How to convert a lb program to kg plates
Last updated: 19 October 2026
A lot of popular programs and spreadsheets are written in pounds, and a lot of gyms only have kg plates. Converting every number by hand is slow and easy to get wrong. Here's a better order to do it in.
The exact number
1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, exactly (NIST Handbook 44, Appendix B).
For a quick estimate, take the pounds, halve it, then take away 10% of the result. 225 lb → 112.5 → about 101 kg. The exact answer is 102.06 kg.
Step 1: Convert your maxes, not every set
If the program works in percentages, convert your 1RM or training max once, then let the percentages run in kg.
- 315 lb training max → 142.88 kg. Keep it unrounded.
- 85% of 142.88 kg = 121.45 kg → 122.5 kg to the nearest 2.5 kg
Round only the working sets, not the training max. If you round the max first (142.5 kg), 85% becomes 121.125 kg → 120 kg, which is 2.5 kg lighter. Converting each set's pound weight separately has the same problem: you round twice and the errors add up.
Step 2: Choose your kg jumps
Pound programs usually progress in 5 lb or 10 lb steps.
| Written as | Exact kg | Common kg choice | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| +5 lb | 2.268 kg | +2.5 kg | about 10% faster than written |
| +10 lb | 4.536 kg | +5 kg | about 10% faster than written |
| +5 lb | 2.268 kg | +2 kg (needs 1 kg plates) | about 12% slower than written |
Neither choice is wrong. Pick one, write it in your sheet, and use it every time. If 2.5 kg jumps start stalling you, smaller change plates help (see the Plate Calculator (kg & lb) for how they load).
Step 3: Round to what you can load
Your smallest plate pair sets your smallest jump: 2 × 1.25 kg = 2.5 kg, and 2 × 0.5 kg = 1 kg. Round the converted weights to that step. Our training max rounding guide compares rounding to the nearest step with always rounding down.
In SpreadLift, a pound weight from your sheet is converted to kg first, then rounded to your kg step (2.5 kg by default), then loaded. A 225 lb set becomes 102.06 kg, which is loaded as 102.5 kg (25 + 15 + 1.25 a side) and shown with "from 225 lb". The weights in your sheet are never rewritten.
Step 4: Don't forget the bar
A "45 lb" bar is 20.41 kg, while a standard kg bar is 20 kg. That 0.4 kg is small, but don't count a kg bar as 45 lb, or a lb bar as 20 kg, when you check totals.
Common conversions
| lb | kg (exact to 0.01) | Plate-friendly kg |
|---|---|---|
| 135 | 61.23 | 60 or 62.5 |
| 185 | 83.91 | 85 |
| 225 | 102.06 | 102.5 |
| 315 | 142.88 | 142.5 |
| 405 | 183.70 | 182.5 or 185 |
Example: an nSuns-style weekly increase
nSuns guidance raises the training max by +5 lb, +5–10 lb or +10–15 lb depending on AMRAP reps (The Fitness Wiki, nSuns LP, checked 19 October 2026). In kg, many lifters use +2.5 kg, +2.5–5 kg and +5–7.5 kg. That's slightly more than written, so check that it suits you.
SpreadLift is not affiliated with or endorsed by the creators of nSuns or GZCL; names used descriptively.
Check your numbers and train safely
After converting, compare your first week's kg weights with what you've actually lifted recently. If anything looks heavier than expected, use the lower number.