How it works
Plate math always starts the same way. Take away the bar and any collars, then split what is left evenly between the two sides.
The calculator then finds the fewest plates that make up each side from the sizes you have ticked, preferring heavier plates when two loadings use the same number. It lists them heaviest first, which is the order they go on the bar: heaviest nearest the middle, lightest on the outside.
If the exact weight cannot be made, for example 101 kg with nothing smaller than 1.25 kg plates, it shows the closest weights you can load above and below.
The formula
weight per side = (target − bar − collars) ÷ 2
then pick the fewest plates that add up to the weight per sideWorked example
You want 100 kg on a 20 kg bar.
- Take away the bar: 100 − 20 = 80 kg of plates.
- Split between two sides: 80 ÷ 2 = 40 kg per side.
- Fewest plates for 40 kg: 25 + 15.
With 2.5 kg competition collars, the plates must make (100 − 20 − 5) ÷ 2 = 37.5 kg per side, which is 25 + 10 + 2.5.
Plate colors and loading order
Competition discs are color coded so referees and spotters can read the bar at a glance. The IPF technical rules fix three colors: 25 kg red, 20 kg blue and 15 kg yellow. Plates of 10 kg and under can be any color. The drawing on this page uses the colors most competition sets use for the smaller plates: 10 kg green, 5 kg white, 2.5 kg black and chrome for 1.25 kg and below.
The same rules require heavier discs innermost, with smaller discs outside in descending order, and in IPF competition the bar and collars together weigh 25 kg. Pound plates in most gyms are plain iron or black bumpers, so they are drawn in one dark color.
Questions
How much does a barbell weigh?
A standard men’s Olympic or powerlifting bar weighs 20 kg, about 44 lb. Women’s Olympic bars weigh 15 kg. In pound gyms the standard bar is 45 lb, about 20.4 kg. Technique bars, EZ bars and some specialty bars are lighter, so check yours.
Should I count the collars?
Spring clips weigh very little and are usually ignored. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, 5 kg for the pair, so choose them in the Collars setting if you train with them.
Why can’t I make my exact weight?
Each side has to match, so the smallest possible jump is twice your smallest plate. With 1.25 kg plates, weights go up in steps of 2.5 kg. Tick 0.5 kg or 0.25 kg change plates if you have them to fill the gaps.
Why load the heaviest plates first?
Heavier plates closest to the middle keep the load stable, and the order makes the bar easy to read and check. It is also the rule in powerlifting competitions.
Can I mix kg and lb plates?
You can, but the math gets messy because a 45 lb plate is 20.4 kg, not 20. Pick the unit that matches most of your plates and convert the odd ones by hand.