Plate Calculator
Enter a target weight and it tells you what to put on each side, largest plate first — and whether your plate set can actually make that number.
Your results
Assumes matched pairs of plates and an evenly loaded bar. Gyms vary — check what is actually on the rack, and use collars.
Bar weights worth knowing
- Men's Olympic barbell: 20 kg (44 lb). The default in most gyms.
- Women's Olympic barbell: 15 kg (33 lb), and slightly thinner.
- Standard US barbell: 45 lb (20.4 kg) — very close to 20 kg but not identical, which matters when you are chasing a specific number.
- Technique bars: 10 kg or lighter.
- Some power bars and specialty bars: 25 kg or more. Safety squat bars and trap bars vary widely — weigh yours if you can.
- Collars add 0.5–5 kg per pair depending on type. Competition collars are 2.5 kg each.
Why some numbers are impossible
With a standard kg set the smallest increment per side is 1.25 kg, so the smallest total jump is 2.5 kg. That makes 101 kg unreachable from a 20 kg bar — you can hit 100 or 102.5.
Fractional plates (0.5 kg and 0.25 kg) exist and are genuinely useful once your progress slows, particularly on overhead press where a 2.5 kg jump is a large percentage increase. The 'full kg set' option above includes them.
If the calculator says you are short, it has given you the closest achievable load below your target rather than rounding up.
Common questions
How much does a barbell weigh?
20 kg for a standard men's Olympic bar, 15 kg for a women's bar, 45 lb (20.4 kg) for a standard US bar.
Do I count the bar in the total?
Yes. Enter your target as the total including the bar.
Why can I not load exactly 101 kg?
The smallest standard plate is 1.25 kg, which is 2.5 kg across the bar. You would need fractional plates.
Should I use collars?
Yes, for safety. Note that competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each and change your total.
Related calculators
Track the numbers, not just calculate them
MyFitsy stores your weight, measurements and every session, so the figures above become a trend instead of a one-off.
