Plate Calculator

How Barbell Plate Loading Works

Loading a barbell correctly is one of the first skills every lifter learns. A standard Olympic barbell weighs 45 lbs (20 kg), and plates are added equally to both sides. To figure out the plates needed for a given weight, subtract the bar weight and divide by two -- that gives you the weight needed per side.

Standard Plate Weights

Competition and gym plates come in standard sizes. In pounds: 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, and 2.5. In kilograms: 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, and 1.25. Competition plates follow a color code: red (25 kg / 55 lb), blue (20 kg / 45 lb), yellow (15 kg / 35 lb), green (10 kg / 25 lb), white (5 kg / 10 lb), and smaller plates in red and gray.

Common Plate Combinations

Here are some weights lifters load most often:

• 135 lbs -- one 45 lb plate per side (often called "one plate")
• 225 lbs -- two 45 lb plates per side ("two plates")
• 315 lbs -- three 45 lb plates per side ("three plates")
• 185 lbs -- one 45 lb + one 25 lb per side
• 205 lbs -- one 45 lb + one 25 lb + one 5 lb per side

Why Warm Up?

Warming up with progressively heavier sets prepares your muscles, joints, and nervous system for heavy loads. A typical warmup ramp starts with the empty bar, then adds weight in increments until you reach your working weight. This calculator generates warmup sets automatically so you can focus on lifting.