How do you calculate plates per side?
Plates per side = (target weight − bar weight) ÷ 2. The calculator then fills each side heaviest plate first, the same way you'd load the bar in the gym.
Subtract the bar from your target weight, then halve what's left: that's the load for each side. The calculator fills each side heaviest plate first, the same way you'd load the bar in the gym.
- 100 kg on a 20 kg bar: 80 kg of plates, so 40 kg per side. One 25 kg and one 15 kg plate.
- 225 lb on a 45 lb bar: 180 lb of plates, so 90 lb per side. Two 45 lb plates.
If your target can't be made with standard plates, you'll see the closest weight below it. For example, 101 kg on a 20 kg bar loads as 100 kg.
Bar and plate weights
- Men's Olympic barbell: 20 kg, or 45 lb in gyms that use pounds
- Women's Olympic barbell: 15 kg, or 35 lb
- Kilogram plates: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg
- Pound plates: 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb
Competition kilogram plates are colour-coded: red 25 kg, blue 20 kg, yellow 15 kg, green 10 kg, white 5 kg. In kg mode the bar drawing uses the same colours.
Questions
Does the target weight include the bar?
Yes. Enter the total you want to lift and the calculator subtracts the bar for you.
Are collars counted?
No. Spring clips weigh next to nothing, but competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each. If you use them, take 5 kg off your target.
How do I find the weight I should be lifting?
Estimate your max with the 1RM calculator, then pick a percentage from its training chart and load that weight here.
Is there a plate calculator in the FitJot app?
Yes. The plate calculator is built into FitJot, the workout tracker app for iPhone and Android. It's free to download with no ads, and FitJot Plus is optional. Loading warm-ups too? The warm-up calculator builds the ramp for you.