PLATE CALCULATOR

How the plate calculator works

Pick your unit and bar, enter the total weight you want to lift, and the calculator works out what goes on each side. It takes the bar weight off, splits the rest in half and uses as few plates as possible from the plates you switched on. If the exact weight is not possible with your plates, it shows the closest load below it.

Coming from the 1RM calculator? Every row of its percentage chart links straight here with the weight filled in. Your bar and plate choices are saved in this browser only.

How to load a barbell

Heaviest plates on the inside

Load the biggest plates first and the small change plates last. That keeps the weight close to the center, makes the bar easier to unload and is how plates are loaded in competition.

Always use collars

Plates slide during cleans, snatches and when you drop the bar. Spring clips weigh next to nothing; competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, so add 5 kg to the total if you use a pair.

Know your bar

A men’s Olympic bar weighs 20 kg, a women’s bar 15 kg, and technique bars often 10 to 15 kg. In lb, the standard bar is 45 lb, which is about 20.4 kg, so a 20 kg bar loaded with lb plates is not exactly the same as a 45 lb bar.

Plate colors

Competition bumper plates follow the IWF colors: 25 kg red, 20 kg blue, 15 kg yellow, 10 kg green and 5 kg white. The calculator uses the same colors, so the drawing matches what you see in most gyms.

Log the lift in FreeWOD

Once the bar is loaded, write down what you lifted. FreeWOD is a free workout tracker for iPhone and Android: log sets with weight, reps and RPE, track PRs and your estimated 1RM per lift, and save WODs next to your strength work. No account, no ads, and your data stays on your device.