Powerlifting

IPF GL Points Calculator

The official International Powerlifting Federation ranking score — using the 2020 GL Points formula with separate coefficients for equipment type.

IPF GL Points Calculator

Official 2020 formula — raw & single-ply

IPF GL Points

Unlike Wilks and DOTS, IPF GL Points account for raw vs. equipped divisions, making it the most nuanced relative strength score used in major competition today. It replaced Wilks in 2019 as the IPF's official ranking standard.

Formula: 100 × Total / (a × ln(bw) − b × e^(−c·bw) − d) with sex- and equipment-specific constants.

What Are IPF GL Points?

The IPF GL Points system (GL = Good Lift) replaced Wilks in 2019 as the official ranking standard for the International Powerlifting Federation. It uses logarithmic and exponential components with body weight — producing a more nuanced curve than the polynomial Wilks approach, especially at extreme body weights.

The most important distinction: IPF GL Points use four separate coefficient sets — one for each combination of sex (male/female) and equipment (raw/single-ply). This means a raw score and an equipped score on this scale are not directly comparable, which reflects the real performance gap between divisions.

IPF GL Points Score Benchmarks

IPF GL PointsLevelNotes
Below 200BeginnerNew to competitive powerlifting
200 – 300NoviceTraining consistently
300 – 400IntermediateClub & local meet level
400 – 450AdvancedNational qualifier territory
450 – 500EliteNational podium level
500+World ClassInternational competition

IPF Points vs. Wilks vs. DOTS

All three are body-weight-adjusted relative strength metrics, but they differ in key ways:

  • IPF GL Points — official IPF metric, adjusts for equipment, uses logarithmic model
  • DOTS — used in IPF-affiliated federations, no equipment adjustment, polynomial model
  • Wilks 2020 — widely recognized, no equipment adjustment, useful for cross-federation comparison

For any IPF competition, IPF GL Points is the one that matters. For general tracking or non-IPF federations, Wilks or DOTS are fine alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

IPF GL Points are the official ranking score used by the International Powerlifting Federation since 2019. They replaced Wilks for IPF competition and use separate coefficients for sex and equipment type.
Scores above 400 are nationally competitive. Elite international lifters typically score 450–500+. For recreational lifters just getting into the sport, 200–300 is a solid foundation.
Yes — it's the only major relative strength metric with separate coefficients for raw and single-ply equipped. This makes raw-vs-equipped comparisons more meaningful than what Wilks or DOTS can provide.
IPF GL Points uses a logarithmic/exponential formula and adjusts for equipment type. DOTS and Wilks use polynomial denominators and don't distinguish raw from equipped. For IPF competition, GL Points is the only score that matters.