Barbell Plate Calculator (Which Plates to Load)
How many of each plate to put on each side of a barbell to reach a target weight, for kilogram or pound plates, with what is left over if the target cannot be made.
Results
Total you can actually load
100.00
Plates per side: 25 kg (45 lb)
1
Plates per side: 20 kg (35 lb)
0
Plates per side: 15 kg (25 lb)
1
Plates per side: 10 kg (10 lb)
0
Plates per side: 5 kg (5 lb)
0
Plates per side: 2.5 kg (2.5 lb)
0
Plates per side: 1.25 kg (1.25 lb)
0
Left over that no plate can make up
0.00
What this tool does
Take the bar off the target, halve it, and fill each side from the largest plate down: that greedy order uses the fewest plates for any standard set, because each size divides into the next evenly or nearly so. A standard men's Olympic bar weighs 20 kg (45 lb) and a women's 15 kg (35 lb), but training bars vary, so enter your own. Enter the target and the bar in the same unit as the plates; with only 1.25 kg as the smallest plate, loads move in 2.5 kg steps.
Formula
per side = (target − bar) ÷ 2 · plates are taken largest first: n = ⌊remaining ÷ plate⌋, remaining = remaining mod plate
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
tg | Total weight you want on the bar | — |
bw | Weight of the empty bar | — |
us | Plates | — |
LT | Total you can actually load | — |
P1 | Plates per side: 25 kg (45 lb) | — |
P2 | Plates per side: 20 kg (35 lb) | — |
P3 | Plates per side: 15 kg (25 lb) | — |
P4 | Plates per side: 10 kg (10 lb) | — |
P5 | Plates per side: 5 kg (5 lb) | — |
P6 | Plates per side: 2.5 kg (2.5 lb) | — |
P7 | Plates per side: 1.25 kg (1.25 lb) | — |
SH | Left over that no plate can make up | — |
Worked example
- Total weight you want on the bar100
- Weight of the empty bar20
- Plates1
- Total you can actually load100.00
- Plates per side: 25 kg (45 lb)1
- Plates per side: 20 kg (35 lb)0
- Plates per side: 15 kg (25 lb)1
- Plates per side: 10 kg (10 lb)0
- Plates per side: 5 kg (5 lb)0
- Plates per side: 2.5 kg (2.5 lb)0
- Plates per side: 1.25 kg (1.25 lb)0
- Left over that no plate can make up0.00
Limitations
- This tool is informational only. It does not diagnose, treat or replace a qualified health professional. Speak to a doctor before making decisions about your health.
- Mixing units is the most common source of error. Convert every input to the units shown next to each field before calculating.