Plate Loading
Calculator.
Stop doing bar math in your head. Enter your target weight and see exactly which plates go on each side — every time.
How to Use the Plate Calculator
Enter your target total weight including the bar. The calculator shows exactly which plates go on each side. Standard Olympic barbell weighs 45 lbs (20 kg). Women's barbells weigh 35 lbs (15 kg).
Common Bench Press Plate Combinations
135 lbs — One 45-lb plate each side (1 plate)
185 lbs — 45 + 25 each side
225 lbs — Two 45-lb plates each side (2 plates)
275 lbs — 45 + 45 + 25 each side
315 lbs — Three 45-lb plates each side (3 plates)
365 lbs — 45 + 45 + 45 + 25 each side
405 lbs — Four 45-lb plates each side (4 plates)
Why "How Many Plates" Matters
Bench press milestones are typically measured in plates — one plate (135 lbs), two plates (225 lbs), three plates (315 lbs). These are the strength benchmarks most lifters use to gauge progress. The Primal Press Protocol is built to take intermediate lifters from wherever they are to the next plate milestone.