New to Powerlifting - n00b question
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Loss4TheWin
Posts: 249
Hey all! Two Questions.
1.) Is Wilks a decent way to compare strength between weight classes / sexes? Is there a different, preferred method? It looks like that's the method the Maryland State Powerlifting Assoc. uses - curious if that's standard.
2.) What's your Wilks? (squat/bench/deadlift) Mine is 192.87, got a looooong way to go. Looking for a goal to shoot for.
1.) Is Wilks a decent way to compare strength between weight classes / sexes? Is there a different, preferred method? It looks like that's the method the Maryland State Powerlifting Assoc. uses - curious if that's standard.
2.) What's your Wilks? (squat/bench/deadlift) Mine is 192.87, got a looooong way to go. Looking for a goal to shoot for.
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Replies
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my wilkes is 296.74... as for comparison not sure.0
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Wilks is a decent way to compare strength between weight classes, but it's far from perfect. I've read that it's only supposed to be used for totals though. Meaning it doesn't really work just to compare a few different peoples bench Wilks for example. I'm under the impression it's not really good for comparing genders, but I can't remember why right now so I could be full of crap.
My current wilks is 292.19 from my first meet in December. I never think about my goals in terms of wilks, although someday getting >400 would be amazing.0 -
Wilks is probably the best overall strength comparator between weight classes but, like another poster mentioned, doesn't translate well between genders. I think it skews on upper body strength affecting the bench portion of the total. Also, like another mentioned, it is really designed for use with totals as those are the numbers that were compiled.
Having said that, I have a wilks app on my phone and use it to compare my own lifts. I dropped 12lbs last year and my lifts dropped as well. At 135 my deadlift was 315. At 123 it is 305. To make myself feel better, I whip out my wilks app and see that 305 at 123 is the wilks equivalent of 330 at 135 so BAM I'm a rock star
My total wilks at my last two meets were:
426 equipped
330 unequipped (the meet that I dropped the weight for - 12lbs in 3 1/2 weeks)0 -
Wilks is probably the best overall strength comparator between weight classes but, like another poster mentioned, doesn't translate well between genders. I think it skews on upper body strength affecting the bench portion of the total. Also, like another mentioned, it is really designed for use with totals as those are the numbers that were compiled.
Having said that, I have a wilks app on my phone and use it to compare my own lifts. I dropped 12lbs last year and my lifts dropped as well. At 135 my deadlift was 315. At 123 it is 305. To make myself feel better, I whip out my wilks app and see that 305 at 123 is the wilks equivalent of 330 at 135 so BAM I'm a rock star
My total wilks at my last two meets were:
426 equipped
330 unequipped (the meet that I dropped the weight for - 12lbs in 3 1/2 weeks)
330 raw? You're my new hero.
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290 raw. That and a $1 will get me 1/3 of a cup of coffee.0
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Wilks is pretty much the best.
My gym PR wilks is 350 (raw)
My meet PR wilks is 329 (raw).0 -
Wilks is pretty much the best.
My gym PR wilks is 350 (raw)
My meet PR wilks is 329 (raw).
I love wilks too. I'm not a big person (123lbs) so often I only have my wilks to hold onto. My gym one would be 358. Maybe someday the stars will align and I'll see that in a meet but I long ago learned that they rarely do. 0 -
My Wilks for my 2nd meet was 288, but theoretically I should be capable of hitting 312 based on gym PRs.
Honestly the best motivator for me was to set relative strength goals, ie: 1.5xBW squat, 1x BW BP, 2x BW DL. DL is the only one I haven't gotten yet, and I might hit 1.75x BW Squat before I hit the 2xBW DL. So basically the same concept of the way Wilks is calculating a relative strength but a less complicated formula.0 -
Wilks is pretty much the best.
My gym PR wilks is 350 (raw)
My meet PR wilks is 329 (raw).
I love wilks too. I'm not a big person (123lbs) so often I only have my wilks to hold onto. My gym one would be 358. Maybe someday the stars will align and I'll see that in a meet but I long ago learned that they rarely do.
I competed in a USAPL meet last month, and while the numbers above are not adjusted for it, they actually adjust for age as well to get to a wilks total for the meet. Kind of cool for me as I only started powerlifting at 45 and competing at 46.
I hear you re the gym v meets. My bench has the worse transition from my gym workouts (even paused) to a meet. I just cannot seem to get anywhere near my max at a meet so far. I have a meet next month, so hopefully I can get some improvement then.0 -
My Wilks for my 2nd meet was 288, but theoretically I should be capable of hitting 312 based on gym PRs.
Honestly the best motivator for me was to set relative strength goals, ie: 1.5xBW squat, 1x BW BP, 2x BW DL. DL is the only one I haven't gotten yet, and I might hit 1.75x BW Squat before I hit the 2xBW DL. So basically the same concept of the way Wilks is calculating a relative strength but a less complicated formula.
That's not a bad way to look at it but it favours lighter lifters. I can rep 2x bw deadlift and 1.5 bd squat easily because I'm so light. Heavier lifters are at a disadvantage in that respect. Wilks is calculated taking that into account.0 -
Wilks is pretty much the best.
My gym PR wilks is 350 (raw)
My meet PR wilks is 329 (raw).
I love wilks too. I'm not a big person (123lbs) so often I only have my wilks to hold onto. My gym one would be 358. Maybe someday the stars will align and I'll see that in a meet but I long ago learned that they rarely do.
I competed in a USAPL meet last month, and while the numbers above are not adjusted for it, they actually adjust for age as well to get to a wilks total for the meet. Kind of cool for me as I only started powerlifting at 45 and competing at 46.
I hear you re the gym v meets. My bench has the worse transition from my gym workouts (even paused) to a meet. I just cannot seem to get anywhere near my max at a meet so far. I have a meet next month, so hopefully I can get some improvement then.
Another middle aged starter. I started at 42 and now compete M2 (50 plus) I swear lifting keeps the clock on age from moving so quickly. 0 -
My meet Wilks PR is 343 (raw). Should hit 360 in 2 weeks time at next meet.0
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My Wilks for my 2nd meet was 288, but theoretically I should be capable of hitting 312 based on gym PRs.
Honestly the best motivator for me was to set relative strength goals, ie: 1.5xBW squat, 1x BW BP, 2x BW DL. DL is the only one I haven't gotten yet, and I might hit 1.75x BW Squat before I hit the 2xBW DL. So basically the same concept of the way Wilks is calculating a relative strength but a less complicated formula.
That's not a bad way to look at it but it favours lighter lifters. I can rep 2x bw deadlift and 1.5 bd squat easily because I'm so light. Heavier lifters are at a disadvantage in that respect. Wilks is calculated taking that into account.
You are totally right, Wilks helps adjust for that when comparing oneself to other lifters. I guess for me powerlifting is mostly just about improving my own performance, though. As I've been (slowly) losing fat while building strength, both weight loss and strength gains get me closer to my goals. And once I hit 1.5BW squat, I just made a new goal to get 1.75xBW squat, and then can go for 2xBW squat, and so on 0 -
Wilks for the last powerlifting meet over 15 years ago. @165lbs.
365.75
At age 46, at 170lbs. With all lifts raw
299.710
