IPF Points Calculator

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter total lifted (squat + bench + deadlift in kg), bodyweight, and sex.
2. Results show IPF GL Points and classification level.
3. Use Compare All Three tab to see Wilks, DOTS, and IPF Points simultaneously.
4. Use Compare Across Classes tab to compare two lifters.
5. Professional mode accepts individual lifts and shows the total needed for IPF 500.

Formula

Example

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are IPF Points and how are they calculated? ▼
  IPF GL Points (GL stands for Good Lift) are the official scoring formula adopted by the International Powerlifting Federation for Best Lifter comparisons at World and Continental Championships since 2019. The formula uses a four-parameter logistic function to model the relationship between bodyweight and predicted world-record performance: denominator = A − B × e^(−C × BW^D), where A, B, C, and D are sex-specific fitted constants. The score is then: IPF Points = 500 + 100 × (Total − denominator) / denominator. This means that a total equal to the predicted world-record performance at your bodyweight scores exactly 500; better-than-predicted totals score above 500, and lower totals score below. The four-parameter logistic curve provides a better fit to world-record data across the full bodyweight range than the polynomial functions used in Wilks and DOTS, particularly at the extremes of the weight spectrum.
• Why does the IPF use its own scoring instead of Wilks? ▼
  The IPF made a deliberate decision to develop its own formula rather than continue using Wilks because: (1) Wilks was not developed by or for the IPF specifically; (2) The IPF wanted a formula calibrated to current world-record performances in drug-tested raw and equipped powerlifting, rather than historical data from mixed testing environments; (3) The logistic curve approach used in IPF GL Points is statistically more defensible than polynomial fitting for this type of data, providing better behavior at extreme bodyweights without the polynomial 'tails' that can produce nonsensical values outside the fitted range; (4) The IPF wanted complete ownership and control over the formula for officiating purposes. The IPF commissioned researchers to analyze its own world-record database and produce a formula that minimizes the spread of scores among equally competitive lifters across weight classes — the gold standard for fairness in cross-class comparison.
• What's the difference between IPF Points and IPF GL? ▼
  IPF GL Points and IPF Points refer to the same formula — 'GL' stands for 'Good Lift', emphasizing that the formula is based on successfully completed lifts in IPF competition. You may also see this referred to as the 'IPF Formula 2020' or simply 'IPF GL'. Before 2019, the IPF used the Wilks formula for Best Lifter determinations at its World Championships. In 2019, the IPF announced a transition to the new formula, and the 2020 IPF World Championships were the first to use IPF GL Points officially. There is no version difference — there is one current IPF GL formula with fixed coefficients published in the IPF Technical Rules. Some third-party calculators may have used slightly different coefficient approximations in early implementations, which could produce minor discrepancies; the authoritative coefficients are those published in the current IPF Technical Rulebook.
• How do I get my IPF score officially? ▼
  Your IPF GL Points are only meaningful in the context of officially sanctioned IPF-affiliated competition with successful lifts validated by three referees according to IPF Technical Rules. You cannot earn an official IPF score by lifting in an unsanctioned gym session or in a non-IPF federation, even if you use the same formula to calculate the number. To compete in IPF-affiliated events: (1) Join your national IPF affiliate (e.g., USAPL in the USA, CPU in Canada, BP in Great Britain); (2) Obtain a membership card; (3) Register for a sanctioned meet; (4) Successfully complete your squat, bench press, and deadlift attempts according to IPF rules. Your results are then submitted to the national federation database and aggregated in the IPF database. Best Lifter awards at IPF World and Continental Championships are determined by IPF GL Points calculated from the competition total and weigh-in bodyweight.
• Which scoring system is best for comparing lifters? ▼
  For official IPF-affiliated competition, IPF GL Points is the only relevant system — it is what the federation uses for awards. For historical comparisons that span the pre-2019 era when Wilks was standard, DOTS provides the most consistent modern calibration because it was explicitly fitted to the current (2020) world-record distribution. Wilks 1994 is well-understood and has enormous historical data behind it, making it useful for comparing to performances from the 1990s–2018 era. For a recreational lifter tracking personal progress, all three systems work equally well since the goal is consistency over time rather than cross-era accuracy. The 'Compare All Three' tab in this calculator shows all three scores simultaneously, which is the most honest approach — if all three systems agree you are at a particular level, that assessment is robust. Significant divergence between systems (more than 20–30 points) usually indicates you are at an extreme bodyweight where the formulas' calibrations diverge.

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