Equipment
Weight plate colors explained
Colour-coded plates follow one international scheme: red 25 kg, blue 20 kg, yellow 15 kg, green 10 kg, white 5 kg. Pound bumpers copy it at the nearest weights.
M. Imtinan Farooq · Updated · 2 min
Kilo plate colors (competition standard)
Used by the IWF (weightlifting) and IPF (powerlifting):
| Color | Weight | In pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 25 kg | 55.12 lb |
| Blue | 20 kg | 44.09 lb |
| Yellow | 15 kg | 33.07 lb |
| Green | 10 kg | 22.05 lb |
| White | 5 kg | 11.02 lb |
Small "change" plates
Weightlifting change plates repeat the colours at a smaller size: 2.5 kg red, 2 kg blue, 1.5 kg yellow, 1 kg green, 0.5 kg white. In powerlifting, the 2.5 kg plate is usually black and the 1.25 kg plate chrome. Competition collars weigh 2.5 kg each.
Pound plate colors
Colour-coded pound bumpers borrow the kilo scheme for the nearest weights: 55 lb red, 45 lb blue, 35 lb yellow, 25 lb green, 10 lb white. Smaller pound plates are usually black or grey.
Why your gym's plates are all black
Colours are a competition and bumper-plate convention. Cast-iron plates are usually plain black or grey with the weight cast in, and some brands use their own colours. Always read the number on the plate before you trust the colour, especially with mixed brands.
Colors on the calculator
The plate calculator draws plates in these colours so the bar on screen looks like the bar in front of you.
Do the math for your own bar
Questions
What color is a 20 kg plate?
Blue, in the international colour code. A 25 kg plate is red, 15 kg yellow, 10 kg green and 5 kg white.
What color is a 45 lb plate?
On colour-coded pound bumpers it's usually blue, matching the 20 kg plate. Iron 45s are usually black or grey.
Are plate colors the same in every gym?
Competition and most bumper plates follow the same scheme, but iron plates and some brands don't. Always check the number printed on the plate.