3 Tricks for Converting Kilos to Pounds
Kilos. The 5 letter word that makes any American powerlifter or weightlifter cringe. For the rest of the world it seems to make sense but in the good old U. S. of A. we do things a little different. While they're talking about kilograms, meters and liters we have pounds, inches and gallons (that is a discussion we don’t have time to get into). We believe in bringing “Power to the People” so here are 3 helpful tips to get you through that next kilo conversion.
Calculator
The easiest and most exact. Pull up your calculator of choice. If you’re old school that might mean an actual calculator but the rest of us will probably go for our phone or a web browser. Take the weight in kilos and multiply it by 2.2 to get your pounds conversion. If you need scientific precision the exact multiplier is 2.20462 but 2.2 is much easier to remember and takes care of the problem 99% of the time.
Equation
Kilos x 2.2 = Pounds Lifted
Pros
Accurate - assuming you can type numbers you should be good to go
Free - everyone has a phone on them with a calculator
Cons
Time - it can be tough mid conversation to stop someone and make them wait while you pull out your calculator
Convenience Factor - it's annoying to constantly plug numbers in your phone to understand what people are talking about
Bar Calc App
Since you probably need to take out your phone to do the conversion, why not use an app that solves this exact problem? That’s where BarCalc comes in. The app has a whole list of features including:
Visual weight charts
Kilo to pound conversions
Swapable plate charts including olympic, powerlifting, bumper and iron
Adjustable bar weight for men or women
Adding weight plate by plate
Pros
Exact - no guess work here
Visual - shows you what the weight looks like on the bar along with a list of plates needed
Cons
iPhone only - sorry Android users. A quick search on Google Play does show similar apps if you are set on using one.
Cost - At $1.99 it’s not exactly breaking the bank but it’s not free either. Let’s be honest, you’ve probably spent $1.99 on way dumber things.
Mental Math Trick
Ahh mental math... this is where things can get interesting. For most people, converting kilos to pounds in their head means multiply by 2ish and hope you're close. However, there is a very simple trick that will get you within a few pounds every time and have you looking like an expert. Some people might even be impressed and ask you how you did it. You can decide how much of the secret you want to share. Here’s the 3 steps to convert kilos to pounds in your head:
Multiply your kilos by 2
Take the total from step 1 and move the decimal point one spot to the left
Add the numbers from step 1 and 2 toghther
Examples
100 x 2 = 200
+20
=220
160 x 2 = 320
+32
=352
303 x 2 = 606
+60.6
=666.6
It might seem a little overwhelming at first but after you do a few you will get the hang of the pattern and should be able to bang out the conversion. The next time you’re watching that Instagram video or hear kilos come up in conversation you should be able to quickly run through this process and not miss a beat. Now get out there and show everyone your oddly specific math conversion skills!
Bonus - Massenomics Plate Loading Diagram
At Massenomics, we want to do everything we can to make life easy for our fellow brothers in iron. So we have created a handy little spreadsheet that helps you load the bar. This is very similar to what you find in most meets and includes a plate loading diagram for the weight you enter.
Please share this article if you like it. We genuinely appreciate shares. Give our podcast a listen and sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the page. Check out some of our apparel in our shop, like our "Weekend Warrior" line of shirts and hats.