Classically the total of squat, bench press and deadlift — the powerlifting total.

Is this useful for endurance athletes?

Only to a degree. The score is built for strength sport; in triathlon it says little about race performance.

Why do I get two different numbers?

Because Wilks and DOTS calculate differently. They cannot be converted into one another and are only comparable within themselves.

Wilks & DOTS Calculator

Strength score comparable across weight classes

Sex

Body weight (kg)

Squat (kg)

Bench press (kg)

Deadlift (kg)

Total: 350 kg · Rel. strength: 4.38×

Wilks

238.9Elite

DOTS

241.3Elite

Comparing strength across weight classes

A heavier person usually lifts more than a lighter one. Comparing kilos directly therefore says little about who is relatively stronger.

Wilks and DOTS are two ways of correcting for that. Both turn your total lifted and your body weight into a score that can be compared across weight classes.

How it is calculated

Wilks = total × 500 / (a + b × BW + c × BW² + d × BW³ + e × BW⁴ + f × BW⁵), with BW as body weight and the coefficients of the 1994 IPF formula, separate for men (a = −216.0475, b = 16.2606, c = −0.0023886, d = −0.0011373, e = 0.00000701863, f = −0.00000001291) and women. DOTS uses the same shape with a fourth-degree polynomial and the 2019 coefficients.

The polynomial in the denominator models the fact that heavier athletes lift more in absolute terms but less relative to body weight — both scores make squat, bench and deadlift comparable across weight classes.

Example: total 350 kg (120 + 80 + 150), 80 kg, male. Wilks denominator = 732.4. Wilks = 350 × 500 / 732.4 = 238.9. DOTS with a denominator of 725.1 = 241.3. Relative strength = 350 / 80 = 4.38 times body weight.

DOTS is the more recent score; Wilks stays alongside it because many meet results are still published that way.

To calculate a strength score that means something, take the three best lifts from the same training phase — an old deadlift next to a fresh squat distorts the total.

Which of the two?

DOTS is the newer approach and is considered fairer today, particularly at the extremes. Wilks is older and still common in many federations.

For your own tracking, what matters is sticking with one of them.

Frequently asked questions

Which lifts count?: Classically the total of squat, bench press and deadlift — the powerlifting total.
Is this useful for endurance athletes?: Only to a degree. The score is built for strength sport; in triathlon it says little about race performance.
Why do I get two different numbers?: Because Wilks and DOTS calculate differently. They cannot be converted into one another and are only comparable within themselves.