How much does a barbell weigh?

Updated October 25, 2026

Short answer: a standard Olympic barbell weighs 45 lb (20 kg). That's the long bar in almost every gym's squat rack, bench press and deadlift platform. The women's Olympic bar weighs 33 lb (15 kg). Every other bar is in the table below.

Barbell weights at a glance

Is the bar at the gym 45 lb?

Almost always, yes. The long bar with rotating sleeves in the squat rack and on the bench is a men's Olympic bar: 45 lb (20 kg). Shorter, thinner bars without rotating sleeves (about 1 inch thick) are lighter, usually 15–25 lb. If a bar has no stamp, check the end cap or ask the staff.

Bench press and squat bars

Both use the same 45 lb (20 kg) Olympic bar unless your gym has a specialty bar, and the bar counts toward your total: an empty bar on the bench is already 45 lb. Some dedicated powerlifting squat bars are thicker and weigh 55 lb (25 kg); deadlift bars are usually 45 lb (20 kg).

The bar counts in every total

The bar is part of the load. With a 45 lb bar and 45 lb plates (or a 20 kg bar and 20 kg plates):

For 3 to 6 plates, kilo totals and 25 lb plates, see how much is 1 to 6 plates on each side. For any other load, the plate calculator counts the bar for you. Training in the other unit? Use the kg ↔ lb converter.

If you don't know your bar's exact weight, pick "Custom" in the calculator and enter it by hand. Collars add to the total too: see how much barbell collars weigh.