Bars
| Bar | Weight |
|---|---|
| Men's Olympic bar (IWF) | 20 kg (44.1 lb) |
| Women's Olympic bar (IWF) | 15 kg (33.1 lb) |
| Typical US gym bar | Usually labeled 45 lb |
Specialty bars (EZ curl, trap, safety squat) vary a lot; check the maker's label.
Competition plates (IWF colors)
| Plate | Color |
|---|---|
| 25 kg | Red |
| 20 kg | Blue |
| 15 kg | Yellow |
| 10 kg | Green |
| 5 kg | White |
Change plates go 2.5 kg red, 2 kg blue, 1.5 kg yellow, 1 kg green and 0.5 kg white. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each.
Counting the bar
Total = bar + 2 x (plates on one side) + collars. For example, a 20 kg bar with a 25 kg and a 10 kg plate on each side and competition collars totals 20 + 2 x 35 + 5 = 95 kg.
Pounds and kilograms
One kilogram is about 2.205 pounds. A 20 kg bar is about 44.1 lb, which is why US bars are rounded to "45 lb". If your gym mixes kilogram and pound plates, count each side in one unit and convert at the end, or the total can be off by several pounds. Use the plate calculator to load any target weight.
How to tell which bar you have
Look at the end of the sleeve or the center of the shaft: most bars have the weight stamped or printed there. Competition bars also differ in size. Under IWF rules the men's bar is 2.2 m long with a 28 mm grip, and the women's bar is 2.01 m long with a 25 mm grip. A thinner grip and a shorter bar usually mean a 15 kg bar.
Bars that are not 20 kg
Hex and trap bars, safety squat bars and cambered bars are heavier and vary by maker, often well over 45 lb. Fixed-weight bars on a rack, technique bars and smith machines can weigh much less, and a smith machine's bar is often counterbalanced. When a program says "the bar", it means the standard 20 kg or 45 lb bar.