Wilks Score Calculator
Calculate a classic Wilks score from your gender, body weight, and combined squat, bench press, and deadlift total. Use the score to compare powerlifting totals across body weights.
Powerlifting Wilks Coefficient Calculator
Wilks Score Formula
Where:
- \(T\) — total lifted weight: the sum of the best squat, bench press, and deadlift (kg).
- \(W\) — the athlete’s body weight (kg).
- \(a\) through \(f\) — coefficients selected according to the Gender field.
The denominator determines the body-weight adjustment. This calculator uses the following coefficients for the classic Wilks formula:
| Coefficient | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| \(a\) | −216.0475144 | 594.31747775582 |
| \(b\) | 16.2606339 | −27.23842536447 |
| \(c\) | −0.002388645 | 0.82112226871 |
| \(d\) | −0.00113732 | −0.00930733913 |
| \(e\) | 0.00000701863 | 0.00004731582 |
| \(f\) | −0.00000001291 | −0.00000009054 |
Multiplying the total by the body-weight-dependent coefficient produces a score for comparing powerlifting totals, rather than a weight in kilograms.
Wilks Score – Calculation Example
Example: a male athlete weighs 80 kg and has a 200 kg total across the squat, bench press, and deadlift. These are the calculator’s default inputs.
Using the male coefficients, calculate the denominator:
\[\begin{aligned}D(80)={}&-216.0475144+16.2606339(80)-0.002388645(80)^2\\&-0.00113732(80)^3+0.00000701863(80)^4\\&-0.00000001291(80)^5=732.3876264\end{aligned}\]
Then multiply the total by \(500/D(80)\):
\[\text{Wilks score}=\frac{500(200)}{732.3876264}\approx136.54\]
Result: 136.54 Wilks points.
How to use the calculator
- Select Gender: Male or Female. This determines which set of Wilks coefficients the calculator uses.
- Enter your Body weight in kilograms. Use your weigh-in weight if you are calculating a meet score; the accepted range is 30–200 kg.
- Enter Total lifted weight in kilograms. Add your best successful squat, bench press, and deadlift. For example, 70 kg + 50 kg + 80 kg gives a 200 kg total.
- Read the Wilks Score result, rounded to two decimal places. It is a score, not a lifting total or a weight-class ranking.
What a Wilks score means
A Wilks score adjusts a powerlifting total for the lifter’s body weight using a gender-specific formula. Lifting more kilograms generally increases the score, but the adjustment also reflects the fact that absolute strength tends to differ across body sizes. This makes the score more useful than the raw total when comparing lifters of different weights under the same scoring rules.
A higher score represents a stronger total relative to the classic Wilks adjustment. For example, a 136.54 score means that a 200 kg total at 80 kg body weight has been multiplied by a coefficient of approximately 0.68270. It does not mean the athlete lifted 136.54 kg. There is no single score that defines a particular training level for everyone; interpret a result against relevant meet results, your own previous scores, or appropriate strength standards.
For progress tracking, record body weight and the three individual lifts alongside the score. A score can change because your total changes, your body weight changes, or both. Looking at those inputs helps explain whether an increase reflects improved lifting performance, a change in body size, or a combination.
Assumptions and practical limitations
- Use a three-lift total. This calculator does not enter squat, bench press, and deadlift separately or check whether attempts meet competition rules. If you need an estimated bench maximum for planning rather than a completed meet lift, use the Bench Press 1RM calculator first, but keep estimates distinct from official results.
- Keep units consistent. Both body weight and total must be in kilograms. Convert pounds before entering them; using pounds as though they were kilograms will produce an incorrect score.
- Check the scoring system. This page implements the classic Wilks formula shown above, not Wilks 2, IPF GL, or another federation’s current points system. Use the formula specified by your competition when comparing official rankings.
- Compare like with like. Equipment rules, drug-testing categories, age divisions, and meet conditions can affect the usefulness of comparisons even when two athletes have similar scores. For a simpler comparison of output to body mass in another context, see the Power-to-Weight Ratio calculator; it measures something different from Wilks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I calculate a Wilks score by hand without evaluating the polynomial every time?
Calculate the body-weight coefficient once, then multiply it by each total you want to compare. The coefficient is 500 divided by the formula’s denominator for your body weight and selected coefficient set. If your body weight changes, recalculate the coefficient; reusing an old one would give you the wrong score.
What is a good Wilks score for a beginner or competitive lifter?
A useful benchmark is a score from lifters in a comparable division, not a universal cutoff. Look at results from meets with similar equipment, testing, and eligibility rules, or compare your own scores over time. Before using a published benchmark, check which points formula it uses: a score calculated with another formula is not directly comparable.
How do I convert pounds to kilograms for a Wilks calculation?
Divide pounds by approximately 2.20462. For example, a 165 lb body weight is about 74.84 kg, and a 900 lb total is about 408.23 kg. Convert both numbers before calculating, and retain a few decimal places for body weight if you have them. Rounding to the nearest whole kilogram can slightly change the result.
Can I calculate a Wilks score if I missed one of the three lifts?
You can calculate a number from any nonnegative total, but it may not represent a valid three-lift meet result. In a competition, failing to record a successful attempt in a required lift generally means you do not have a qualifying total. A zero total produces zero points mathematically; check the meet rules before treating it as an official score.
Should I enter my weigh-in weight or my weight on the day I lift?
Use the official weigh-in weight when comparing your score with meet results. Body weight can change between weigh-in and lifting, but competition points are normally based on the recorded weigh-in. For informal training comparisons, use a consistently measured body weight and note when it was taken so changes in your score remain interpretable.
Are Wilks, Wilks 2, DOTS, and IPF GL scores interchangeable?
No. These systems use different body-weight adjustments, so the same lifter and total can receive different numbers. Classic Wilks and Wilks 2 are different formulas, while DOTS and IPF GL are separate scoring systems. Use the system named in your federation’s rules or in the results you are comparing; do not rank lifters by mixing scores from different systems.
Why might my Wilks score differ from a meet’s published points?
First check whether the meet used classic Wilks rather than another points system. Then verify the recorded body weight, the best successful attempt in each lift, and any conversion from pounds. Small differences can also come from rounding body weight, coefficients, or the final score. A large difference usually indicates different inputs or a different scoring formula.