How the maths works
Take the bar off the total, then halve what is left: that is what each side needs. For 102.5 kg on a 20 kg bar, 82.5 kg remains, so 41.25 kg a side. Fill it with the largest plate that fits, then the next, until you reach zero: 25, 15 and 1.25 kg.
Loading the heaviest plates first, closest to the collar, is also the safe order. It keeps the load near the middle of the bar and means the small plates come off first when you strip it.
Which bar are you using?
- 20 kg: the standard men’s Olympic bar, 2.2 m long with 28 to 29 mm grips. If in doubt, this is the one.
- 15 kg: the women’s Olympic bar, slightly shorter with a 25 mm grip.
- 10 kg or lighter: technique bars and many fixed or EZ bars. Weigh it if the number is not printed on it.
Plate colours
Competition bumper plates follow a colour code: 25 kg red, 20 kg blue, 15 kg yellow, 10 kg green and 5 kg white, with smaller change plates in red, blue or silver. The diagram uses those colours. Plenty of gyms use black iron plates instead, so trust the number stamped on the plate, not its colour.