Free lifting tool
Barbell Plate Calculator
Type the weight you want on the bar and get the exact plates to load on each side, in kg or lb.
Visual Sleeve Breakdown (One Side)
Per side load
40 kg
Bar weight
20 kg
Total Barbell
100 kg
How to load a barbell
Subtract the bar’s weight from your target, then halve it: that’s what goes on each side. Load the heaviest plates first, closest to the collar, then fill in with smaller plates.
Example: 100 kg on a 20 kg bar leaves 80 kg, or 40 kg per side: one 25, one 10 and one 5.
Common bar weights
- Men’s Olympic bar: 20 kg / 45 lb
- Women’s Olympic bar: 15 kg / 35 lb
- Technique or training bars: 10 kg or less
- EZ bars: usually 7.5–10 kg; trap bars 20–30 kg
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Olympic barbell weigh?
A men’s Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (about 44 lb, usually rounded to 45 lb). A women’s Olympic bar weighs 15 kg (33 lb).
Do collars count towards the weight?
Spring clips weigh almost nothing. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each (5 kg a pair), so add them in if you use them.
What if my target weight can’t be loaded exactly?
The calculator loads the closest weight it can with standard plates and shows the remainder. Fractional plates (0.5–1.25 kg) close the gap.
Stop doing gym maths in your head.
RepEight calculates your 1RMs, plates and PRs automatically as you log.
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