Type the weight you want on the bar and see exactly which plates go on each side. Pick your
bar, take out the plates your gym does not have, and it finds the closest weight you can
actually build, in kilograms or pounds.
How many plates is 135, 225, 315 and 405?
Gym shorthand counts 45 lb plates per side. One plate is 135 lb (a 45 lb bar plus a 45 on each side), two plates is 225 lb, three is 315 lb and four is 405 lb. In kilos the round numbers are 60
kg (one 20 a side), 100 kg (a 25 and a 15 a side), 140 kg and 180 kg.
How to load a barbell
- Take the bar weight away from the total you want.
- Halve the rest. That is what goes on each side.
- Start with the heaviest plate that fits, then work down to the smallest.
- Put the heaviest plates on first, closest to the collar, and the same plates on both sides.
- Clip the collars on so the plates cannot slide.
Loading biggest first keeps the weight close to your hands, keeps the bar balanced, and makes
it quick to add or strip change plates between sets without unloading everything.
Kilograms or pounds
Kilo plates are the standard in competition and most of the world; many American gyms use
pound plates. A 20 kg plate is about 44 lb, a 45 lb plate about 20.4 kg, so mixing them adds
up fast: four 45s on a 45 lb bar is 405 lb, while four 20s on a 20 kg bar is 180 kg (397 lb).
Set the calculator to the plates you will actually use.
Skip the maths mid-workout
In SigmaGains the plate breakdown is built into every set. Tap the weight, see the plates for
each side, and the total updates as you add or remove them, so you spend your rest resting,
not adding up.
Questions
How do I calculate the plates for a barbell?
Subtract the bar from the total and halve what is left: that is the weight on each side. Then fill each side with the biggest plates that fit, working down. For 100 kg on a 20 kg bar: 80 kg of plates, 40 kg a side, which is a 25 and a 15.
How much does an Olympic barbell weigh?
A men's Olympic bar weighs 20 kg (about 44 lb) and a women's Olympic bar 15 kg (33 lb). In pound gyms the standard bar is usually sold as 45 lb, and the lighter one as 35 lb. Technique bars, EZ bars and trap bars vary, so check the stamp on the sleeve.
Do the collars count toward the weight?
Spring clips weigh almost nothing and are not counted. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, so 5 kg for the pair, and are counted in powerlifting and weightlifting meets. If your gym has them, add their weight to the bar weight in the calculator.
Why can I not load the exact weight I entered?
Plates only come in fixed sizes, so a total has to be the bar plus twice a sum of plates. With a 1.25 kg smallest plate the total moves in 2.5 kg steps, with 2.5 lb plates in 5 lb steps. The calculator shows the nearest weights you can build, and fractional plates close the gap.
What do the plate colours mean?
Competition bumper plates follow the IWF colour code: red 25 kg, blue 20 kg, yellow 15 kg, green 10 kg and white 5 kg. Smaller change plates repeat the sequence. Pound plates have no official colours, but many gyms copy the same scheme.