DOTS calculator
Raw kilograms reward being big. DOTS is the coefficient modern powerlifting uses to score a lift relative to bodyweight, on one scale for men and women, so lifters of any size can compete fairly.
How DOTS works
Your lift is multiplied by a coefficient that depends only on your bodyweight and sex:
score = lift (kg) × 500 ÷ (a + b·bw + c·bw² + d·bw³ + e·bw⁴)
The polynomial is fitted so that equally impressive lifts score equally across the bodyweight range. These are the published coefficients, the same ones this page and the IronPack app compute with:
| a | b | c | d | e | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | -307.75076 | 24.0900756 | -0.1918759221 | 0.0007391293 | -0.000001093 |
| Female | -57.96288 | 13.6175032 | -0.1126655495 | 0.0005158568 | -0.0000010706 |
The coefficients are fitted for roughly 40 to 210 kg of bodyweight, so inputs outside that range are clamped to it, exactly as the app does.
Worked examples
- A 100 kg bench at 80 kg bodyweight (male) scores 69.0.
- A 180 kg squat at 93 kg bodyweight (male) scores 114.5.
- A 120 kg deadlift at 63 kg bodyweight (female) scores 129.1.
- The fairness in one line: 140 kg at 70 kg bodyweight scores 105.2, and 170 kg at 100 kg bodyweight scores 104.6. Thirty extra kilograms on the bar, near-identical scores.
Common questions
What is a good DOTS score?
There is no official scale, and single-lift scores read lower than full-meet totals. As a rough guide for a single lift: recreational lifters typically land under 100, strong gym lifters 100 to 150, and competitive powerlifters well beyond that. Compare against your own history and your training partners first.
DOTS vs Wilks - what changed?
Wilks was the previous standard. DOTS refit the polynomial on modern lifter data and is what most federations moved to. The idea is identical; the coefficients are newer.
Why sex-specific coefficients?
Strength scales differently with bodyweight for men and women, so one polynomial for both would systematically misprice one group. Two fitted curves put everyone on the same 500-point-style scale.
IronPack scores every record this way
Log your training and flip any leaderboard to pound-for-pound mode. Only your DOTS score is shared with friends, never your bodyweight or sex.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreMore free tools: one-rep max calculator and plate calculator. Curious how the fair-scoring boards fit the bigger picture? See training with friends in IronPack.
Last reviewed July 2026. The formula, coefficients and rounding on this page match the IronPack app (v1.1) exactly.