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Powerlifting has always needed a way to answer one question: who is the strongest lifter at this meet, regardless of bodyweight? The sport has been working on that answer for decades. Each scoring system that emerged was a response to problems with what came before it. Where did powerlifting scoring start? The earliest widely used […]
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You just calculated your score. Now you want to know what the number actually means. There is no single universal answer. What counts as a good score depends on your sex, weight class, equipment division, and federation. But there are community reference points that give useful context. What do DOTS and Wilks scores measure? Both […]
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The Wilks score was powerlifting’s standard method for comparing lifters across weight classes for over two decades. It is no longer universal, but it is still in use and still worth understanding. What is a Wilks score? A Wilks score is a bodyweight-adjusted number that allows powerlifters of different sizes to be compared on relative […]
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Once you know what a DOTS score represents, the next question is usually how the number actually gets produced. This article covers the formula, the polynomial denominator, the coefficient, and what happens when any input changes. What inputs does the DOTS formula require? Three inputs only: bodyweight in kilograms, powerlifting total in kilograms, and sex. […]
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You finish a meet, and the results show a number that is not your total. That number is your DOTS score. It is how powerlifting compares lifters of different sizes on equal terms. Here is what it means and how to use it. What is a DOTS score? A DOTS score is a bodyweight-adjusted number […]
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You hit the same total at two consecutive meets. Your score came back different both times. Nothing changed in your lifting. Something changed in your number. Here is exactly why. Can your score change without your total changing? Yes. Your score depends on two inputs: your total and your bodyweight. If your bodyweight changes between […]
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