Type your target weight and see exactly which plates go on each side of the bar, in lb or kg, plus a warm-up ramp you can print. No email needed.
Plate loading calculator
Session card
Set
Weight
Each side
Reps
Plates are listed from the inside out, heaviest first. A 45 lb bar and a 20 kg bar are not the same weight (20 kg is about 44.1 lb), so use the weight stamped on your own bar and plates.
Get the Plate Plan Warm-up Card
A printable plate-loading and warm-up card with space to record your bar weight, working sets and warm-up loads. Free, straight to your inbox.
Plates per side = (target weight - bar - collars) / 2
The calculator then finds the fewest plates that make up each side, using only the plate sizes you tick, and lists them heaviest first, from the inside out.
Target
Bar
Each side
Plates per side
135 lb
45 lb
45 lb
45
185 lb
45 lb
70 lb
45 + 25
225 lb
45 lb
90 lb
45 + 45
315 lb
45 lb
135 lb
45 + 45 + 45
60 kg
20 kg
20 kg
20
100 kg
20 kg
40 kg
25 + 15
140 kg
20 kg
60 kg
25 + 25 + 10
45 lb and 20 kg bars are not the same
A standard 45 lb barbell weighs about 20.4 kg, and a 20 kg bar weighs about 44.1 lb. Bars also come in other weights, such as 15 kg or 35 lb, and technique or specialty bars vary. Choose "Other weight" in the calculator and use the weight stamped on your own bar. For more on bar styles, read types of barbells.
When a weight cannot be loaded exactly
With only certain plates, some targets are impossible. For example, 101 kg cannot be loaded with standard kg plates on a 20 kg bar. The calculator shows the closest weights you can load below and above, here 100 kg and 102.5 kg, so you can pick one.
Collars
Light spring clips can be left at 0. If you use heavier locking collars, enter the weight of each collar and the calculator subtracts both from the bar.
Warm-up sets and your printable card
The warm-up ramp starts from a common template (40, 55, 70, 80 and 90 percent of your target) that you can edit to suit your lift and your day. It is a starting point, not a prescription. Each warm-up set is rounded down to a weight you can load. Press "Print this card" to print your session, or get the free printable Plate Plan and Warm-Up Card with a blank session card and training log.
Plate loading questions
What plates do I need for 225 lb?
On a 45 lb bar, put one 45 lb plate and another 45 lb plate on each side: 45 + (2 x 90) = 225 lb.
What plates do I need for 100 kg?
On a 20 kg bar, put a 25 kg and a 15 kg plate on each side: 20 + (2 x 40) = 100 kg.
Can I work from a percentage of my max?
Yes. Open "Work it out from a percentage instead", enter your max and the percentage, and leave the target box empty. The calculator works out the target and loads it for you.
