Plate Loading Calculator
Enter the weight you want on the bar — see exactly which plates to slide on each side. Stops you from staring at the rack doing math at 6am.
Your setup
How it works
Subtract the bar from your target weight, divide by 2 (one side), then greedily fill with the heaviest available plates first.
Standard plates (lb)
45, 35, 25, 10, 5, 2.5
Standard plates (kg)
25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25
If your target isn't reachable with available plates, we land on the closest possible weight and tell you the difference.
FAQ
Why is my Olympic bar 44 lb instead of 45?
20 kg ≈ 44.09 lb. Most "Olympic" bars in the U.S. are stamped 45 lb but actually weigh 20 kg. Picking the kg option keeps the math honest if you're loading kg plates.
What about collars?
Standard spring collars are negligible (~0.25 lb each). Competition collars (Eleiko/Rogue) weigh 2.5 kg each — add 5 kg to the bar weight if you use them.
Why greedy fill?
Fewest plates possible — easier to load and unload, less wasted time per set.
Stop doing plate math.
FitBear shows your loading diagram for every working set, calibrated to your current 1RM.
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