How Much Does a Barbell Weigh: Every Common Bar Type
A standard Olympic barbell weighs 45 pounds (20 kg). Women's Olympic bars are 33 pounds (15 kg), and budget standard bars run 14 to 20 pounds. So no, not all barbells weigh 45. Here is every common bar, plus how to check a budget bar against its label.
Pick your bar
The weight chart
| Bar | Weight |
|---|---|
| Men's Olympic | 45 lb |
| Women's Olympic | 33 lb |
| Training bar | 35 lb |
| Standard 1 inch | 17 lb |
| EZ curl | 20 lb |
| Safety squat | 65 lb |
| Trap or hex bar | 50 lb |
| Deadlift bar | 45 lb |
| Technique bar | 11 lb |
Yes, the bar counts toward your total. When you load 135 on the bar, that is the 45 pound bar plus a 45 on each side. The plate calculator can count the bar for you or leave it out.
Label versus scale
A printed bar weight is a claim. Some bars miss it by a pound or two, and some sold as Olympic are 1 inch standard bars near 20 pounds. We have not weighed budget bars against their labels yet, so this page prints no measured numbers for them. When we do, the results go in the Basalt Ledger with the date. Until then, weigh your own bar with the method below.
To weigh your own bar, stand on a scale holding it, then subtract your bodyweight. Do it three times on a hard floor and average the results. The full method, including a two-end method for long bars, is in how to weigh your weights. See also the truth about under-$50 barbells.
The short answers
How much does an Olympic barbell weigh
A men's Olympic barbell weighs 45 pounds, or 20 kilograms. A women's Olympic bar weighs 33 pounds, or 15 kilograms.
Do you count the bar when adding up weight
Yes. The bar is part of the total. A 45 pound bar with a 45 pound plate on each side is 135 pounds, not 90.
Are all barbells 45 pounds
No. Men's Olympic bars and most deadlift bars are 45. Women's bars are 33, training bars about 35, and budget standard bars 14 to 20 pounds.
How much does a women's barbell weigh
A women's Olympic barbell weighs 33 pounds, or 15 kilograms, and is thinner and shorter than a men's bar.
Related: olympic vs standard, beginner barbell weights for where to start each lift, and the under-$50 barbell truth. Our 6ft standard barbell is not for sale yet. When it lists, its product page will show the weight our own scale reads. Until then, see the bars that are coming.