How to load a barbell
Loading a bar is simple arithmetic that's easy to get wrong mid-session: take your target, subtract the bar, split what's left across two sides, and reach for the fewest plates that hit the number. This plate calculator does it for you and draws the result, so you can just match the picture.
The standard bar
A men's Olympic barbell is 20 kg (≈45 lb). Women's bars are 15 kg, and specialty bars vary, so set yours under the options if it's different. Everything above the bar is split into matching pairs — one plate on each side — loaded heaviest first, nearest the collar.
Using your own plates
Set the smallest plate you own so the calculator never suggests a plate you can't load. If a target can't be made exactly with your plates, it tells you how far off you are rather than rounding silently.