About the DOTS Calculator
This DOTS calculator gives you the bodyweight-adjusted score used by many powerlifting federations to rank lifters across weight classes. Enter your sex, bodyweight and best squat, bench press and deadlift (in kilograms or pounds) and it returns your total, your DOTS coefficient and your DOTS score.
DOTS (Dynamic Objective Team Scoring) was introduced in 2019 as a replacement for the Wilks formula. A heavier lifter can usually lift more in absolute terms, so the coefficient scales each total to what it is worth relative to bodyweight — as a rough guide, a DOTS of around 300 is a solid gym lifter, 400 is competitive at regional or national level and 500+ is world class.
The coefficients are clamped at 40–210 kg for men and 40–150 kg for women, as specified in the formula. Use it to compare your lifts with friends, track progress while your bodyweight changes, or decide which weight class gives you the best relative score.
With the default inputs, the dots score is 381.49. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the dots calculator
- 1Select your sex and whether you are entering kilograms or pounds.
- 2Enter your bodyweight (weigh-in weight for a meet).
- 3Enter your best squat, bench press and deadlift.
- 4Read your DOTS score and see what total you need for the next milestone.
Formula and method
DOTS multiplies your powerlifting total in kilograms by a coefficient that depends on bodyweight (BW, kg) and sex. The coefficient is 500 divided by a fourth-degree polynomial fitted to competition results, so lifters of every weight class can be ranked on one scale.
Men use a = −0.000001093, b = 0.0007391293, c = −0.1918759221, d = 24.0900756, e = −307.75076, with bodyweight clamped to 40–210 kg. Women use a = −0.0000010706, b = 0.0005158568, c = −0.1126655495, d = 13.6175032, e = −57.96288, clamped to 40–150 kg. Pound entries are converted at 2.20462 lb per kg. The level labels are informal guides, not federation categories.
- BW
- Bodyweight in kilograms (clamped to the formula range)
- total
- Best squat + bench press + deadlift, in kilograms
- a–e
- Sex-specific polynomial coefficients
Worked examples
90 kg man with a 590 kg total
At 90 kg the male polynomial gives a coefficient of about 0.6466. Multiplying the 590 kg total (200 + 140 + 250) gives a DOTS score of roughly 381.5.
60 kg woman with a 350 kg total
The female coefficient at 60 kg is about 1.1085, so a 350 kg total scores around 388 DOTS — slightly higher than the 90 kg man above despite lifting 240 kg less.
198 lb lifter with a 1,500 lb total
198 lb is 89.8 kg and a 1,500 lb total is 680.4 kg. With a coefficient of about 0.6473 the DOTS score is roughly 440 — an advanced, competitive total.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good DOTS score?+
As a rough guide, under 200 is a beginner, 300 is a solid recreational lifter, 400 is competitive at regional or national level, and 500 or more puts a lifter among the best in the world.
What is the difference between DOTS and Wilks?+
Both scale your total by a bodyweight polynomial. DOTS was released in 2019 using more recent competition data and is considered fairer to very light and very heavy lifters than the original 1990s Wilks coefficients.
Does the IPF use DOTS?+
The IPF ranks best lifters with its own IPF GL points formula. DOTS is widely used by other federations, local meets and online rankings for best-lifter comparisons.
Can I use DOTS for a single lift?+
The formula was designed for the three-lift total, but applying the same coefficient to a single lift (such as bench-only) is common for informal comparisons.
Should I enter my bodyweight in kg or lb?+
Either works — choose the units first, then enter bodyweight and lifts in the same units. The calculator converts to kilograms internally because the coefficients are defined in kg.