What Is a Wilks Score?

The problem it solves

In powerlifting, your 'total' is the most you lift in the squat, bench press and deadlift added together. But heavier lifters almost always post bigger totals — more body mass generally means more muscle and leverage. So how do you fairly compare a 60 kg lifter with a 120 kg one, or crown a single 'best lifter' across all weight classes? Raw totals won't do it. You need a way to level the field for bodyweight, and that's exactly what the Wilks score provides.

How it works

The Wilks score takes your total and multiplies it by a coefficient calculated from your bodyweight (with separate formulas for men and women). The coefficient is larger for lighter lifters and smaller for heavier ones, offsetting the natural advantage extra mass gives. The result is a single unitless number that reflects strength relative to size. Two athletes with very different totals and body weights can end up with nearly the same Wilks — meaning, pound for pound, they're comparably strong.

What the numbers mean

As a rough guide for men, a Wilks around 300 marks a solid intermediate lifter, 400 or so is a strong advanced level, and 500-plus is elite, competition-winning territory. Women's benchmarks sit on a similar scale under the female formula. These are approximations — thresholds vary by federation, equipment and the exact formula version — but they give a sense of where a score sits. It's most useful as a personal progress marker and for ranking lifters across weight classes.

Wilks vs newer formulas

The original Wilks formula, from the 1990s, has been the sport's standard for decades, but it isn't the only one. Analysts argued it slightly favoured certain bodyweights, so revised versions appeared — a 'Wilks 2' recalibration, and the IPF's own GL points, now used at the top level of the sport. Each aims to be fairer across the range of body sizes. The core idea is unchanged; the newer formulas just fine-tune the coefficients with more recent data. For casual comparison, any of them ranks lifters sensibly.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Wilks score?

A number that compares powerlifting totals fairly across different body weights.

What is a good Wilks score?

Around 300 is a solid intermediate; 400+ is advanced and 500+ elite.

How is the Wilks score calculated?

Multiply your total lifted by a coefficient based on your bodyweight.