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Powerlifting Meet Predictor

Enter your best gym squat, bench press, and deadlift to predict your meet total, generate smart attempt selections (opener / 2nd / 3rd), and estimate your Wilks score. Supports kg and lbs.

Powerlifting Meet Predictor

Attempts · Total · Wilks Score

Unit System
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Predicted Meet Total

Meet performance is typically 95–100% of gym maxes — slightly less due to nerves and competition-legal depth requirements. The predictor applies a meet factor (97% for first meet, 100% standard, 103% for PR attempts) and generates attempt selections at 90%, 97%, and 102–105% of predicted meet max per lift. The Wilks score calculation uses the official Wilks coefficients by sex.

Attempt Selection Guide

Attempt% of Best LiftRule
Opener (1st)90–92%Must make this — a lift you can triple on a bad day
Second97–100%Your anticipated best / current max
Third102–105%+PR attempt — only if 2nd went well
Wilks ScoreLevel
< 200Recreational
200–300Novice–Intermediate
300–400Intermediate–Advanced
400–500Advanced–National level
500+Elite / World class

How to Prepare for Your First Powerlifting Meet

Your first powerlifting meet has one goal: go 9 for 9 (make all nine attempts). Attempt selection is the most important decision at a meet. Open conservatively — 90% of a lift you have hit in the gym recently on a hard day. Your opener should feel like a warm-up set. After a successful opener, increase by 5–8% for your second. If the second goes smoothly and you feel strong, attempt a PR on the third. The biggest mistake beginners make is opening too heavy after the adrenaline of competition makes weight feel light in warm-ups. Practice meeting commands (squat: wait for 'squat' and 'rack'; bench: wait for 'bench' or 'press' and 'rack'; deadlift: hold until 'down') during training so they become automatic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Opener: 90–92% of your best training lift — a weight you can confidently triple on a bad day. Never open with a max. Second attempt: 97–100% — your target meet current max. Third attempt: 102–105% or higher for a PR only if your second went up fast and smooth. Red-lighting your opener is the cardinal sin of powerlifting meets — always open conservatively.
The Wilks score normalises powerlifting totals across bodyweights using a polynomial correction factor. Wilks = Total × coefficient(BW). A Wilks of 300+ is good recreational; 400+ is competitive at national level; 500+ is elite or world-class. The DOTS formula (adopted by IPF in 2019) has replaced Wilks in most federations as it better normalises across all weight classes.
Stop maximal efforts 10–14 days out. Your last heavy session (90%+ intensity) should be 10–14 days before the meet. The final week: reduce volume by 50–70%, maintain some intensity (80–85%), avoid anything that creates soreness. Two days out: light technique work only or complete rest. Eat, sleep, and hydrate well in the final 5 days. This allows full recovery while maintaining neural readiness.
After 1 year of training: Males at 83 kg, target total ~350–400 kg (SQ 120, BP 80, DL 150). After 2–3 years: target 400–450 kg (SQ 150, BP 110, DL 200). A 4× bodyweight total (e.g. 320 kg at 80 kg) is a realistic 2-year intermediate goal. For females at 72 kg after 1 year: target ~230 kg total (SQ 80, BP 50, DL 100).

Related Calculators

Wilks Score CalculatorCalculate your Wilks and DOTS score.Calculate → One Rep Max CalculatorEstimate 1RM for any lift from reps+weight.Calculate → Powerlifting Total CalculatorCalculate your SBD total and compare to standards.Calculate → DOTS Score CalculatorCalculate your DOTS coefficient score.Calculate →