Quickly calculate which plates to load on each side of the barbell for your target weight.
Safety Tip
Always load plates symmetrically and secure them with collars. An unbalanced bar can cause serious injury.
Loading Analysis
Enter target weight to see loading instructions
About this calculator
How It Works
Calculates the target weight per side by subtracting the bar weight and dividing by two. A greedy algorithm then determines the combination of standard plates required.
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Did You Know?
A standard Olympic barbell is 20kg (44.1lb), while a women's Olympic bar is 15kg (33.1lb).
Bumper plates are solid rubber and designed to be dropped, while iron plates should usually be set down gently.
Fractional plates (as small as 0.25kg) are essential for consistent progression once beginner gains slow down.
