Barbell Plate Calculator
Enter a target weight and see exactly which plates to load on each side of the bar. Works for pounds, kilograms, standard bars, and custom plate setups.
Set the target
Use this after your 1RM calculator gives you a target training load.
Advanced options
How to use the plate calculator
Enter the weight you want on the bar, choose your unit and bar weight, then select the plates available in your gym. The calculator will show the plates per side and the closest load if your exact target is not possible.
Heavy plates go closest to the bar collar. Smaller plates fill the remaining weight.
Each side should match. Uneven loading makes the bar feel unstable and changes the lift.
Total weight includes the bar, all plates, and collars if you choose to count them.
Need a target weight first?
Use the one rep max calculator to estimate your 1RM and training percentages, then load the bar here.