Calculator
Plate calculator
Stop doing bar math mid-session. Enter your target weight and this calculator shows exactly which plates to load on each side of the bar — and rounds to the nearest weight you can actually build if the number doesn't land.
Enter your target weight.
Units
Result
Worked example
For 140 kg on a 20 kg bar you need 60 kg per side: 25 + 25 + 10 kg. The calculator builds that list automatically and flags any target that can't be loaded exactly.
Frequently asked questions
- What bar weight does this assume?
- A standard Olympic barbell: 20 kg in metric mode, 45 lb in imperial mode. The plate list is per side, so the total is the bar plus twice the plates shown.
- What if my target isn't loadable?
- The smallest pair you can add is twice the smallest plate (2.5 kg or 5 lb). If a target falls between increments, the calculator snaps to the nearest achievable load and tells you how far off it is.
- Which plates does it use?
- Standard gym sets: 25/20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25 kg, or 45/35/25/10/5/2.5 lb. It loads greedily from the heaviest plate down, the way you'd load a real bar.