Barbell plate calculator
No math between sets.
Type the weight you want on the bar and see exactly which plates go on each side. Pounds or kilos, with a full bar, a lighter bar, or no bar at all. Already loaded? Switch to “What’s on the bar?” and tap the plates to get the total.
2 × 45
90 lb per side, 225 lb total with the 45 lb bar.
Take away the bar. Split the rest.
Want 225 lb? Take away the 45 lb bar and 180 lb is left. Half of that goes on each side: 90 lb, which is two 45s.
The calculator uses the fewest plates it can, heaviest first. Tap a plate to turn it off if your gym doesn’t have it, and the answer changes to what you can actually load.
What the colors mean
| Color | kg plate | Small kg plate |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 25 kg | 2.5 kg |
| Blue | 20 kg | 2 kg |
| Yellow | 15 kg | 1.5 kg |
| Green | 10 kg | 1 kg |
| White | 5 kg | 0.5 kg |
Kilo plates follow the IWF color code used in weightlifting meets. Pound plates have no official code. Many follow a loose one (blue 45, yellow 35, green 25), and plenty are just black.
How much does the bar weigh?
A standard men's Olympic bar weighs 20 kg, about 44 lb, and most US gyms call it a 45 lb bar. A women's Olympic bar weighs 15 kg, about 33 lb, and is often called a 35 lb bar. Lighter technique bars weigh around 10 kg or 15 lb.
Do collars count?
Spring clips weigh about a quarter of a kilo each, so most people ignore them. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each, 5 kg for the pair. If you use those, take 5 kg off your target before you type it in.
Why can't I load my exact number?
Your smallest plate sets the step size. With 2.5 lb plates, the smallest jump is 5 lb, one plate on each side. If a weight can't be made exactly, the calculator shows the closest loads under and over it.
Which plates go on first?
The heaviest ones, closest to the middle, then smaller plates outside them. The bar stays balanced, and the small plates are easy to swap when you change the weight.
Is this in the Gym Bully AI app?
Yes. The app's plate calculator floats over your workout. Tap the plates you loaded on one side and the total drops straight into your set. It also has a total mode for dumbbells and machines.
The plates are easy.
Showing up is the hard part.
Gym Bully AI texts you on your workout days until you go, then logs your sets when you get there. The same plate calculator is built in, so the total goes straight into your set. See how it works in the app.