What a plate calculator does
A plate calculator tells you which weight plates to put on each side of a barbell. You type the total weight you want to lift. The tool subtracts the bar and shows the plates for one side. Load the other side the same way, and the bar stays balanced.
Doing this in your head is easy at 135 lb and slower at 187.5 lb, especially between sets with a pump in your arms. This calculator gives the answer as you type, with a picture of the loaded bar and a short warm-up plan.
How to use the barbell plate calculator
- Pick pounds or kilograms.
- Enter the total weight you want on the bar, including the bar itself. Use the plus and minus buttons or tap a common weight.
- Choose your bar. A standard men's Olympic bar is 45 lb or 20 kg. Many women's bars are 35 lb or 15 kg. Pick Custom for a training bar, a safety squat bar or a trap bar.
- Turn off any plate your gym does not have. The calculator then finds the best load from the plates left.
- Read the plates for one side, then check the picture. Put the heaviest plates on first, against the bar shoulder. Small plates go on last, then the collar.
The math in one line
Plates per side = (target weight − bar weight) ÷ 2. For 225 lb on a 45 lb bar: (225 − 45) ÷ 2 = 90 lb per side. That is two 45 lb plates. For 100 kg on a 20 kg bar: (100 − 20) ÷ 2 = 40 kg per side. That is one 25 kg plate and one 15 kg plate.
Common barbell loads in pounds
These loads use a 45 lb bar and a home set that includes 35 lb plates. The calculator starts with a commercial gym set, which has no 35 lb plates, so it may show a different mix for 115 lb and 205 lb.
| Total | Plates on each side |
|---|---|
| 95 lb | 25 |
| 115 lb | 35 |
| 135 lb | 45 |
| 155 lb | 45 + 10 |
| 185 lb | 45 + 25 |
| 205 lb | 45 + 35 |
| 225 lb | 45 + 45 |
| 275 lb | 45 + 45 + 25 |
| 315 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 |
| 405 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 |
Common barbell loads in kilograms
These loads use a 20 kg bar and a full set of plates.
| Total | Plates on each side |
|---|---|
| 60 kg | 20 |
| 80 kg | 25 + 5 |
| 100 kg | 25 + 15 |
| 120 kg | 25 + 25 |
| 140 kg | 25 + 25 + 10 |
| 180 kg | 25 + 25 + 25 + 5 |
| 200 kg | 25 + 25 + 25 + 15 |
Plate colors and weights
The picture uses the colors of competition plates. Your plates may look different, so match them by the weight printed on them.
| Pounds | Color in the picture |
|---|---|
| 45 lb | Blue |
| 35 lb | Yellow |
| 25 lb | Green |
| 10 lb | White |
| 5 lb | Red |
| Kilograms | Color in the picture |
|---|---|
| 25 kg | Red |
| 20 kg | Blue |
| 15 kg | Yellow |
| 10 kg | Green |
| 5 kg | White |
How many plates fit on the bar
A standard sleeve holds about 8 to 10 full-size plates per side, depending on how thick your plates are. The calculator warns you when a load needs more than 10 plates on a side. Use bigger plates, or check that they all sit on the sleeve.
Worked example: a 225 lb work set
Say your top set is 225 lb on a 45 lb bar. The warm-up table at 40, 60 and 80 percent gives you this ramp:
- 90 lb (40%): two 10 lb plates and one 2.5 lb plate per side.
- 135 lb (60%): one 45 lb plate per side.
- 180 lb (80%): one 45 lb, two 10 lb and one 2.5 lb plate per side.
- 225 lb (work set): two 45 lb plates per side.
The table starts with the empty bar. It rounds each warm-up to 5 lb (2.5 kg in kilogram mode), then to the closest load your plates can make.
What if the exact weight is not possible?
The smallest plate sets the limit. With plates down to 2.5 lb, the smallest step on a 45 lb bar is 5 lb total. A target of 226 lb cannot be built. The calculator shows the closest load, 225 lb, and two cards with the nearest load under and over your target. Tap a card to use it. Switch on the 1.25 lb plate to make the steps 2.5 lb. The 1.25 kg plate does the same in kilograms.
Collars and bar weight
Spring collars weigh about 1 lb each. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each. If you want the total to be exact, switch on the collars option and enter the weight of one collar. The calculator subtracts both collars before it works out the plates. Your bar may also differ from the label. Weigh it, or choose Custom and type the real number.
Why use this calculator
- It answers as you type. There is no button to press.
- It works one-handed on a phone, with large buttons.
- It uses only the plate sizes you turn on. It assumes you have as many plates of each size as you need.
- It remembers your settings on your own device. The calculator does not send what you type.
- It has a dark mode for dim gyms.