Nishaana
Plate calculator — plates per side.
This barbell plate calculator tells you exactly which plates to load on each side to reach a target weight. It works out the per-side load as (target − bar) ÷ 2, then fills it with the heaviest plates first from your set. Enter your target, bar and unit below; it updates instantly, no signup.
The plate math, explained.
No black box. It is one line of arithmetic plus a greedy fill from heaviest to lightest.
(target − bar) ÷ 2 The two ends carry equal load. A 100 kg target on a 20 kg bar is (100 − 20) ÷ 2 = 40 kg per side.
heaviest → lightest Fill 40 kg with the biggest plates first: one 25 kg, then one 15 kg. Fewest plates, easiest to load.
remainder < smallest? If a leftover is smaller than your lightest plate, the target is not loadable — the tool flags it and shows the nearest weight you can build.
Default plates are the standard sets: kg 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 and lb 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5. Set a womens 15 kg / 35 lb bar or a lighter training bar from the bar dropdown. To ramp up to this weight, use the warm-up calculator.
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Warm-up calculator
A full warm-up ramp to your top set, with plates.
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A reference chart of common loads and their plates.
Open tool1RM calculator
Estimate your one rep max and % training weights.
Open toolWorkout tracker
Log every set and auto-fill your working weights.
Open toolPlate loading questions.
How do I calculate plates for a barbell?
Subtract the bar weight from your target, then divide by two to get the load per side: (target − bar) ÷ 2. For a 100 kg target on a 20 kg bar, that is (100 − 20) ÷ 2 = 40 kg per side. Then fill that 40 kg with the heaviest plates first — here, one 25 kg, one 15 kg.
How much does a standard barbell weigh?
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg, or about 45 lb. A womens Olympic bar weighs 15 kg, or about 35 lb, and is slightly thinner and shorter. Lighter technique and training bars run 5 to 15 kg. This calculator lets you set the exact bar so the per-side math is correct.
What plates do I need for 100 kg?
On a 20 kg bar, 100 kg means 40 kg per side. The cleanest load is one 25 kg plate plus one 15 kg plate on each side. You could also use two 20 kg plates per side. The calculator always picks the fewest plates by filling heaviest to lightest.
Why cant my target weight be loaded exactly?
A weight is only loadable if the per-side amount can be built from the plates you have. If a remainder is smaller than your lightest plate, the calculator flags it and shows the nearest weight you can make. Adding smaller plates, like 1.25 kg or 0.5 kg, fixes most gaps.
Does the plate calculator work in pounds?
Yes. Switch to imperial and it uses a 45 lb bar by default, with a standard plate set of 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb. The same (target − bar) ÷ 2 math applies, and it greedily loads the heaviest plates first for each side.
Stop doing plate math. Just lift.
Free in your browser — Nishaana shows the plates per side for every working set, so the bar is loaded right the first time.
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