What the DOTS and Wilks scores measure
A heavier lifter almost always lifts more weight, but not in proportion to bodyweight. A 120 kg (265 lb) lifter does not total twice as much as a 60 kg (130 lb) lifter. Scoring formulas fix that by multiplying your total by a coefficient that gets smaller as bodyweight goes up. The result is a number you can compare across weight classes.
Example: a man weighing 83 kg (183 lb) with a 550 kg (1,213 lb) total scores about 371 DOTS and 367 Wilks. Both formulas say the same thing here: a strong lifter for his size. Where they disagree is mostly at the heavy and light ends of the bodyweight range.
| Bodyweight | DOTS coefficient | Total needed for 400 DOTS |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg (130 lb) | 0.844 | about 474 kg (1,045 lb) |
| 80 kg (175 lb) | 0.690 | about 580 kg (1,280 lb) |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 0.616 | about 650 kg (1,435 lb) |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 0.574 | about 697 kg (1,535 lb) |
| 140 kg (310 lb) | 0.548 | about 730 kg (1,610 lb) |
The table shows the idea in numbers: going from 60 to 80 kg of bodyweight costs a lot of coefficient, while going from 120 to 140 kg costs little. The formulas assume that extra bodyweight helps less and less the heavier you already are.
DOTS vs Wilks: what is the difference?
| DOTS | Classic Wilks | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A newer coefficient formula built from modern meet results | The long standing formula named after Robert Wilks, used for decades |
| Input | Bodyweight, sex, total in kg | Bodyweight, sex, total in kg |
| Typical difference | Usually within a few points of Wilks for mid weight lifters | Tends to give heavy and very light lifters a different score than DOTS |
| Where you see it | Many federations outside the IPF, meet results databases | Older records, gyms, and comparisons with historic lifters |
The calculator above uses the published DOTS coefficients and the original Wilks coefficients. A revised Wilks formula (often called Wilks 2) also exists and gives different numbers, so a Wilks score from another site can differ from ours if it uses the newer version.
Which federations use which score?
- IPF: the International Powerlifting Federation used Wilks for many years, then moved to its own formula. Since 2020 it ranks lifters with IPF GL points, which this calculator does not compute.
- Federations outside the IPF: DOTS is widely used for best lifter awards and rankings.
- Your meet: rules change and differ by federation, age class and division. If an award or qualification depends on it, check your federation's current rulebook.
How to use the DOTS calculator
- Choose sex and unitThe formulas have separate coefficients for men and women. Enter values in kg or lb; the score is the same either way.
- Enter your bodyweightUse your weigh-in weight for a meet, or your normal morning weight for a gym total.
- Enter your totalSquat plus bench press plus deadlift, using the best successful lift of each. For a gym total, use real singles or a careful estimate from the one rep max calculator, or the lift specific squat max calculator and deadlift max calculator.
- Read both scoresDOTS is shown large, Wilks next to it. Track the same score over time rather than switching between them.
Only one lift? Some people put a single lift into a DOTS calculator, for example a bench only meet. That works for comparing bench only lifters with each other, but the score will be far lower than a full power total and should not be compared with one.
What is a good DOTS or Wilks score?
There is no official grading table for DOTS or Wilks, and tiers you see online are rough rules of thumb from individual coaches or sites. A more useful reference is what ordinary gym-goers lift. Using Gripp's strength standards for regular gym-goers aged 18 to 35, we can work out what the middle and the top of that group would score.
| Lifter | Total | DOTS | Wilks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man, 80 kg, median gym-goer | about 316 kg (695 lb) | about 218 | about 216 |
| Man, 80 kg, top 5 % of gym-goers | about 488 kg (1,075 lb) | about 337 | about 333 |
| Woman, 60 kg, median gym-goer | about 162 kg (355 lb) | about 180 | about 181 |
| Woman, 60 kg, top 5 % of gym-goers | about 270 kg (595 lb) | about 299 | about 301 |
These totals add up the median and Elite levels of the squat, bench press and deadlift from our model; see also the deadlift standards and bench press standards. They are estimates, not measured meet data. Competitive powerlifters are a selected group and usually score well above the gym-goer median, so compare yourself with lifters in your own federation and division if you compete.
For most people, the honest answer to "is my score good?" is: is it higher than three months ago? A score climbs when your total goes up faster than your bodyweight, which is exactly what steady progressive overload on the three lifts does.
Raising your score
Your score has two levers: total and bodyweight. Gaining weight raises your total for most lifters, but the coefficient drops at the same time, so the score rises less than the kilos suggest. Losing a little fat while holding your strength raises the score. For most lifters, though, the dependable route is simply a bigger total.
- Train the three lifts often. A program built around the squat, bench and deadlift, such as 5/3/1, gives each lift regular heavy practice.
- Bring up your weakest lift. A total is a sum, so the lift that lags behind your standards usually has the most cheap kilos in it.
- Practise heavy singles before a test. One maximal rep is a skill. A few weeks of heavier triples and doubles makes a gym total more accurate.
Gripp rates your strength by muscle group
Gripp keeps an estimated 1RM for every lift from the sets you log, so your squat, bench and deadlift are always up to date. It also rates your strength per muscle group against people of your age and bodyweight, and tells you what to lift next session.
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