[ramity]

While somewhat tangential to this, I'd like comment on a different problem. "What's the fewest number of plates you need to go from 45lb (bar) -> 240lb at a resolution of 5lb?" Look no further than the 185lb set[1]. Composed of pairs of 2.5lb, 5lb, 2x10lb, 25lb, 45lb plates, one can do just this. Need to lift 245lb? Buy another pair of 45lb plates and your range expands to 45lb -> 330lb. Another pair of 45lb plates yields 45lb -> 420lb. You get the idea. This approach comes with the added bonus of being the most cost efficient method of buying plates, as higher pound plates yield slightly better $/lb.

1: https://github.com/ramity/athena/blob/master/notebooks/plate...

Side note: I've yet to do the calculations for kg sets, but I'm certain something similar to this exists.

Edit: I made a laughably simple mistake interpreting my results and corrected the above. Many thanks to those who replied and brought this to my attention (credited in the commit https://github.com/ramity/athena/commit/4a17a3d16058f850d09e...).

[wyre]

This leaves out the ability to get to 85, 90, 175, and 180 lbs. Another set of 10s hits these missing numbers quite easily tho and allows for 330 lbs in total which should be plenty for most recreational lifters.

[nemetroid]

> Side note: I've yet to do the calculations for kg sets, but I'm certain something similar to this exists.

Metric plate math is trivial in comparison.

In the pounds case, dividing the common plate numbers by 5 lb yields:

1/2, 1, 2, 5, 9

Dividing the metric series by 2.5 kg (~5 lb) gives:

1/2, 1, 2, 4, (6), 8, (10)

[hervature]

The set of weights you listed cannot do 85lbs or 90lbs since nothing adds up to 20 or 22.5. Your notebook shows this. Easily rectified by adding in another pair of 10lb plates.

[spencerflem]

Doesn't this set skip 20lbs? Since 10+5+2.25 has a gap before the next size of 25

[AndrewOMartin]

To get 20, you just use the 25 and put the 5 on the other end.

[mellavora]

Old schoolers lift metric.

The bar is 20kg.

The weights (pairs of each):

1.25

2.5

5

10

20

you might want some 25kg bumpers for deadlifts