Manufacturer documented
Match the SSM model code. The Life Fitness Axiom OP-SM has a different starting resistance; the brand name alone is not enough.
Sources checked KNOW WHAT WEIGHT TO COUNTSmith machine
Smith machine
bar weight.
QUICK ANSWER
There’s no standard Smith machine bar weight.
Use your exact model’s published starting resistance. Don’t assume it’s the same as a free barbell.THE MODEL DIRECTORY
Not sure which model? Find your Smith machine
Match the brand and model code on the equipment label.
Photos help identify a model. Confirm the label; finishes and versions can differ.
Show first
8 models in the guideBoth units shown · ≈ means approximate
Manufacturer documented
Axiom OP-SM is a different model from the Life Fitness Signature SSM. Match the model code before using this value.
Sources checkedManufacturer documented
This value applies to the HSSMV Vertical Smith, not every Hammer Strength machine.
Sources checkedManufacturer documented
The manufacturer identifies this model as counterbalanced. The published take-off weight is not the physical mass of a detached bar.
Sources checkedManufacturer documented
Product specification
11 lb5 kg
Starting Weight: Smith Bar Assembly (unloaded)Precor Vitality VBR6802 specification Vitality VBR6802 is a separate model from Precor Discovery DPL0802.
Sources checkedCheck your model’s version
Both sources name DPL0802, but we have not established which units each value applies to. Check your machine's placard or matching manual before choosing a weight. The current page also rounds 15.9 kg to 16 kg in its specification table.
Sources checkedManufacturer documented
Owner manual, machine code A09
25 lb≈ 11.3 kg
Starting WeightHOIST CF-3753 A09 manual, printed page 39 / PDF page 40 The CF-3753 owner manual identifies machine code A09 and publishes pounds only. The kilogram figure shown here is calculated. Do not substitute the CF-3755 specification.
Sources checkedCheck your model’s version
2019 manufacturer specification sheet
52 lb24 kg
Starting weight of Olympic BarHOIST 2019 CF-3754 specification sheet Both sources name CF-3754, but the difference is unresolved. Check your unit's placard or matching manual rather than assuming the current page applies. This Dual Action model allows horizontal as well as vertical bar movement.
Sources checkedThese are manufacturer-published unloaded values, not independent measurements. If sources disagree, both figures are shown. Confirm your unit before choosing a number.
START WITH THE LABELNot sure which
Not sure which
machine you’re using?
Identify the equipment before choosing a starting weight.
Read the model label or placard
Look on the frame or near the base for the brand, model code and any resistance label. A photo can help you match it later.
Ask staff and match the manual
Your gym can help identify the unit and its manual. Match the full model code and any version information; don’t identify it by appearance alone.
Leave it unknown if you’re unsure
Record the plates you added and note “starting resistance unknown.” Keep the machine model in your log rather than guessing a number.
WHAT THE NUMBER MEANSBar mass isn’t always
Bar mass isn’t always
starting resistance.
The physical mass of the bar and the unloaded resistance of a Smith machine can differ. Counterbalancing and the machine’s design affect the starting value.
This guide keeps each manufacturer’s wording, such as “bar weight,” “starting resistance” or “take-off weight.” Check the linked source and your machine’s placard before using that value in your log.
BEFORE YOUR NEXT SET
Common questions.
Should I count the bar and both sides of plates?
For a consistent training log, add the plates on both sides to the manufacturer’s stated unloaded starting value. Note the model and keep the same logging convention. If the starting value is uncertain, record the added plates separately.
Can I compare this with a free barbell or another machine?
Use the number to track sessions on the same machine. A guided bar path, counterbalancing and different designs mean matching logged weights won’t necessarily feel the same on another machine or a free barbell.
How much does a Planet Fitness Smith machine bar weigh?
The gym name alone doesn’t identify the machine or its starting resistance. There isn’t one chain-wide number to use here. Check the brand, model label and placard at your location, or ask staff for the matching manual.
Why are two different figures shown for some models?
The linked manufacturer sources disagree. Both figures remain visible because the discrepancy is unresolved. No version or serial-number cutoff has been established; check the label or matching manual for your unit.
SOURCES, NOT GUESSWORK
How this guide is compiled.
Each model links directly to the manufacturer product page, manual or specification used for its starting value. The source checked date shows when those references were reviewed.
Published lb and kg pairs are preserved, including the manufacturer’s rounding. Where a source gives only pounds, the converted kilogram value is marked ≈. These figures are manufacturer labels, not independent measurements of resistance or detached bar mass.
If current and older sources disagree, we show both with equal prominence. Check your exact unit; the guide doesn’t infer a version from its appearance or claim an established serial-number cutoff.
KEEP A CLEARER TRAINING LOG