Wilks Score Calculator
The Wilks score lets powerlifters of different bodyweights compare their totals fairly. Heavier lifters can usually lift more in absolute terms, so a raw total favors them; the Wilks coefficient corrects for bodyweight so a lighter lifter with a strong relative total scores well too. This calculator applies the standard Wilks coefficient to your bodyweight, multiplies it by your total lifted, and returns a Wilks score. The coefficient is 500 divided by a fifth-order polynomial in bodyweight, with separate constant sets for men and women published in the Wilks formula. Enter a male bodyweight of 90 kilograms and a total of 500 kilograms and the tool returns a coefficient of about 0.6384 and a Wilks score of about 319.20 points. A higher score means a stronger performance relative to bodyweight, which is why federations have used Wilks to rank lifters across weight classes and to decide best-lifter awards. Because the polynomial constants are fixed, the only inputs you supply are bodyweight, total and sex, and the arithmetic is fully deterministic. The complete coefficient formula and a worked example that reconciles exactly to the calculator appear in full below, so you can reproduce the coefficient and the score by hand step by step.
The Wilks score corrects a powerlifting total for bodyweight: score = total x coefficient, where the coefficient is 500 divided by a fifth-order polynomial in bodyweight. A 90 kg man lifting a 500 kg total scores about 319.20 Wilks points.
Wilks score formula
coefficient = 500 / (a + b x + c x^2 + d x^3 + e x^4 + f x^5)
x = bodyweight in kilograms
Men: a = -216.0475144, b = 16.2606339, c = -0.002388645, d = -0.00113732, e = 0.00000701863, f = -0.00000001291
score = total lifted x coefficient
The bodyweight is fed into a fifth-order polynomial; 500 divided by that polynomial gives the Wilks coefficient. Multiplying the coefficient by the total lifted gives the Wilks score, which is comparable across weight classes.
Worked example
A male lifter weighing 90 kilograms with a total of 500 kilograms.
- Polynomial = -216.0475144 + 16.2606339(90) - 0.002388645(90^2) - 0.00113732(90^3) + 0.00000701863(90^4) - 0.000000001291(90^5)
- Polynomial evaluates to about 783.22
- Coefficient = 500 / 783.22 = 0.6384
- Wilks score = 500 x 0.6384 = 319.20 points
These are the calculator's default inputs, so the result above matches the widget exactly.
Wilks Score Calculator: frequently asked questions
What is a Wilks score?
A Wilks score is a powerlifting total adjusted for bodyweight using the Wilks coefficient. It lets lifters in different weight classes be compared on relative strength, and federations have used it to rank lifters and award best-lifter titles.
How is the Wilks coefficient calculated?
It is 500 divided by a fifth-order polynomial in bodyweight, with separate constant sets for men and women. The polynomial captures how lifting capacity scales with bodyweight, so lighter lifters get a higher coefficient.
Is a higher Wilks score better?
Yes. A higher Wilks score means a stronger performance relative to bodyweight. Two lifters with the same total but different bodyweights will get different Wilks scores, with the lighter lifter scoring higher.
Does this use kilograms or pounds?
The standard Wilks coefficient uses bodyweight in kilograms and the total in kilograms, so this calculator expects kilograms. If you train in pounds, convert first (1 pound is about 0.4536 kilograms) before entering values.
Is strength training safe?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days a week for adults, with gradual progression and good form. A scoring tool like Wilks is for comparison, not for setting training load.
Official sources
- Physical activity and health guidance: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As at 25 June 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. This is general information, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice.