A standard men's barbell, the long bar used for squats, bench presses and deadlifts in most gyms, weighs 20 kg (44.1 lb) if it was made to the international kilogram standard, or 45 lb (20.4 kg) if it was made to the American pound standard. A women's Olympic weightlifting bar weighs 15 kg (33.1 lb). Specialty bars range from about 7 kg for a light EZ curl bar to more than 30 kg for a safety squat bar or an open trap bar with its handles fitted.
The standard figures come from the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) rulebooks. Specialty-bar figures come from manufacturers' product pages, checked on 16 October 2026; they are real examples, not standards. We make IronLedger, a workout logger with a plate calculator, covered near the end.
How much does a standard barbell weigh?
A standard barbell weighs 20 kg (44.1 lb) or 45 lb (20.4 kg). Both international rulebooks for the barbell sports set the standard bar at 20 kg, while many bars made for the US market are built to a round 45 lb instead. The difference is small, about 0.4 kg, but it is real.
The IWF Technical and Competition Rules (2020 edition) specify a men's bar of 20 kg, 220 cm long, with a 28 mm grip and 50 mm sleeves. The IPF Technical Rulebook says the "weight of the bar and collars are to be 25 kg" and that each collar "must weigh 2.5 kg", which leaves 20 kg for the bar. The IPF bar can be 28 to 29 mm thick and no more than 2.2 m long.
In the US, the Original Texas Power Bar, a powerlifting bar made since 1980, is listed at 45 lb with a 28.5 mm shaft. Converting with the NIST factor of 0.4535924 kg per pound, 45 lb is 20.41 kg, and 20 kg is 44.09 lb.
Not every bar sold as "Olympic" weighs either amount. CAP Barbell lists its 40-lb Olympic Elite Power Bar at 18 kg. That is 2 kg lighter than a competition bar, so don't assume an unlabelled bar weighs 20 kg.
How much do different types of barbells weigh?
Different barbells weigh between about 7 kg and 34 kg. The rulebooks set bars at 15 or 20 kg, and specialty bars vary by model. The table gives the rulebook figure where one exists and a named manufacturer example where it doesn't, so treat the examples as a guide to the range.
| Bar | Weight (kg) | Weight (lb) | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Olympic weightlifting bar | 20 | 44.1 | IWF rules: 220 cm long, 28 mm grip |
| Women's Olympic weightlifting bar | 15 | 33.1 | IWF rules: 201 cm long, 25 mm grip |
| Powerlifting bar | 20 (25 with collars) | 44.1 (55.1 with collars) | IPF rules: 28 to 29 mm shaft |
| US 45 lb power bar | 20.4 | 45 | Original Texas Power Bar, 28.5 mm shaft |
| Deadlift bar | 20 | 44 | Texas Deadlift Bar, 27 mm shaft, 92.5 in long |
| Squat bar | 25 | 55 | Texas Squat Bar, 31.75 mm shaft |
| Safety squat bar | 30.8 | 68 | REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar |
| Trap (hex) bar | 24.9 to 34.3 | 55 to 75.6 | REP Trap Bar; REP Open Trap Bar with handles |
| EZ curl bar | 7 to 13.6 | 15.4 to 30 | CAP Olympic curl bar; REP Curl Bar |
| Technique or training bar | 6.8 to 10 | 15 to 22 | REP Mesa aluminium bar; Starting Strength 10 kg bar |
| Fixed barbell | As printed | As printed | Pre-loaded; the number is the total weight |
| Smith machine bar | About 0 to 15 | About 0 to 33 | Depends on the counterbalance |
- Deadlift bars are thinner and longer so they bend more off the floor; the Texas Deadlift Bar still weighs 20 kg.
- Squat bars are thicker and heavier: the Texas Squat Bar weighs 25 kg (55 lb).
- Safety squat bars have a padded yoke and forward handles; REP's Safety Squat Bar weighs 68 lb (30.8 kg).
- Technique bars are for learning with light loads: the aluminium REP Mesa Technique Bar weighs 15 lb (6.8 kg), and the steel Starting Strength 10 kg bar weighs 10 kg.
- Fixed barbells are pre-loaded. Titan sells straight fixed barbells from 20 to 110 lb, and the number on the end is the whole weight.
How can you tell if a bar weighs 15 kg or 20 kg?
Check the end cap or sleeve first, because many bars are stamped or labelled with their weight. If the label is missing, compare the grip and the sleeves: under IWF rules a 20 kg men's bar has a 28 mm grip and 41.5 cm sleeves, while a 15 kg women's bar has a 25 mm grip, 32 cm sleeves and is 19 cm shorter overall.
The IWF rules give two more clues: the men's bar carries blue identification markings and the women's yellow, and the men's specification includes a 12 cm centre knurl while the women's lists none.
Powerlifting has no women's bar: the IPF rulebook sets one bar specification for every lifter.
If the bar has no markings at all, weigh it. Step on a bathroom scale, note the reading, then step on again holding the bar and subtract. A bathroom scale won't reliably separate 20 kg from 20.4 kg, but it will tell a 15 kg bar from a 20 kg one. Gyms that use pound plates tend to stock 45 lb bars and kilogram gyms 20 kg bars, but one rack can hold both, so ask the staff if in doubt.
How much does a trap bar (hex bar) weigh?
A trap bar, also called a hex bar, often weighs more than a straight bar. REP Fitness lists its standard Trap Bar at 55 lb (24.9 kg). Its Open Trap Bar weighs 58.4 lb (26.5 kg) before the handles, and the handles add 15.9 to 17.2 lb a pair, depending on the version.
"Trap bar" and "hex bar" name the same family: you stand inside the frame and hold handles at your sides. An open trap bar leaves one end open so you can step in and out, and REP's has removable handles; if yours come off, count them in the bar's weight.
The extra weight changes the total. Two 45 lb plates a side make 225 lb on a 45 lb straight bar, but the same plates on a 55 lb trap bar make 235 lb. Log the two deadlifts as separate exercises; trap bar deadlift vs barbell deadlift covers why they aren't interchangeable.
How much does an EZ curl bar weigh?
An EZ curl bar usually weighs between about 7 and 14 kg (15 and 30 lb). CAP Barbell lists its 47-inch Olympic curl bar at 7 kg, while REP Fitness lists its Curl Bar at 30 lb (13.6 kg), with 10-inch loadable sleeves and a 30 mm grip.
EZ bars differ in length, sleeve length and grip thickness, so check the one you use. Pre-loaded EZ bars work like fixed straight bars: Titan sells EZ curl fixed barbells from 20 to 110 lb, and the printed number is the total.
How much does a Smith machine bar weigh?
There is no standard Smith machine bar weight. Some bars are counterbalanced so they feel close to weightless, and others carry their full weight: REP Fitness lists the bar on its Smith Machine Rack Attachment at a starting weight of 33 lb (15 kg). The machine's label or manual is the only reliable source.
A counterweight linked to the bar pulls it upwards and cancels part of its weight. Gymleco, a Swedish maker, describes its machine this way:
"This Gymleco Smith machine with counterweight provides a wider range of applications since the weight of the bar becomes only 2 kg with the counterweight." — Gymleco, 281 Smith Machine with Counterweight
Valor Fitness's BE-11 Smith machine has a 36 lb (16.3 kg) bar and a counterbalance designed to zero out its weight. Two Smith machines in one gym can therefore start at 0 kg and 15 kg.
For logging, use the starting weight printed on the machine, or the plate weight alone if there is none, the same way every session. Keep Smith machine lifts separate from free-bar lifts; free weights vs machines covers how a guided bar changes the lift.
How do you work out the total weight on a barbell?
Total weight is the bar, plus both collars, plus every plate on both sides. Add up the plates on one side, double that figure, then add the bar and the collars. To work backwards from a target, subtract the bar and collars, then halve what is left to get the plates for each side.
| Example | Bar | Collars | Plates on each side | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilogram gym squat | 20 kg | None counted | 25 kg and 15 kg | 100 kg |
| Same bar, competition collars | 20 kg | 2.5 kg each | 25 kg and 15 kg | 105 kg |
| Pound gym bench press | 45 lb | None counted | Two 45 lb plates | 225 lb |
| Trap bar, same plates | 55 lb | None counted | Two 45 lb plates | 235 lb |
| Kilogram plates on a 45 lb bar | 45 lb (20.4 kg) | None counted | One 20 kg plate | 60.4 kg (133.2 lb) |
| IWF men's opening load | 20 kg | 2.5 kg each | One 0.5 kg disc | 26 kg |
The last row is the lightest load allowed on a men's competition bar: the IWF rules list 26 kg as the 20 kg bar, its collars and two 0.5 kg discs, and 21 kg on the women's bar.
Working backwards, 140 kg on a 20 kg bar with 2.5 kg collars leaves 115 kg of plates, or 57.5 kg a side: 25, 25, 5 and 2.5 kg. A plate calculator does this arithmetic for you from the plates you actually have.
Collars are easy to forget. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each under IPF and IWF rules, adding 5 kg to every lift. Light spring clips weigh far less, so leaving them out costs little accuracy, as long as you do it every session.
Should you count the bar weight when you log a lift?
Yes. In powerlifting and weightlifting the weight lifted is the whole load, bar and collars included, so a 100 kg squat means 100 kg on your back, not 100 kg of plates. Logging the total keeps your records, your estimated one-rep max and your progression comparable from one session to the next.
It also matters when you change bars. Three 20 kg plates a side are 140 kg on a 20 kg bar and 145 kg on a 25 kg squat bar, so a "PR" after a bar change may be the bar. Give each bar its own exercise or a note; an estimated one-rep max is only as good as the loads behind it.
Small differences matter most on light lifts. The 0.4 kg gap between a 45 lb and a 20 kg bar is noise on a 200 kg deadlift, but on a 40 kg overhead press it is about one fractional plate jump, which is why microloading needs a known bar weight. The progressive overload tracker guide covers checking that load really rises over a block.
How does IronLedger account for the bar?
IronLedger's plate calculator works from the bar and plates you set up in Settings, under Plate Inventory. It subtracts the bar and both collars from your target, then loads each side from the plates you own. In the current iPhone release (1.10.1):
- Bar presets. Olympic and Power (20 kg or 45 lb), Squat and Safety Squat (25 kg or 55 lb), Women's (15 kg or 35 lb), Technique (10 kg or 15 lb), and Custom for any other weight.
- Collars. A switch to count collar weight, a field for the weight of each collar, and a competition collars switch that sets 2.5 kg or 5 lb each.
- Plates. You enter the plates you own, counted in pairs. The calculator uses the heaviest that fit first and shows any amount it can't make with them.
- In the logger. Tap a set's target weight, or a warm-up set's plate button, to open the calculator at that weight.
The presets are round numbers, and real bars vary. REP's safety squat bar weighs 68 lb, not the preset's 55 lb, and the Women's preset uses 35 lb in pounds, while a 15 kg bar is 33.1 lb. For bars like those, choose Custom and enter the real weight. The calculator holds one bar at a time, so change it in Plate Inventory when you switch to a trap bar.
IronLedger is free with no paid tier (pricing), on iPhone today with Android in a closed test. It runs built-in or imported programs and shows records and estimated 1RM on the progress views.
Frequently asked questions
A standard men's barbell weighs 20 kg, the weight set by the IWF and IPF rulebooks. A women's Olympic weightlifting bar weighs 15 kg. A bar made to the US standard weighs 45 lb, which is 20.4 kg.
Sources and references
- IWF Technical and Competition Rules and Regulations, 2020 (PDF): men's and women's bar specifications, 2.5 kg collars and the 26 kg and 21 kg minimum loads.
- IPF Technical Rulebook, 2026: bar and collars 25 kg, collars 2.5 kg each, 28 to 29 mm shaft.
- Texas Power Bars: Original Texas Power Bar: 45 lb, 28.5 mm.
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9: pound to kilogram factor.
- CAP Barbell: 40-lb Olympic Elite Power Bar: 18 kg.
- Texas Deadlift Bar and Texas Squat Bar: 20 kg and 25 kg.
- REP Fitness: Safety Squat Bar: 68 lb.
- REP Mesa Technique Bar and Starting Strength 10 kg bar: 15 lb and 10 kg.
- Titan Fitness straight and EZ curl fixed barbells: 20 to 110 lb.
- REP Fitness Trap Bar and Open Trap Bar: 55 lb, and 58.4 lb plus handles.
- CAP 47-inch Olympic curl bar and REP Curl Bar: 7 kg and 30 lb.
- REP Smith Machine Rack Attachment, Gymleco 281 Smith Machine and Valor BE-11 Smith machine: 15 kg, 2 kg with counterweight, and a counterbalanced 36 lb bar.
All manufacturer pages checked 16 October 2026.
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