DOTS Calculator
A bodyweight-normalized score built to reduce the distortion Wilks shows at very light and very heavy bodyweights.
Squat + bench + deadlift combined, or a single lift if that's what you're scoring.
DOTS score
292.13
How it's calculated
A fourth-degree polynomial in bodyweight (kg) produces a coefficient, which you multiply by your total (kg):
DOTS score = coefficient × total (kg)
a-e are the published DOTS coefficients (Hvezdas & Haack, 2019), separate sets for men and women. Cross-checked against USA Powerlifting's published formula and multiple independent DOTS calculator implementations.
Worked example: male, 90 kg bodyweight, 500 kg total
Coefficient at 90 kg: 0.646601. Score: 0.646601 × 500 = 323.30. Enter male, 90 kg, and 500 kg above and the tool shows the same number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did USA Powerlifting switch from Wilks to DOTS?
Wilks was found to distort scores at the extreme ends of the bodyweight spectrum -- very light and very heavy lifters could be systematically over- or under-scored relative to lifters near the middle. DOTS (published 2019) uses a differently shaped polynomial fit to reduce that distortion.
Does DOTS use kg or lb bodyweight classes like Wilks?
The formula itself runs on kilograms internally either way -- enter pounds here and the calculator converts for you. There's no separate DOTS bodyweight-class system; it's a continuous formula across any bodyweight.
Will my DOTS score be close to my Wilks score?
Usually within a few points at a typical middleweight bodyweight, but they can diverge more the further you get from the middle of the bodyweight range -- which is exactly the distortion DOTS was built to reduce. Compare both on the Wilks calculator.
Is DOTS used outside the US?
It's spreading -- some other federations and many lifters use it alongside or instead of Wilks -- but Wilks (and the IPF's own GL points formula for IPF-affiliated meets) remain more universally recognized internationally.
Keep going
- Wilks is the older, more widely recognized bodyweight-normalized score; compare your total on both formulas. Wilks Calculator
- DOTS compares you to other lifters at any bodyweight; strength standards compare each individual lift to your own bodyweight. Strength Standards