1. What is the Wilks Coefficient?

The Wilks Coefficient is used in powerlifting to compare the relative strength of athletes across different body weights. It allows for fair comparison between lifters of different sizes by normalizing their total lifts.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Wilks formula:

Where:

• \( BW \) — Body weight in kilograms
• \( a-f \) — Gender-specific coefficients

Explanation: The equation accounts for the non-linear relationship between body weight and strength potential, with different coefficients for men and women.

3. Importance of Wilks Coefficient

Details: The Wilks score is crucial for comparing powerlifters across weight classes. It's used in competitions to determine the best overall lifter regardless of body weight.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter body weight in kilograms and select gender. The calculator will output the Wilks coefficient which can be multiplied by a lifter's total to get their Wilks score.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Wilks coefficient?
A: It allows fair comparison of strength between athletes of different body weights by accounting for the non-linear relationship between size and strength.

Q2: What are typical Wilks coefficient values?
A: Coefficients typically range from about 0.6 to 1.3, with lighter athletes receiving higher coefficients.

Q3: How is the Wilks score calculated?
A: Wilks score = Total (squat + bench + deadlift) × Wilks coefficient.

Q4: Are there different versions of the formula?
A: Yes, there are original (1995) and updated (2020) versions. This calculator uses the original formula.

Q5: What's a good Wilks score?
A: 300+ is decent, 400+ is very good, and 500+ is elite level for drug-tested lifters.