Plate Loading Calculator
Exactly which plates go on each side of the bar for any target weight.
Reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · Updated 24 October 2026 · How we check our maths
Your values
ⓘ Live results
- Plates per side
- 2 x 25, 1 x 10, 1 x 1.25
- Actual bar weight
- 142.5
- Difference from target
- 0
- Load per side
- 61.25
- Total plates on the bar
- 8
Working
- 1(142.5 - 20) / 2 = 61.25 per side
Quick answer
To load a barbell, subtract the bar's weight from your target, halve the remainder, then fill each side with the heaviest plates that fit, working down. For 142.5 kg on a 20 kg bar: (142.5 − 20) ÷ 2 = 61.25 kg per side, which is 2 × 25 kg, 1 × 10 kg and 1 × 1.25 kg on each side.
What the Plate Loading calculator does
This barbell plate calculator tells you which plates to put on each side of the bar to reach a target weight, so you can load quickly between sets without mental arithmetic. Pick the bar you are using — 20 kg men's Olympic, 15 kg women's, 10 kg or 7 kg technique bars, or a 25 kg safety squat bar — and it lists the plates per side, the total on the bar and any gap from your target.
It uses the standard kilogram plate set of 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg and always loads the fewest plates possible, heaviest first. If your plates cannot make the exact number, it gives the closest weight at or below the target and tells you the difference. The bar options are in kilograms, so for a 45 lb bar with pound plates use the reference table further down.
Working from a percentage of your max? Get the target first from the one-rep max calculator, then enter it here.
The formula
Load per side = (target weight − bar weight) ÷ 2
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| target weight | Total weight you want to lift, including the bar | kg |
| bar weight | Weight of the empty barbell (plus collars, if you count them) | kg |
| load per side | Plate weight needed on each sleeve | kg |
Plates are chosen with a greedy method: as many of the heaviest plate as fit, then the next size down. With standard plate sets this always uses the fewest plates. Collars are not included — competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, so if you use them, add 5 kg to the bar weight before calculating. Gym plates are often 1–2% off their stated weight; only calibrated plates are accurate to within a few grams.
Worked examples
Heavy squat on an Olympic bar
A lifter's programme calls for 142.5 kg on a 20 kg men's bar.
Inputs
- Target weight142.5 kg
- Bar weight20 kg Olympic
- Plate setkg: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25
Result
- Plates per side2 x 25, 1 x 10, 1 x 1.25
- Actual bar weight142.5
- Difference from target0
- Load per side61.25
- Total plates on the bar8
Load 2 × 25, 1 × 10 and 1 × 1.25 kg on each side — eight plates in total. Small 1.25 kg plates let you make 2.5 kg jumps, which suit late-stage progress on squats and presses.
Women's bar for a clean
A weightlifter uses a 15 kg women's bar and wants 60 kg.
Inputs
- Target weight60 kg
- Bar weight15 kg women's
- Plate setkg: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25
Result
- Plates per side1 x 20, 1 x 2.5
- Actual bar weight60
- Difference from target0
- Load per side22.5
- Total plates on the bar4
22.5 kg per side: one 20 kg and one 2.5 kg plate. Bumper plates of 20 kg and above are full diameter, so the bar sits at the correct height off the floor.
A target your plates cannot make
You want exactly 101 kg on a 20 kg bar.
Inputs
- Target weight101 kg
- Bar weight20 kg Olympic
- Plate setkg: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25
Result
- Plates per side1 x 25, 1 x 15
- Actual bar weight100
- Difference from target-1
- Load per side40
- Total plates on the bar4
The closest load is 100 kg (25 + 15 kg per side), 1 kg short. To make 101 kg you would need 0.5 kg fractional plates on each side.
Common loads on a 20 kg bar
These are the plate combinations used most often in a kilogram gym, using the fewest plates per side.
| Total | Per side | Plates per side |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 20 kg | 20 |
| 70 kg | 25 kg | 25 |
| 100 kg | 40 kg | 25 + 15 |
| 120 kg | 50 kg | 2 × 25 |
| 140 kg | 60 kg | 2 × 25 + 10 |
| 180 kg | 80 kg | 3 × 25 + 5 |
| 220 kg | 100 kg | 4 × 25 |
Pound plates on a 45 lb bar
In US gyms the standard bar weighs 45 lb and plates come in 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb. Subtract 45, halve the rest and load heaviest first:
- 135 lb: 1 × 45 per side
- 185 lb: 1 × 45 + 1 × 25 per side
- 225 lb: 2 × 45 per side
- 275 lb: 2 × 45 + 1 × 25 per side
- 315 lb: 3 × 45 per side
- 405 lb: 4 × 45 per side
A 20 kg bar weighs about 44.1 lb, so it is close to, but not exactly, a 45 lb bar. To convert other weights, use the weight converter.
Loading order and plate colors
Load the heaviest plates first, closest to the collar, and the smallest on the outside. This keeps the weight near the center of the bar and makes it easier to change small plates between sets.
Competition plates follow a color code used by the International Weightlifting Federation and International Powerlifting Federation: 25 kg red, 20 kg blue, 15 kg yellow, 10 kg green and 5 kg white. In a powerlifting meet, collars are always used, so a 20 kg bar plus collars weighs 25 kg. For comparing totals across bodyweights after a meet, see the DOTS score calculator.
How to use the Plate Loading Calculator
- 1Enter the total weight you want to lift, including the bar.
- 2Select the bar you are using; add 5 kg to your mental bar weight if you use 2.5 kg competition collars.
- 3Keep the kg plate set selected for kilogram plates.
- 4Load the listed plates on each side, heaviest first, and check the difference line if your target is not reachable.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Olympic barbell weigh?
A men's Olympic bar weighs 20 kg (44.1 lb) and a women's bar 15 kg (33.1 lb). Standard US gym bars are usually 45 lb, while technique and training bars can be as light as 5–10 kg.
Do collars count toward the weight?
Spring clips weigh very little and are usually ignored. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, adding 5 kg to the bar, and are counted in meets.
What plates do I need for 100 kg?
On a 20 kg bar you need 40 kg per side: one 25 kg and one 15 kg plate, or two 20 kg plates if your gym has no 15s.
Why can't I make my exact target weight?
With 1.25 kg as the smallest plate, totals only go up in 2.5 kg steps. Fractional plates of 0.5 kg or less allow smaller jumps.
How do I load a barbell to a percentage of my max?
Multiply your one-rep max by the percentage, round down to the nearest 2.5 kg, and enter that here. For 80% of 150 kg, enter 120 kg.
References
- IWF Technical and Competition Rules & Regulations — International Weightlifting Federation
- IPF Technical Rules Book — International Powerlifting Federation
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · How we build and test calculators
- Last reviewed: October 24, 2026
- Report an error