If you’ve ever posted a total online, someone has probably replied with a Wilks, DOTS, or GL number instead of just congratulating you. All three formulas exist to answer the same question: pound-for-pound, who lifted more? But they don’t always agree, and understanding why matters more than memorizing which one is “best.”
What each formula actually does
Wilks was built in 1994 from competition data available at the time, using a 5th-degree polynomial fitted separately for men and women. It was the standard for over two decades, and a “revised” 2020 version (often called Wilks 2) rebalanced the coefficients using more current data — you’ll see both floating around, and they produce noticeably different scores at the same inputs.
DOTS, published in 2019 by Tim Konertz, is a simpler 4th-degree polynomial built specifically from tested raw lifter data rather than the equipped-lifting data Wilks originally used. It’s become the standard for most non-IPF federations that dropped Wilks.
IPF GL (Goodlift) is the International Powerlifting Federation’s own formula, an exponential model recalculated periodically from IPF World Championship results, with separate coefficients for Classic (raw) and Equipped lifting. It’s the only one of the three built and maintained by a competition-sanctioning federation specifically for its own athletes.
Where they disagree
At a typical middleweight bodyweight, all three formulas tend to produce broadly similar scores for a given total. The real divergence shows up at the extremes — very light and very heavy bodyweights — where each formula’s underlying data and curve-fitting choices push scores in different directions. This is exactly the bias Wilks was criticized for and that both DOTS and Wilks 2 attempted to correct, with different results.
Which one should you use?
- Competing in the IPF or an IPF-affiliated federation? Use GL Points — it’s what actually determines your competition ranking.
- Competing in USPA, USAPL side events, or a federation that adopted DOTS? Use DOTS.
- Comparing yourself informally, or your federation still posts Wilks? Either classic Wilks or Wilks 2 works, just be clear which one you’re citing since they don’t match.
The honest answer is: use whichever formula your federation actually scores you with. For everything else — bragging rights, tracking your own progress over time, sizing up a training partner — any of the three will tell a broadly similar story, and consistency (picking one and sticking with it) matters more than which one you pick.
Try it yourself
Run the same bodyweight and total through our DOTS Calculator, Wilks Calculator, and IPF GL Calculator and see how much they actually diverge for your numbers.
Same lifter, three scores: a side-by-side comparison
The easiest way to see how the formulas relate is to run the same totals through all three. The figures below use the classic (1994) Wilks coefficients, DOTS, and IPF GL points for raw (classic) powerlifting:
| Lifter | Bodyweight | Total | Wilks | DOTS | IPF GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 66 kg | 500 kg | 392.6 | 391.8 | 77.9 |
| Men | 83 kg | 600 kg | 400.5 | 405.1 | 83.1 |
| Men | 120 kg | 750 kg | 431.2 | 430.7 | 87.2 |
| Women | 57 kg | 350 kg | 406.1 | 401.0 | 82.1 |
| Women | 84 kg | 450 kg | 401.3 | 414.1 | 85.0 |
Two things stand out. First, Wilks and DOTS land on a similar scale (roughly 300–500 for most competitive lifters), so the numbers look interchangeable even though they are not. Second, IPF GL uses a completely different scale — around 60–100 for most lifters — so a “GL of 85” and a “DOTS of 405” can describe the same performance. Never compare a score from one formula against a score from another.
Which formula does your federation use?
The practical answer to “which one should I use?” is usually “whichever one decides best lifter at your meet.” The IPF and its national affiliates use IPF GL points. Many non-IPF federations adopted DOTS after 2019, and some meets and older ranking lists still quote Wilks. Federations in the GPC/WPC family have historically used Glossbrenner — see our guide on Glossbrenner vs Wilks for why. Check your federation’s rulebook before you set goals around a specific number.
Frequently asked questions
Is DOTS better than Wilks?
DOTS was fitted to more recent raw-lifting data, so many coaches consider it fairer across bodyweights for raw lifters today. “Better” depends on what you are comparing — for official placings, the formula your federation uses is the one that matters.
Why is my IPF GL score so much lower than my DOTS score?
Because GL points are scaled differently. A GL score near 100 represents a world-class performance, while a comparable DOTS score would be well above 500. The scales are not meant to match.
Should I use classic Wilks or Wilks 2?
Use whichever version the ranking or meet you are comparing against uses. The two versions give different results for the same inputs — our Wilks calculator guide and Wilks 2 calculator guide explain the differences.