How to use
- 1Choose sex, unit (kg/lb) and event: full powerlifting (SBD) or bench press only.
- 2Pick classic (raw) or equipped for the IPF GL points.
- 3Enter your bodyweight and your squat, bench press and deadlift.
- 4Read all four scores and their coefficients in the table.
Wilks vs DOTS vs IPF GL points
The Wilks formula (Robert Wilks) normalises a total with a fifth-degree polynomial of bodyweight and was the IPF’s best-lifter formula for many years. Wilks 2020 uses refitted coefficients and a 600 multiplier. DOTS (2019) is a simpler fourth-degree polynomial now used by many federations and meets. Since 2020 the IPF ranks lifters by its own GL (Goodlift) points, with separate coefficients for classic and equipped, powerlifting and bench press. All coefficients were checked against the OpenPowerlifting project’s published source code (2026).
Worked example: 625 kg total at 83 kg
A man weighing 83 kg (183 lb) who totals 625 kg (220 squat, 145 bench, 260 deadlift; about 1,378 lb) scores roughly 421.9 DOTS, 417.2 original Wilks and 86.5 IPF GL points classic. At IPF-affiliated meets (for example British Powerlifting in the UK or Powerlifting America in the US) GL points decide best lifter; DOTS and Wilks remain common for comparing lifters across federations.
Limits and caveats
Each formula is fitted to a bodyweight range, so the tool clamps very light or very heavy bodyweights the same way OpenPowerlifting does (e.g. DOTS 40–210 kg for men). Scores from different systems are not interchangeable: 400 DOTS is not the same performance as 400 Wilks.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Wilks score calculated?
Your total is multiplied by a bodyweight coefficient: 500 ÷ (a + b·x + c·x² + d·x³ + e·x⁴ + f·x⁵), where x is bodyweight in kg and a–f differ for men and women.
What is a good DOTS score?
Roughly, around 300 is a solid trained amateur, 400+ is national-level and 500+ is international elite. These are informal guides, not official standards.
What are IPF GL points?
The IPF’s Goodlift formula since 2020: points = total × 100 ÷ (A − B·e^(−C·bodyweight)), with A, B and C set by sex, equipment and event.
Is Wilks 2020 the same as Wilks?
No. Wilks 2020 uses new coefficients and a 600 multiplier instead of 500, so scores run higher and the two versions should not be compared directly.
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