Wilks, DOTS & IPF GL Calculator
A 60 kg lifter and a 120 kg lifter can't be ranked by total alone — bigger bodies move bigger weights. Strength scores fix that. Enter your best squat, bench press, and deadlift and the calculator adds them into your total, then scores it three ways: Wilks, DOTS, and the IPF's official GL points.
Classic (raw) is lifting with only non-supportive gear — a belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves. If you don't wear a squat suit or bench shirt, choose this; it's what most gym and modern competitive lifters do.
Equipped means using supportive gear — a squat suit, bench-press shirt, deadlift suit, and knee wraps — that stores elastic energy and adds substantial weight to each lift. Because equipped lifters move more, the IPF GL formula uses different coefficients so the two are scored fairly within their own category. The setting changes only your IPF GL score, not Wilks or DOTS.
Squat, bench, deadlift — the total
Powerlifting is three lifts, and your total is simply the sum of your best single in each: Squat + Bench press + Deadlift, often written S+B+D. Enter your top successful lift for each above and the calculator adds them for you — leave a box blank (or at zero) if you only want to score one or two lifts, though the strength-score bands assume a full three-lift total.
A raw total on its own favours heavier lifters, who carry more muscle to move more weight. A strength score corrects for that by weighting your total against your bodyweight, producing a single number that lets a featherweight and a heavyweight be compared on equal terms — and lets you track your own progress even as your bodyweight changes.
Wilks, DOTS, and IPF GL
All three take the same inputs — bodyweight and total — and return a comparable score from different coefficients fitted to different data:
- IPF GL points (GoodLift) is the International Powerlifting Federation's current official formula, introduced in 2020 to replace its older IPF points. It has separate coefficients for men and women and for raw (classic) versus equipped lifting — which is why this calculator has an equipment switch. It's shown as the headline number here.
- DOTS, published in 2019, refits the curve to a broad modern data set and is widely used by ranking sites and non-IPF federations.
- Wilks, from the 1990s, was the sport's standard for decades and is still quoted often, so it's included for comparison.
The equipment switch changes only the IPF GL score — Wilks and DOTS have no separate raw and equipped versions. The three usually tell the same story; where they diverge is mostly at the extremes of bodyweight.
What's a good score
Rough bands for raw lifters — orientation, not gospel, since federations and sexes differ. Note the IPF GL scale runs on much smaller numbers than Wilks and DOTS:
| Level | IPF GL | Wilks / DOTS |
|---|---|---|
| Novice to intermediate | 50–65 | 200–300 |
| Intermediate to advanced | 65–80 | 300–400 |
| Advanced; competitive regionally | 80–100 | 400–500 |
| Elite; national-to-world level | 100+ | 500+ |
Chasing a score is a fine motivator, but it's a lagging measure of a lot of quiet work — consistent progressive overload on the three lifts is what moves it.
The formulas
Each score weights your total (in kilograms) against a coefficient derived from your bodyweight. IPF GL points use 100 × total / (A − B·e−C·bw), with A, B, C set by sex and by raw or equipped lifting. Wilks uses 500 / (a + b·bw + c·bw² + d·bw³ + e·bw⁴ + f·bw⁵) as its coefficient, and DOTS a fourth-order polynomial with its own 2019 constants. If you enter pounds, the calculator converts to kilograms first, since all three are defined in metric. The math runs entirely in your browser.
FAQ
What does S+B+D mean?
Your powerlifting total — the sum of your best Squat, Bench press, and Deadlift. Enter your top single for each and the calculator adds them.
What's the difference between Wilks, DOTS, and IPF GL?
All three turn total plus bodyweight into one comparable number. Wilks is the old standard; DOTS is a 2019 refit; IPF GL points is the federation's current official formula, with separate raw and equipped coefficients. This tool shows all three.
What's a good score?
On IPF GL, roughly 65 is a solid intermediate, 80–90 advanced, 100+ elite. Wilks and DOTS run higher — about 300, 400, and 500 for the same levels. Bands vary by federation, sex, and raw vs. equipped.
Which formula does the IPF use?
IPF GL points (GoodLift), which replaced the older Wilks and IPF points systems. It's the headline number here; switch Equipment to Raw or Equipped to match your competition.
What's the difference between classic (raw) and equipped?
Classic/raw uses only a belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves. Equipped adds supportive squat suits, bench shirts, and knee wraps that let you lift more — so the IPF GL formula scores them with separate coefficients. Pick the one matching how you lift.
Does this calculator store my numbers?
No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is saved or sent, in line with how Herculog works.
Your score only moves when your squat, bench, and deadlift do. Herculog tracks each lift's estimated 1RM and personal records over time, so you can watch the total climb — private and ad-free.
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