How to use it
- Type the total you want on the bar and choose kilograms or pounds.
- Choose the bar and enter the weight of one collar.
- Tick the plates you have. Plates are used heaviest first and an unlimited number of each checked size is assumed.
- Read Plates on each side; if Exact weight says it is not exact, use the nearest total shown.
How the plates are chosen
The plates on each side must make half of what is left after the bar and both collars. The calculator takes the heaviest checked plate that still fits, as many times as it fits, then moves to the next size. This greedy method is exact for the usual metric sets, but it cannot combine plates to reach a weight the set cannot make.
Per side (kg) = (target − bar − 2 × collar) ÷ 2- The IPF rulebook gives the bar and both collars together a weight of 25 kg, which matches a 20 kg men's bar. The women's bar (15 kg) and the technique bar (10 kg) are common gym weights, not IPF figures. The 45 lb and 35 lb pound bars weigh 20.41 kg and 15.88 kg.
- IPF colours (Technical Rulebook, effective 1 March 2026): 15 kg yellow, 20 kg blue, 25 kg red; discs of 10 kg and under may be any colour.
What this calculator does not include
Plates are the metric set: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 and 0.5 kg. A pound plate set is not listed separately, so enter the pound target and check the metric plates you own. Clips, spring collars and the weight of a belt or wrap are not counted.
Competition discs have to meet the IPF rules, including thickness; a gym set may not. This tool gives the arithmetic only.
Worked example: 100 kg on a men's bar with 2.5 kg collars
The bar weighs 20 kg and the two collars 5 kg, so 100 − 25 = 75 kg is left for the plates. Each side needs 37.5 kg: 25 kg, then 10 kg, then 2.5 kg. The 25 kg disc is red, the 10 kg and 2.5 kg discs may be any colour.
The total is 20 + 5 + 2 × 37.5 = 100 kg, so the target is met exactly.
| Plate (kg) | Per side | IPF colour |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1 | Red |
| 10 | 1 | Any colour |
| 2.5 | 1 | Any colour |
Frequently asked questions
Why is the men's bar 20 kg?
The IPF rulebook gives the bar and collars together a weight of 25 kg, which matches a 20 kg men's bar with two 2.5 kg collars. Women's bars of 15 kg are common, but that weight is not an IPF figure.
What if I cannot make the exact weight?
The calculator shows the nearest total that does not go over, and says how far it is from the target. Adding a smaller plate, such as 0.5 kg, usually closes the gap.
Why do some plates have no colour?
The IPF rules give colours only for 15, 20 and 25 kg discs. Discs of 10 kg and under may be any colour, so the calculator shows any colour for them.
Does the calculator use lb plates?
The plate list is metric. Enter a pound target and the pound bar you use; then check that the metric plates you own make the load.
Is the drawing the loading order?
The drawing shows the plates per side, heaviest first, from the collar outwards on the left and mirrored on the right. The order of loading is the same for both sides.
Sources
- IPF Technical Rulebook, effective 1 March 2026 (discs, colours and bar with collars)
- IPF Technical Rules page
Figures and text last checked on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.