Yes: count the bar as part of the weight
If your body moves the bar, the bar counts. A set with an empty 45 lb bar is a 45 lb set. A 45 lb bar plus a 25 lb plate on each side is 95 lb total. Counting plates only makes your log inconsistent and can cause bad jumps when you change gyms or compare sessions.
Common bar weights
- Men’s Olympic bar: commonly 20 kg or 45 lb.
- Women’s Olympic bar: commonly 15 kg or about 35 lb.
- Technique bar: often 10–25 lb, depending on the gym.
- Trap bar: often 45–75 lb, but models vary a lot.
- Safety squat or specialty bar: check the manufacturer, end cap, or gym label.
Logging examples
Bench press with a 45 lb bar and two 10 lb plates is 65 lb. Squat with a 20 kg bar and 20 kg per side is 60 kg. If a machine has a starting resistance listed on the frame, write the machine name and setting so future sessions are comparable.
When you are unsure, ask the gym or weigh the bar once. Add a note in your log: “short bar, 25 lb” or “trap bar, 60 lb.” That one note prevents weeks of confusing progress data.
Common mistakes
Do not switch between pounds and kilograms without marking it. Do not count only one side of the plates. Do not treat Smith machines, lever machines, and cable stacks as identical to free-weight barbells. The goal is not perfect physics; it is a repeatable log that helps you choose the next load.
