DOTS, Wilks and IPF GL points all turn a powerlifting total into one score that adjusts for bodyweight, so a light lifter can be compared fairly with a heavy one. Wilks is the oldest. DOTS is a newer formula on the same scale. IPF GL points replaced both at IPF meets in 2020 and score an elite lift at about 100.
This is general training information, not medical advice.
Why does powerlifting need a bodyweight formula?
Heavier lifters usually lift more weight, but less per kilo of bodyweight. Comparing raw totals favors big lifters, and comparing total divided by bodyweight favors small ones. A formula like Wilks or DOTS sits in between. It multiplies your total by a coefficient based on your bodyweight and sex, which is how meets choose a "best lifter" across weight classes.
What is the Wilks score?
Wilks is the formula most lifters have heard of. It multiplies your total by 500 divided by a long polynomial of your bodyweight, with different numbers for men and women. It was long the standard at meets. A revised version, Wilks-2, has since been published.
What is the DOTS score?
DOTS works the same way as Wilks and gives scores in a similar range, but it uses a simpler curve: a fourth degree polynomial of bodyweight instead of the fifth degree one Wilks uses. Some federations outside the IPF use DOTS for their best lifter awards. If someone quotes a DOTS of around 400, they would usually get a Wilks somewhere near it too.
What are IPF GL points?
IPF GL (Goodlift) points are the IPF's official formula. The IPF announced the switch from its previous IPF formula to GL points from May 1, 2020, for IPF sanctioned events, and encouraged member federations to use it nationally too.
According to the IPF GL coefficients paper:
- The formula is your result times 100, divided by A minus B times e to the power of minus C times your bodyweight.
- A, B and C change for men and women, for classic and equipped lifting, and for full powerlifting or bench only. That makes it the only one of the three with separate raw and equipped numbers. See raw vs equipped powerlifting for what those divisions mean.
- 100 points is the reference. The paper says 100 represents the average elite athlete level at a given bodyweight, so a score of 85 means roughly 85% of that.
Which formula is the most accurate?
The IPF published a comparison of the five formulas it evaluated: GL, its old IPF formula, Wilks, Wilks-2 and DOTS. The report concluded that GL was in the lead, DOTS ranked second by a large margin, and both Wilks versions followed. Keep in mind this was the IPF's own evaluation of its own formula, done on elite IPF results.
In practice, use whichever formula your federation uses for its awards. For comparing yourself over time, any one of them works as long as you stick to it.
How do the scores compare for real totals?
Here is an example we worked out with the published formulas. These are example lifters, not real results: two men in classic (raw) powerlifting.
- Example A: 80 kg bodyweight, 600 kg total. Wilks 409.6, DOTS 413.7, IPF GL 84.6.
- Example B: 110 kg bodyweight, 700 kg total. Wilks 411.9, DOTS 414.6, IPF GL 84.6.
Lifter B totals 100 kg more, but all three formulas rate the two performances as almost equal. Wilks and DOTS land on a similar scale in the 400s, while GL uses its own 100 point scale.
How do you calculate your own score?
Use your best squat, bench and deadlift from one meet (or one training day if you just want an estimate), add them in kilograms, and enter the total with your bodyweight into a calculator that shows Wilks, DOTS and GL side by side. Make sure you pick the right sex and division, since GL changes between classic and equipped.
Does your score matter for your first meet?
Not much. Most first timers compete for a total in their weight class, and the formula only matters for best lifter awards. Focus on making your lifts. Our guides to powerlifting meet commands and finding a powerlifting meet cover what actually decides your day. If you want to raise your total, start with how to increase your squat and how to increase your deadlift.
Training at a gym with other competitors helps too. Find powerlifting gyms near you on Proof of Chalk.
Common questions
What is a good DOTS score?
There is no official grading. Scores rise with your total relative to your bodyweight, so the most useful comparison is your own score over time or against others in your federation.
Is DOTS better than Wilks?
The IPF's 2020 evaluation ranked DOTS ahead of both Wilks versions, though behind its own GL formula. Some federations outside the IPF use it.
What does the IPF use instead of Wilks?
IPF GL points, in use at IPF sanctioned events since May 1, 2020.
What does 100 IPF GL points mean?
The IPF paper sets 100 points as the average elite level at a given bodyweight. A score of 90 is about 90% of that reference.
Can you compare a DOTS score with an IPF GL score?
Not directly. DOTS and Wilks use a scale in the hundreds, while GL centers on 100. Compare lifters using the same formula.