Reverse Bar Calculator
Someone left a loaded bar in the rack. Count the plates hanging on one side, tap them in, and know exactly what the bar weighs — in kilos, pounds, or both.
Plates on one side
Tap + once per plate on one side only — the other side is assumed to mirror it.
Total on the bar
20 kg
≈ 44 lb
Per side: nothing loaded.
How to read a loaded bar fast
Count one side only — bars are loaded symmetrically, and the plate stack hides the far side anyway. On lb plates, the big ones are 45s: two per side with a 45 lb bar is 225. On kg plates the largest full-size plates are usually 25s (sometimes 20s), so check the embossed number before assuming. If the bar type is unknown, a standard men's Olympic bar is 20 kg / 45 lb, a women's bar 15 kg / 33 lb, and a technique bar 5–10 kg — see the bar weight chart to identify it.
Keep going
What lifters mean by “two plates” and “four plates” →