DOTS calculator
Enter your squat, bench and deadlift to get a DOTS score, which compares powerlifters of different bodyweights on one number.
DOTS score
289.6
From a 420 kg total at 80 kg bodyweight.
The same total at other bodyweights
- 70 kg
- 315
- 75 kg
- 301
- 80 kg
- 290
- 85 kg
- 280
- 90 kg
- 272
The DOTS formula
DOTS multiplies your total by a coefficient that falls as bodyweight rises, so a heavier lifter needs a bigger total for the same score:
DOTS = total × 500 ÷ (a·bw⁴ + b·bw³ + c·bw² + d·bw + e)
Men: a = −0.000001093, b = 0.0007391293, c = −0.1918759221, d = 24.0900756, e = −307.75076
Women: a = −0.0000010706, b = 0.0005158568, c = −0.1126655495, d = 13.6175032, e = −57.96288
Total and bodyweight (bw) are in kilograms.
How to read your DOTS score
The strip under your score shows the same total at nearby bodyweights, so you can see how a cut or a bulk would move it. DOTS can't show which lift is lagging; the strength standards calculator rates each lift separately.
DOTS score FAQ
What is a good DOTS score?
There is no official scale; published level lists are opinions. DOTS is most useful for comparing yourself at different bodyweights, or with other lifters at the same meet. To rate each lift, use the strength standards calculator.
Is DOTS better than Wilks?
Neither is objectively correct: both are curves fitted to competition results. DOTS is newer, and its formula is short and public, with five coefficients per sex. This calculator and the VERTEX app use it.
Can I use estimated maxes?
Yes. The score stays consistent month to month, but it is an estimate, not a competition total, so don't compare it with meet results.
Why does my score go down when I gain weight?
DOTS expects a heavier lifter to lift more. If your total rises more slowly than your bodyweight, your score falls even though you got stronger in absolute terms.
Why is there a bodyweight limit?
The OpenPowerlifting implementation limits bodyweight to 40–210 kg for men and 40–150 kg for women. Outside that range the fitted curve stops giving sensible scores, so the calculator doesn't show one.
Sources
Built by Max Van Strydonck, Founder of VERTEX. Last reviewed .