Plate Calculator
See exactly which plates to load on each side of the bar.
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A plate calculator tells you exactly which weight plates to slide onto each end of a barbell to hit a target load. Loading the bar in your head is easy with round numbers and slow when the math gets awkward, especially mid-session between heavy sets. Enter the total weight you want lifted and the calculator works out the plates to put on one side of the bar, then draws the loaded bar so you can match it on the platform.
How the plate math works
A barbell is loaded symmetrically, so the calculator first subtracts the bar weight from your target and splits the rest in half to find the load for one side. The default bar is the Olympic standard of 20 kg (45 lb), with a 15 kg (33 lb) women bar also common. It then fills that one-side load using a greedy method: it places the heaviest plate that still fits, subtracts it, and repeats with the next-heaviest until nothing more can be added.
For example, with a 20 kg bar and a 100 kg target, the calculator needs 80 kg of plates total, or 40 kg per side. Working from the top of the kg set (25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25), it loads one 25 kg plate, leaving 15 kg, then one 15 kg plate to finish. So each side gets a red 25 and a yellow 15, mirrored on the other end.
Reading the plate colours
The diagram uses the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) colour code so a loaded bar is readable at a glance. In kilograms: red is 25, blue is 20, yellow is 15, green is 10, and white is 5, with smaller change plates of 2.5 and 1.25 kg for fine adjustments. These are the colours you see on competition and most commercial gym bumper plates, which is why lifters often call a weight by its colour rather than its number.
When the exact weight is not possible
Your plates set the smallest jump you can make. With standard kg plates the smallest pair is 1.25 kg each, so the bar moves in 2.5 kg steps; if you ask for a number that falls between steps, the calculator loads the closest achievable weight below your target and shows the small amount left over per side. Switching to pounds changes the available plates (45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5) and therefore which totals are reachable. To hit tighter targets, add micro plates such as 0.5 or 0.25 kg, which are common for slow, steady progression on the main lifts.
How to use
- 01
Set your bar
Choose your bar weight (20 kg / 45 lb is standard) and units.
- 02
Enter target weight
Type the total weight you want on the bar.
- 03
Load the bar
See the plates per side and a diagram of the loaded barbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
An Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (44 lb) for men and 15 kg (33 lb) for women. Standard bars are usually lighter.
A barbell is loaded symmetrically, so the calculator shows the plates for one side — you mirror them on the other.
If your plates cannot make the exact total, the calculator loads the closest achievable weight below your target.
They follow IWF standards: red 25 kg, blue 20 kg, yellow 15 kg, green 10 kg, white 5 kg.
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Last reviewed June 2026 · Methodology & sources