Plate Calculator
Enter a target weight to see which plates go on each side of the bar, or switch to "Plates → weight" and enter the plates to get the total. Pounds by default; kilograms with IPF discs as an option.
Plates on each side 2 × 45 lb
225.0 lb (102.1 kg) = 45 lb bar + 2 × 90 lb of plates.
One side of the bar, heaviest plate innermost. Not to scale.
How the plates per side are worked out
The calculator takes the bar and the collars off the target and halves the rest: that is the weight for each side. It then finds the fewest plates that make that weight exactly from the plates you have. Starting with the heaviest plate does not always give the fewest: for 205 lb on a 45 lb bar each side needs 80 lb, and 45 + 35 (two plates) beats 45 + 25 + 10 (three). When no combination is exact, the nearest lighter and heavier loads are shown instead.
The other direction is plain addition: total = bar + 2 × collar + 2 × the plates on one side. The drawing under the result shows one side, heaviest plate innermost.
Your plates and your bar
The pound set here, 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb plates with a 45 lb or 35 lb bar, is a common US set, not a federation standard. Set how many pairs of each plate your gym has, or 0 for sizes it lacks, and the calculator uses only those. A pair means one plate for each side.
45 lb plates per side
| 45 lb plates on each side | Total (lb) | Total (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 135 | 61.2 |
| 2 | 225 | 102.1 |
| 3 | 315 | 142.9 |
| 4 | 405 | 183.7 |
| 5 | 495 | 224.5 |
| 6 | 585 | 265.4 |
| 7 | 675 | 306.2 |
| 8 | 765 | 347.0 |
Collars and kilogram plates
IPF competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, and the bar with its two collars weighs 25 kg. In lb mode the collar option counts 5.51 lb per collar, so round pound targets may only be reachable approximately. In kg mode the calculator uses the IPF discs (25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg) with a 20 kg bar, or the 15 kg women's weightlifting bar. The kilogram plate calculator covers the IPF disc colors, sizes and loading order.
Questions
Are plates 45 LBs or 20 kg?
Both are made, and they are not the same weight. A 45 lb plate weighs 20.41 kg; a 20 kg disc weighs 44.09 lb, so the 20 kg disc is 0.91 lb lighter. IPF competitions use kilogram discs: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 kg. Check the marking on the plate and pick lb or kg above to match.