DOTS Score Formula
DOTS replaced Wilks in 2020 as the IPF's bodyweight-normalized scoring formula. It uses a polynomial coefficient based on body weight to make lifts comparable across weight classes.
Formula
Copy the exact expression or work through it step by step below.
DOTS = total_kg × 500 / polynomial(bw)
where polynomial(bw) = a + b·bw + c·bw² + d·bw³ + e·bw⁴ with sex-specific (a..e) coefficients. Variables
DOTS
DOTS score
Bodyweight-normalized strength score. Higher is better. World-record-class lifters: ~500. Top national: ~450. Strong recreational: ~350–400.
total_kg
Powerlifting total
Sum of best squat, bench, and deadlift in kilograms.
bw
Bodyweight at weigh-in
Kilograms. Sandbagging into a lighter class to maximize DOTS is a known competitive tactic.
polynomial(bw)
Sex-specific normalizer
4th-degree polynomial whose coefficients were fit to IPF performance data. Male: a=-307.75, b=24.06, c=-0.1062, d=0.000245, e=-0.000000215. Female: a=-57.96, b=13.96, c=-0.1126, d=0.000452, e=-0.000000694.
Step By Step
- 1
Determine sex-specific polynomial coefficients (a, b, c, d, e).
Male coefficients: a = -307.75, b = 24.06, c = -0.1062, d = 0.000245, e = -2.15·10⁻⁷.
- 2
Evaluate polynomial(bw) by substituting bodyweight.
bw = 83 kg. P = -307.75 + 24.06·83 + (-0.1062)·83² + 0.000245·83³ + (-2.15·10⁻⁷)·83⁴ = -307.75 + 1,996.98 − 731.50 + 140.04 − 10.21 = 1,087.56.
- 3
Divide 500 by the polynomial.
500 / 1,087.56 = 0.4598.
- 4
Multiply by total in kg.
Total 600 kg × 0.4598 = 275.9 DOTS.
Worked Example
Male, 83 kg bodyweight, 600 kg total
Sex
Male
Bodyweight (kg)
83
Total (kg)
600
P(83) = 1,087.56. DOTS = 600 × 500 / 1,087.56 = 275.9
DOTS 276 — strong recreational lifter. Regional-meet level is ~350; national-level around 425+; world-class 500.
Common Variations
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Sources & References
- IPF Coefficients (DOTS, GL, IPF) — International Powerlifting Federation Technical Rules
- Vanderburgh PM, Batterham AM. Validation of the Wilks powerlifting formula — Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (1999)