Formula, in Strength Training

Plate Loading Formula

Plate loading is a greedy allocation: given a target weight and bar weight, allocate plates per side using the largest plates first. Olympic bar is 20 kg (45 lb). IPF plate inventory: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 kg. Greedy works because plates are tiered to span all targets within 0.5 kg.

4 variables. Published May 14, 2026. By AI Fit Hub.

Education, not medical advice. The result comes only from the published formula and your inputs. How we check our formulas.

Formula

weight_per_side = (target_total − bar_weight) / 2
   plates_per_side = greedy_descending_allocation(weight_per_side, plate_inventory)
   greedy: for each plate p in inventory (descending):
     count_p = floor(remaining / p)
     remaining = remaining − count_p × p

Variables

target_total

Target total weight

Total bar weight including bar + plates, in kg or lb. Choose one unit and stay consistent.

bar_weight

Bar weight

Olympic bar: 20 kg / 45 lb (men's), 15 kg / 33 lb (women's). Squat bar: 25 kg. Deadlift bar: 20 kg but more flex. EZ-curl bar: ~7.5 kg / ~17 lb.

weight_per_side

Plate weight per side

(Target − bar) ÷ 2. Should be allocable via available plates. If not, round to nearest 1.25 kg increment.

plate_inventory

Available plate set

IPF standard: 25/20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25 kg. US standard lb: 45/35/25/10/5/2.5. Bumper plates: 25/20/15/10/5 only. Calibrated competition plates (steel): full set 25/20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25.

Step by step

1

Subtract bar weight from target. Halve.

Target 140 kg, Olympic 20 kg bar → (140 − 20) / 2 = 60 kg per side.
2

Greedy: largest plate first. 60 ≥ 25? Yes. 25 used.

remaining = 60 − 25 = 35. plate count: 25 → 1.
3

35 ≥ 25? Yes again. Use another 25.

remaining = 35 − 25 = 10. plate count: 25 → 2.
4

10 ≥ 25? No. 10 ≥ 20? No. 10 ≥ 15? No. 10 ≥ 10? Yes.

remaining = 10 − 10 = 0. plate count: 10 → 1.
5

Remaining is 0. Stop.

Final per-side stack: 25 + 25 + 10 = 60 kg. Mirror to the other side. Bar total: 20 + 2×60 = 140 kg. ✓

Worked example

Lifter loading 142.5 kg deadlift on Olympic bar

Target

142.5 kg

Bar weight

20 kg

Per side

(142.5 − 20) / 2 = 61.25 kg

Greedy: 61.25 → 25 (one), remaining 36.25 36.25 → 25 (two), remaining 11.25 11.25 → 10 (one), remaining 1.25 1.25 → 1.25 (one), remaining 0

Per side: 25 + 25 + 10 + 1.25 = 61.25 kg. Total: 20 + 122.5 = 142.5 kg. ✓ Plate count: 2×25 + 1×10 + 1×1.25 per side = 4 plates per side, 8 plates total. Visual order on the sleeve: 25, 25, 10, 1.25 (largest inner).

Common variations

Imperial (lb): same greedy algorithm with plate set 45/35/25/10/5/2.5. 405 lb target on 45 lb bar = (405−45)/2 = 180 lb per side = 45+45+45+45 (four 45s, classic '4-plate' or '4 pps').

Bumper-only (CrossFit gyms): no 2.5 / 1.25 fractional plates. Target must round to 5 lb (US) or 5 kg (metric) increments. The 'change plate' (1.25 / 2.5 kg) is the difference between Olympic competition lifters and CrossFit.

Powerlifting comp setup: separate '5 + 25 set' for openers, '25 + 25 set' for warm-ups, '25 + 20' for second attempts to minimize plate-strip time between attempts (Calgary Barbell loading protocol).

Asymmetric loads (intentional): for unilateral or correction work, lift starts symmetric then becomes asymmetric mid-rep. Most non-competition gyms forbid this — destroys bar life.

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Questions people ask next

How do you calculate which plates to load on a barbell?

First find weight per side: (target_total - bar_weight) / 2. Then allocate plates greedily from largest to smallest, subtracting each plate's weight as you go until you reach zero. For a 140 kg target on a 20 kg Olympic bar, that is (140 - 20) / 2 = 60 kg per side, loaded as 25 + 25 + 10 kg.

How much does an Olympic barbell weigh?

The men's Olympic bar is 20 kg (45 lb) and the women's bar is 15 kg (33 lb). A squat bar is 25 kg, a deadlift bar is 20 kg but with more flex, and an EZ-curl bar is about 7.5 kg (about 17 lb). Always subtract the correct bar weight before splitting the remaining load across both sides.

Why does loading the largest plates first always work?

Greedy largest-first allocation works because standard plate sets are tiered to span every target within 0.5 kg. The IPF inventory is 25/20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25 kg and the US imperial set is 45/35/25/10/5/2.5 lb. Because each step down is small enough relative to the next, taking the biggest plate that fits at each step never leaves a remainder you cannot fill.

How do I load a weight like 142.5 kg with the smallest plates?

Per side is (142.5 - 20) / 2 = 61.25 kg. Greedy gives 25 (remaining 36.25), another 25 (remaining 11.25), a 10 (remaining 1.25), then a 1.25 (remaining 0), so 25 + 25 + 10 + 1.25 per side. The 1.25 and 2.5 kg change plates are what make fractional targets possible; bumper-only gyms without them require rounding to 5 kg or 5 lb increments.

Sources

IPF Technical Rules Book (International Powerlifting Federation) , IPF — bar + plate specifications, competition loading rules
USAPL Technical Rulebook , USA Powerlifting — US imperial/metric equipment standards
Eleiko — Equipment , Eleiko (IWF-certified manufacturer) — calibrated competition plate weights + tolerances