Free barbell calculator
Enter your target weight, choose pounds or kilograms, select your bar and available plate sizes, and see what to load on each side.
How it works
RackMath subtracts the bar weight from your target weight, divides the remaining load across both sleeves, and builds a largest-to-smallest stack from the plates you selected.
The free calculator loads selected plates from largest to smallest. If that stack leaves a remainder, it shows the lower total produced by that calculation. See how to calculate plates on a barbell for the full formula and worked examples.
Equipment scope
The free calculator includes Olympic, standard, training, and common specialty bars, plus a custom bar-weight option and standard plates down to 2.5 lb or 1.25 kg. It assumes each selected plate size is available as needed; it does not count a finite inventory.
Collars and finite plate counts are not added in this free tool. Check what your bar weighs, then use the custom equipment setup when collars, unlisted fractional plates, or available plate counts differ. Follow the barbell loading and safety guide while changing plates.
Common examples
Each setup is per side and assumes a 45 lb or 20 kg bar with no collars included.
| Target weight | Plate setup per side |
|---|---|
| 95 lb | 25 lb per side |
| 135 lb | 45 lb per side |
| 185 lb | 45 + 25 per side |
| 225 lb | 45 + 45 per side |
| 315 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 per side |
| 405 lb | 45 + 45 + 45 + 45 per side |
| Target weight | Plate setup per side |
|---|---|
| 60 kg | 20 kg per side |
| 80 kg | 20 + 10 per side |
| 100 kg | 20 + 20 per side |
| 120 kg | 20 + 20 + 10 per side |
| 140 kg | 20 + 20 + 20 per side |
| 180 kg | 20 + 20 + 20 + 20 per side |
Subtract the bar weight from your target weight, divide the remaining weight by two, then load that amount on each side using your available plates.
Yes. Switch the unit control to kg to use common 20 kg and 15 kg bars with kilogram plates.
The calculator loads selected plates from largest to smallest. If that stack leaves a remainder, it shows the lower weight produced by that calculation so you can adjust the set.
The free web calculator uses only the listed bars and plate sizes and does not add collar weight. Use RackMath's custom equipment setup for collars, specialty bars, other fractional plates, or a finite plate inventory.
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