Barbell plate
calculator.

Enter the weight you want on the bar, choose your bar and tick the plates your gym has. The calculator shows what to load on each side, using the fewest plates. Kilogram and pound plates can be mixed, which helps in gyms that have both.

How it works

The calculator subtracts the bar, halves the rest, and finds the combination of your plates that gets each side closest to that weight with the fewest plates. If the exact weight is not possible, it shows the closest total at or below your target and the closest above it.

Kilograms and pounds in one gym

A 45 lb plate is about 20.4 kg, and a 20 kg plate is about 44.1 lb. When a gym mixes both, loading by label alone can leave the bar a kilogram or two off. The calculator works in grams, so mixed loads add up correctly.

Before you load the bar

Check the bar’s weight: technique bars, women’s bars and Smith machine bars differ, and a Smith machine bar may be partly counterbalanced.
Load the heaviest plates first, closest to the sleeve’s collar, and use clips.
Set safeties for the lift when training alone.

QUESTIONS

What people
ask next.

How much does an Olympic barbell weigh?

A men’s Olympic bar is usually 20 kg, about 44 lb; a women’s bar is usually 15 kg. Many US gyms use 45 lb bars. Check the bar or ask the gym if it is not marked.

Why can’t I hit my exact target?

The plates you have may not combine to that exact weight. Choose the closest total, or use change plates such as 1.25 kg or 2.5 lb if your gym has them.

Does TrainHere support kg and lb?

Yes. You can choose kg or lb for each exercise, so a gym with both kinds of equipment works.

General training information for healthy adults, not medical advice. Stop an exercise that causes pain and see a qualified clinician about pain that persists. Independent professional review of TrainHere’s training content is pending.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Train with a target
on every set.

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Barbell platecalculator.

100 kg · 220 lb