How do I load 225 on a barbell?
With a 45 lb bar, 225 is two 45 lb plates on each side. The bar is 45, each side adds 90, and 45 plus 180 is 225. The same logic gives 135 as one 45 per side and 315 as three 45s per side.
Free calculator · no signup
Barbell plate calculator
Type the weight you want, pick your bar and the plates in your rack, and see what goes on each side in the order it goes on.
Each side, largest plate first
Type the weight you want, and see the plates for one side in the order they go on, with what to do when the rack cannot make it exactly.
Methodology
How the plates are chosen
The same arithmetic you do in your head between sets, done once and shown as a picture.
- 01
Take the bar off the target
The plates have to make up the target minus the bar, split evenly between the two sides.
- 02
Fill each side largest plate first
Starting from the biggest plate you ticked, the calculator adds as many as fit, then moves to the next size down, the way you would load it.
- 03
Say when it is not exact
If the rack cannot make the target, the result is the closest weight below it, with the shortfall and the next weight up shown so you can decide which to take.
Keep exploring
Put the number to work
A loaded bar is one set. A plan is the twelve weeks around it.
Frequently asked questions
Does the bar weight count?
Yes. The weight you lift is the bar plus every plate on it. A standard Olympic bar is 45 lb or 20 kg; women's bars are 35 lb or 15 kg; many technique and specialty bars weigh less. Change the bar field to match yours.
What if my rack cannot make the exact weight?
The calculator loads the closest weight below your target with the plates you have and tells you how far under it is and what the next weight up would be. Adding 1.25 lb or 0.5 kg plates to the rack closes most gaps.
Why largest plates first?
Heavier plates go on first so they sit against the collar, which keeps the load stable and the bar balanced. Put the same plates on both sides in the same order.
A note on plates
Kilo plates follow the International Weightlifting Federation colors in the diagram: red 25, blue 20, yellow 15, green 10, white 5. Pound plates are shown as the black iron most racks have.