How Much Does a Barbell Weigh? 20 kg / 45 lb
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (about 45 lb), but not all bars are the same. Here are the weights of every bar type and how to calculate exactly how much you are lifting.
The Short Answer: An Olympic Barbell Weighs 20 kg (About 45 lb)
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 20 kg (about 44 pounds - in gyms that lift in pounds, the equivalent bar is made to 45 lb) and is roughly 2.2 meters long. It is the bar you will find on the bench, in the squat rack and on the deadlift platform in almost every serious gym.
When someone tells you "I benched 100 kg", those 100 kg include the 20 kg of the bar itself. But not all bars weigh the same, and that is exactly why many beginners miscount how much they are really lifting. Here is the complete breakdown.
Barbell Types and Their Weights
- Olympic barbell (men's): 20 kg (45 lb), length ~2.2 m, grip diameter 28-29 mm. The standard for bench, squat and deadlift.
- Olympic barbell (women's): 15 kg (33 lb), slightly shorter with a thinner 25 mm grip, easier for smaller hands.
- Standard (home) barbell: usually 8 to 12 kg, thinner and shorter, made for plates with 25-30 mm holes. Common in home gyms.
- EZ curl bar: usually 5 to 10 kg, for curls and skull crushers, easier on the wrists.
- Trap (hex) bar: usually 20 to 25 kg, for deadlifts, distributes the load differently.
- Multi-grip / safety bars: weights vary, usually labeled in the gym.
If you are not sure which bar you are using, ask the gym staff or check the label. A difference of 5 to 12 kg between bars changes your real numbers significantly.
How to Calculate the Total Weight on the Bar
The formula is simple:
Total weight = bar weight + all plates on both sides
The key detail beginners forget: you load plates on both sides, so you have to count both. If you put one 20 kg plate on each side of an Olympic bar:
- Bar: 20 kg
- Left side: 20 kg
- Right side: 20 kg
- Total: 60 kg
A quick mental trick: add up the plates on one side only, multiply by two, then add the bar. If you have 30 kg of plates on one side, that is 60 kg across both sides plus the 20 kg bar - 80 kg total. Once you practice it, you can count any bar in a couple of seconds.
Mind the fractional plates too. Plates come in many sizes (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 kg), and for small, steady strength jumps, micro plates of 0.5 or 1 kg are useful. Adding 1 kg total (0.5 kg per side) is sometimes exactly the nudge you need to progress on a lift you are stuck on, instead of jumping straight to 2.5 kg per side.
Worked Examples
- Empty Olympic bar: 20 kg
- Bar + 10 kg on each side: 20 + 10 + 10 = 40 kg
- Bar + one 20 kg plate on each side: 20 + 20 + 20 = 60 kg
- Bar + 20 and 10 kg on each side: 20 + 30 + 30 = 80 kg
- Bar + two 20 kg plates on each side: 20 + 40 + 40 = 100 kg
When you log your workouts, always record the total weight, including the bar. Tracking every set on Trainera.fit shows you exactly what you lifted last time, so you know what to beat and avoid confusing counting mistakes.
Pounds vs Kilograms: The Same Standard, Different Units
In countries that lift in pounds, the same standard exists in imperial units: the men's bar is 45 lb, the women's bar 35 lb, and common plates are 45, 35, 25, 10, 5 and 2.5 lb. The famous "one plate" bench in an American gym (a 45 lb bar plus a 45 lb plate per side) is 135 lb, which is almost exactly 61 kg - the math works the same, only the units change.
If you ever switch between a kg gym and a lb gym, do not try to convert plate by plate in your head mid-workout. Convert your target total once (1 kg is about 2.2 lb), load to that number and keep your log in one unit.
How Heavy Should a Beginner Lift?
If you are just starting out, the empty 20 kg bar is perfectly fine, and for some exercises even too much. There is no shame in that. Learning proper technique with a lighter weight is smarter and safer than stacking plates too early. Many beginners, especially women, start with a lighter bar (the 15 kg bar or a 5-10 kg technique bar) until they master the movement.
The rule is simple: technique first, then weight. Once you can perform the movement cleanly, you gradually add load week after week. That is the principle of progressive overload, the foundation of all progress.
The Most Common Beginner Mistakes With the Bar
Forgetting the Weight of the Bar Itself
Loading a 10 kg plate on each side and calling it "20 kg" - with the bar, it is actually 40 kg. Always count the bar in your total.
Counting Only One Side
Plates go on both sides. A 20 kg plate on each side adds 40 kg, not 20.
Assuming Every Bar Weighs 20 kg
The EZ bar, home bars and the women's bar are all lighter. If you move from one gym to another, check the bar weight before comparing numbers.
Adding Weight Too Fast
Jumping to heavy plates before your technique settles in leads to bad form and injuries. Patient loading is faster in the long run.
Which Bar for Which Exercise
For the main lifts, you will almost always use the standard 20 kg Olympic bar (or the 15 kg women's bar):
- Bench press, squat, overhead press: straight Olympic bar
- Deadlift: straight Olympic bar or trap bar
- Curls and skull crushers: EZ bar, lighter and gentler on the wrists
For pressing technique, see our guide to the best chest exercises for size and strength, and for how much volume to do, our breakdown of how many sets and reps to do for muscle growth.
Why the Olympic Bar Became the Standard
You might wonder why exactly 20 kg and not some rounder number. The Olympic bar was standardized through competitive weightlifting and powerlifting precisely so that results would be comparable worldwide. Its length of about 2.2 meters allows a wide grip for bench and squat, while the 28-29 mm shaft and the quality of the steel let the bar flex slightly under heavy loads without breaking.
That standardization is why you can walk into any serious gym in the world and know the empty straight bar weighs exactly 20 kg. Home and budget bars are not tied to that standard, so their weight and quality vary - one more reason to check the label before comparing numbers with anyone else.
Grip, Collars and Barbell Safety
The weight of the bar is not the only thing to think about. Handling it safely matters just as much, especially as you add plates:
- Always use collars (clips) on both ends. Without them, plates can slide, the bar tips, and injuries are almost guaranteed.
- Load evenly - the same plates on both sides. It sounds obvious, but a rushed mistake means an unbalanced bar.
- Train in a rack with safety pins for bench and squat when lifting alone, so the bar cannot trap you on a failed rep.
- Grip in the middle - use the knurl marks on the bar to keep your hands symmetrical and your grip consistent from set to set.
A good habit: glance at both sides before every set to check the plates and collars. That one second of attention saves you from the most common gym accidents.
Know Your Numbers
Once you know the bar's weight and count the plates on both sides correctly, your numbers become reliable and your progress measurable. That is the first step toward progressive overload, which is the essence of building strength and muscle.
If you want a plan that tells you exactly what weight to use, how many sets to do and when to add load, Trainera.fit connects you with certified trainers and gives you a tracker that remembers every set, so you never have to guess what you lifted last time.