Who is "stronger" — a 60 kg lifter totalling 300 kg, or a 100 kg lifter totalling 400 kg? Raw weight comparisons favor bigger bodies, which is why powerlifting uses bodyweight-adjusted strength scores. This tool calculates the now-standard DOTS and the traditional Wilks (2020 revision) at the same time.
How to use this tool
Enter your sex, body weight and total (squat + bench press + deadlift). You can also enter a single lift instead of a total to compare that lift alone. If you don’t know your true max, estimate it first with the 1RM Calculator.
What the score means
| DOTS | Rough level |
|---|---|
| under 200 | Just getting started |
| 200–300 | Novice to intermediate (training consistently) |
| 300–400 | Intermediate to advanced (local-meet level) |
| 400–450 | Advanced (national meets in sight) |
| 450–500 | Elite |
| 500+ | International level |
These bands are informal guides based on competition-record distributions, not official classifications.
Tips
DOTS is handy for comparing relative strength with training partners of different sizes and sexes, and for tracking how cuts or bulks change your strength-to-weight ratio. Once you set a target weight, work out the plates with the Plate Calculator.
What is a DOTS score?+
It is calculated as total × coefficient, where the coefficient comes from a 4th-degree polynomial of body weight (Dynamic Objective Team Scoring). It is the default score on OpenPowerlifting, the world’s largest meet database.
How is Wilks different from DOTS?+
Wilks is the traditional score used since the 1990s, revised in 2020 (this tool uses the revision). DOTS is based on newer meet data and is now the default in many federations and databases. Compare both values.
What score counts as "strong"?+
These bands come from meet-record distributions and are unofficial. The best use is tracking your own number over time.
Can I use a single lift (bench only)?+
Note the level table assumes a 3-lift total, so it doesn’t apply to single lifts — use single-lift scores for comparisons with friends or tracking progress.
How does changing body weight affect the score?+
If you cut weight while keeping your lifts, your score rises; if you bulk and your lifts don’t grow in proportion, it falls. Plan cuts and bulks with the TDEE Calculator.
・DOTS = total × 500 ÷ (A·x⁴ + B·x³ + C·x² + D·x + E), where x = body weight in kg (sex-specific coefficients)
・Wilks 2020 = total × 600 ÷ (A + B·x + C·x² + D·x³ + E·x⁴ + F·x⁵)
・Coefficients: OpenPowerlifting "opl-data" public implementation (coefficients/dots.rs, wilks2020.rs). Body weight is clamped to the valid coefficient range (DOTS: men 40–210 kg / women 40–150 kg)
・Wilks R. (1994, revised 2020) / Konertz T. (2019). DOTS
Scores are computed from published coefficients and do not guarantee official meet results or rankings. The level bands are informal reference points. Max-effort attempts carry injury risk — always lift with spotters or safety bars.
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