weights.

Competition kilogram plates follow a standard color code: 25 kg red, 20 kg blue, 15 kg yellow, 10 kg green and 5 kg white, with smaller change plates in red, blue, yellow, green, white and silver. Pound plates usually have no standard color; the diagram uses colors only to tell sizes apart.

Spring clips weigh very little and are usually ignored. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each (5 kg per pair), so in powerlifting meets they count toward the total. Enter the collar weight to include it.

Load the heaviest plates first, closest to the center, and the lightest on the outside, the same on both sides, then secure them with collars. This keeps the bar balanced and makes it easier to change weights.