Compare a powerlifting total relative to body weight with the classic Wilks formula. The result is explicitly labeled classic Wilks because major federations may now use newer scoring systems.
A Wilks score lets you compare powerlifting totals between lifters of different body weights. A 600 lb (272 kg) total means something very different at a 130 lb (59 kg) body weight than at 250 lb (113 kg) — Wilks levels the field by multiplying your total by a coefficient that depends on your sex and body weight. Lighter lifters get a larger coefficient, heavier lifters get a smaller one, because strength does not scale one-to-one with body weight.
The formula is:
Wilks Score = Total lifted (kg) × Coefficient
Coefficient = 500 ÷ (a + b·x + c·x² + d·x³ + e·x⁴ + f·x⁵), where x is body weight in kilograms and a–f are the classic Wilks polynomial coefficients for your sex:
| 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 |
If you enter pounds, the calculator converts your body weight and total to kilograms first (1 lb = 0.45359237 kg), then applies the formula. The 500 in the numerator is a scaling constant chosen so that typical competitive scores land in the low hundreds.
Male lifter, 100 kg (220 lb) body weight, 600 kg (1,323 lb) total. Plugging x = 100 into the male polynomial gives 821.57, so the coefficient is 500 ÷ 821.57 = 0.608589. Score = 0.608589 × 600 = 365.15.
Female lifter, 60 kg (132 lb) body weight, 300 kg (661 lb) total. Plugging x = 60 into the female polynomial gives 448.48, so the coefficient is 500 ÷ 448.48 = 1.114887. Score = 1.114887 × 300 = 334.47.
Notice the female lifter's coefficient is above 1.0: at 60 kg, the formula credits her total by about 11%, because lighter lifters are expected to lift less in absolute terms.
There is no official Wilks grading scale — these rough gym benchmarks help you interpret your number. They describe a drug-tested-style recreational to competitive range, not a federation standard.
| Wilks Score | Rough Level |
|---|---|
| Below 250 | Beginner — first year or two of structured training |
| 250–300 | Intermediate — consistent training, solid technique |
| 300–350 | Advanced — competitive at local meets |
| 350–400 | Elite — competitive at national-level meets |
| 400+ | World class — among the best totals ever recorded |
This calculator uses the classic Wilks formula, which was the standard in powerlifting for decades. In recent years, several federations have moved on: the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) now uses IPF GL Points, and many federations and meets use DOTS, which was designed to fix known biases in the classic Wilks curve at the extremes of body weight. Classic Wilks is still widely used for gym comparisons, training logs, and some local meets — but if you are competing, check which system your federation uses before comparing scores. A Wilks score and a DOTS score for the same total are not interchangeable.
The best use of Wilks is tracking yourself over time. If your total goes up but your body weight goes up too, your Wilks score tells you whether you actually got relatively stronger. It is also the fairest way to compare totals with training partners of different sizes, and a useful way to set goals: for example, "reach a 350 Wilks at my next meet" is a clearer target than a raw total, because it already accounts for whatever you weigh on meet day. Keep in mind that the formula was fitted to equipped and raw competition data from a specific era, so it is an approximation at very light and very heavy body weights — the calculator enforces the classic valid ranges (men 40.0–201.9 kg, women 26.51–154.53 kg).
Sources and further reading: OpenPowerlifting maintains one of the largest public databases of powerlifting results and documents the scoring systems federations use. This page is for general information only and is not affiliated with any federation.
Maintained by Live Fitness Check. Last updated: August 13, 2026. How we test our calculators .
It scales a powerlifting total using a body-weight coefficient so totals from lifters of different body weights can be compared under that scoring system.
No. The IPF replaced Wilks and later adopted IPF GL Points, so this calculator is explicitly for the classic Wilks method.
The classic polynomial can behave poorly outside intended ranges; this implementation follows practical bounds used by OpenPowerlifting rather than silently extrapolating.
