Compare strength fairly across bodyweights
A 60 kg lifter who totals 400 kg and a 100 kg lifter who totals 600 kg cannot be ranked by total alone — the heavier athlete carries a built-in advantage. The Wilks score solves this by scaling every total against a bodyweight curve, producing a single number that ranks raw strength relative to size. It is the metric that decides “best lifter” awards at countless meets.
How it works
The Wilks coefficient is computed from a fifth-degree polynomial of bodyweight x (in kilograms):
coefficient = 600 / (a + b·x + c·x² + d·x³ + e·x⁴ + f·x⁵)
Wilks score = coefficient × total_in_kgThe six constants a through f differ for men and women. This calculator uses the Wilks 2020 revision, which adjusted those constants to reduce bias against the lightest and heaviest competitors. If you enter pounds, the value is divided by 2.2046226218 to convert to kilograms before the polynomial is applied.
Wilks 2020 vs the original Wilks formula
The original Wilks formula was introduced in the 1990s. Analyses of large competition datasets later showed it systematically under-valued the lightest and heaviest weight classes relative to the middle classes. The 2020 revision fitted new polynomial constants to a more recent dataset to correct this. If you are comparing historical scores from before 2020, be aware that the numbers are not directly comparable — a Wilks 450 under the old formula is a different achievement than a Wilks 450 under the 2020 constants.
How Wilks compares to DOTS and IPF GL
| Formula | Structure | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Wilks 2020 | 5th-degree polynomial | Many non-IPF federations, powerlifting communities |
| IPF GL (Goodlift) | Exponential function | All IPF meets since 2019 |
| DOTS | 5th-degree polynomial | Some German/European federations |
If you compete in an IPF-affiliated federation, your official results use GL points, not Wilks. Wilks remains the most widely cited relative-strength metric in non-IPF federations and in casual gym discussions because it has been in use the longest.
Practical benchmarks
Rough guidance for competitive raw powerlifting (these are illustrative ranges, not official thresholds):
| Wilks 2020 | Level |
|---|---|
| Below 250 | Beginner |
| 250–350 | Intermediate |
| 350–450 | Advanced |
| 450+ | Elite / competitive |
These shift by federation, era, and depth of field. Use them as a rough self-assessment, not a definitive classification.
Tips and example
Take a male lifter weighing 90 kg with a 700 kg total. Plug 90 into the men’s polynomial to get a coefficient near 0.59, then multiply by 700 to get a Wilks score of roughly 413 — firmly advanced.
Always use your competition total (best squat plus best bench plus best deadlift), not a single lift. Because the polynomial is steepest at the extremes, small bodyweight changes matter most for very light or very heavy athletes. Use the same formula version when comparing scores — mixing Wilks 1994 and Wilks 2020 numbers is not meaningful.