DOTS vs IPF GL vs Wilks: Which Powerlifting Score Should You Use?
· 6 min read · Iron Raven
Points formulas let you compare lifters of different bodyweights. There are several, and they don’t agree. Here is what DOTS, IPF GL and Wilks each do, who uses them, and which one you should use.
Why points formulas exist
Heavier lifters lift more, but not in a straight line: doubling bodyweight doesn't double your total. Points formulas adjust a total for bodyweight so lifters in different classes can be compared, for "best lifter" awards and for comparing yourself over time as your weight changes.
Each formula uses a curve fitted to competition results. Because they use different data and different maths, the same total gives different scores, and the rankings can change depending on which you use.
The points calculator in the Iron Raven app gives all four scores at once.
The main formulas
Formula
Introduced
Typically used by
Wilks
1990s
Long the standard. Still seen in older records and some federations.
Wilks 2
2020
An updated Wilks curve fitted to more recent results.
DOTS
2019
Widely used by federations outside the IPF.
IPF GL
2020
The IPF and its national affiliates, such as British Powerlifting.
Wilks and Wilks 2
The original Wilks formula was the standard for decades. Over time lifters found it favoured certain bodyweights, especially at the light and heavy ends, as the sport changed. Wilks 2 updates the curve but gives very different numbers, so a Wilks 2 score can't be compared with an old Wilks one.
DOTS
DOTS uses a single curve for men and one for women across all equipment. It is simple, widely understood, and the score most lifters quote outside the IPF.
IPF GL
The IPF moved away from Wilks in 2019 and has used IPF GL points since 2020. GL is different in two important ways:
Separate formulas for classic (raw) and equipped lifting, and for full power and bench-only.
A smaller scale. GL scores are roughly a tenth of DOTS or Wilks. A strong national-level classic total is around 80–100 GL points, not 400–600.
The same total, different scores
For an 83 kg man with a 650 kg classic total, the three formulas give quite different numbers. Try it in the points calculator to see your own. That's why you should always say which formula a score is in, and only compare scores from the same formula.
Masters lifters: age adjustment
The McCulloch coefficients adjust scores for lifters aged 40 and over, rising gradually with age (×1.225 at 55, for example). They are usually applied to Wilks or DOTS for masters comparisons. IPF GL doesn't include an age adjustment.
Which one should you use?
Competing in an IPF affiliate? Use IPF GL, with the right version for classic or equipped.
Competing elsewhere? Use whatever your federation uses for best-lifter awards; usually DOTS.
Tracking yourself over time? Pick one and stick with it. DOTS is a good default.
Reading old records? They will often be Wilks.
Points in Iron Raven
The Iron Raven app's points calculator gives DOTS, IPF GL, Wilks and Wilks 2 together, with optional McCulloch age adjustment, and prefills your bodyweight and total. The web version uses the same formulas.
