Plate Loading Calculator
See which plates to load on each side of the bar for any target weight. Standard kg and lb plate sets. Free, no signup.
About this calculator
Loading a barbell is a small math problem you don’t want to solve under fatigue. This calculator takes your target weight and bar weight, splits the difference in half (one side), and greedily picks the largest plate that still fits — repeating until either the weight is exact or only fractions remain. The standard kg plate set is 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.5. The standard lb set is 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25. Default bar weights are 20 kg / 45 lb (Olympic competition bar); use 15 kg / 35 lb for a women’s competition bar or technique bar, or any custom weight (e.g. a 10 kg training bar). If your target isn’t reachable with whole plates, you’ll see the closest achievable load and how far off it is.
Sources
Standard IPF/USAPL competition plate sets. Greedy decomposition (provably optimal for these sets).
FAQs
What if I don’t have the smaller plates?
Most home gyms only have plates down to 2.5 kg or 5 lb. Round your target to the nearest multiple of the smallest plate × 2 (one per side). This calculator shows the closest achievable load when smaller fractions can’t be loaded — use that as your effective working weight.
Why default to a 20 kg bar?
A standard Olympic men’s competition bar weighs 20 kg (45 lb). A women’s competition bar is 15 kg (35 lb), and most technique or training bars are 10–15 kg. Always weigh or check your specific bar — gym bars vary, and being off by 2.5 kg on every set adds up.
Should I match plate sizes side to side?
Yes — the calculator gives you plates per side and you mirror them on the other side. Asymmetric loading shifts the bar’s center of mass and can cause the bar to roll or tip in the rack. It also makes the lift harder on the side with more leverage.
Can I use kg and lb plates on the same bar?
Avoid it. The diameters of competition kg and lb plates are similar but not identical, and mixing them complicates checking your loaded weight at a glance. Pick one unit and stay with it.