IPF GL points calculator.
Get your IPF GL points - the Goodlift score the International Powerlifting Federation uses to compare lifters across bodyweights. Enter bodyweight, sex, event and a total (or the three lifts summed) and this tool returns your GL score with the official formula. Works in kilograms or pounds, with the exact coefficients shown so you can check the maths.
score a total
event
3-lift total or a single lift - or fill the three lifts below and it sums for you.
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Level: -
| IPF GL points | Rough level |
|---|---|
| 100 and up | World-class (records score about 120 to 130) |
| 80 to 99 | Elite, international level |
| 65 to 79 | Advanced |
| 50 to 64 | Intermediate, regional competitive |
| below 50 | Developing |
The 100-point mark is the IPF's elite reference standard for a bodyweight, so it is the one firm anchor here. The bands below it are loose orientation, not official cut-offs. Because GL already adjusts for bodyweight, the same band means the same thing for a light lifter and a heavy one - track the change in your own score over a block rather than chasing a single number.
the short answer
IPF GL points are the official Goodlift score the International Powerlifting Federation uses to rank lifters of different bodyweights on one scale. The formula is points = total in kg x 100 / (A - B x e^(-C x bodyweight)), where A, B and C are fixed coefficients that depend on sex and on whether the lifting is classic (raw) or equipped. A 90 kg man who totals 700 kg raw gets a denominator of 752.20, so his score is 700 x 100 / 752.20 = 93.06 GL points. The scale is set so that 100 is the elite reference for a bodyweight, and higher means more strength relative to size.
What are IPF GL points, and why did the IPF adopt them in 2020?
IPF GL points, short for Goodlift points, convert a lifted total into a bodyweight-adjusted number so a 59 kg lifter and a 120 kg lifter can be compared on the same scale. The score is what decides best-lifter awards and cross-class rankings at IPF meets, and it is the number printed on an official IPF result sheet. It is scaled so that 100 points marks the elite reference standard for a given bodyweight, which is why the very best Open totals in the world land near 120 to 130 rather than at some arbitrary ceiling.
Before 2020 the IPF ranked lifters first with the Wilks formula and then briefly with its own IPF Points system. Both had the same weakness: as large results databases grew, analysts could see the older curves drifted at the extremes, flattering some bodyweights and penalising others, so two lifters of equal relative strength could land on visibly different scores just because of where they sat on the weight scale. The IPF replaced them with GL in 2020 because the Goodlift curve tracks relative strength more evenly from the lightest to the heaviest classes.
GL also does one thing the polynomial scores do not: it carries separate coefficients for classic (raw) and equipped lifting. Equipped totals are higher because supportive gear adds load, so scoring them with the raw coefficients would overstate every equipped lifter. Pick the wrong event toggle above and the number is wrong, which is the single most common mistake people make with a GL calculator.
The exact IPF GL formula and coefficients this calculator uses.
GL has one shape: score = total x 100 / (A - B x e^(-C x x)), where x is bodyweight in kilograms and A, B and C are the fixed coefficients below. Pounds are converted internally at 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg before the formula runs, so the same lifter gets the same score whether they type kg or lb. These are the published IPF GL coefficients for the powerlifting 3-lift total.
IPF GL coefficients (powerlifting total)
score = total x 100 / (A - B x e(-C x bw))
| Category | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men, classic (raw) | 1199.72839 | 1025.18162 | 0.00921 |
| Women, classic (raw) | 610.32796 | 1045.59282 | 0.03048 |
| Men, equipped | 1236.25115 | 1449.21864 | 0.01644 |
| Women, equipped | 758.63878 | 949.31382 | 0.02435 |
Worked check, men classic: at 90 kg, A - B x e^(-0.00921 x 90) = 1199.72839 - 1025.18162 x 0.436531 = 752.20, so a 700 kg total scores 700 x 100 / 752.20 = 93.06. Women classic, at 60 kg: 610.32796 - 1045.59282 x e^(-0.03048 x 60) = 442.40, so a 400 kg total scores 400 x 100 / 442.40 = 90.42. As a real anchor, a men's classic total of 891.5 kg at about 74 kg bodyweight scores 130.88, matching one of the highest GL results ever recorded.
The GL formula is defined for bodyweights above roughly 40 kg, the range competitive lifters actually fall in. Below that floor the women's classic denominator turns negative and the score stops meaning anything, so this calculator holds bodyweight at 40 kg and flags it rather than extrapolating. For a fuller picture of how coaches put scores like this to work in day-to-day programming, see our guide to powerlifting coaching software.
IPF GL, DOTS or Wilks - which score should you read?
All three answer the same question - how strong is this lifter for their bodyweight - and they will rank a squad in almost the same order. The one that matters is the one your context reports. If you are reading an IPF result sheet or chasing an IPF ranking, you want GL. Many non-IPF federations and open-results databases default to DOTS. Older records, gym leaderboards and years of archived meets are still stated in Wilks. Score the same total three ways and you will get three different numbers for the same lift, so always check which system a figure comes from before comparing it to anything.
| Score | Formula shape | Adopted | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPF GL | Exponential, separate classic and equipped coefficients | 2020 | Official IPF meets and rankings |
| DOTS | Fourth-degree polynomial | Around 2019 to 2020 | Many non-IPF federations and open databases |
| Wilks / Wilks 2020 | Fifth-degree polynomial | 1990s, updated 2020 | Old records and gym leaderboards |
Score the same lift both other ways with the DOTS calculator and the Wilks calculator, then see where each individual lift ranks against untrained-to-elite benchmarks with the strength standards calculator.
How do powerlifting coaches use GL points with clients?
Raw totals mislead a coach. A 100 kg client adding 10 kg to their total and a 60 kg client adding 10 kg are not the same event, and a leaderboard of raw totals just ranks bodyweight. A GL score fixes both at once: put every client on the same scale and a squad board starts rewarding relative progress, which is what keeps the lighter lifters engaged instead of parked at the bottom. It is also the honest number to watch through a weight change - during a cut a falling total can hide the fact that relative strength is holding, and a steady GL score is the evidence you show the client to keep them calm.
For a client peaking toward an IPF meet, GL is the number the federation will actually score them on, so it is the one to rehearse against. Estimate a realistic opener and third attempt from ordinary training sets with the one rep max calculator, sum them into a projected total, and run it through this tool to see where the day would land on GL before anyone loads a bar. Then read each lift on its own against level benchmarks with the strength standards calculator to find the lift that is dragging the total down.
Where this stops scaling is the admin. Running one client through a calculator is fine; re-scoring twenty clients every time bodyweights and top sets update is an evening lost. Inside Coachway a coach sets strength targets and logs lifts per client in the workout builder, with bodyweight check-ins living in the same profile, so benchmarking the whole squad is a glance at data that is already there. Coachway is EUR 69 per month for up to 5 clients, then EUR 9 per additional client, every feature included, with a 14-day trial that asks for a card to start. See it on a call and bring a real client roster to book a demo.
Benchmark every lifter without rebuilding the spreadsheet each week.
No charge today - cancel anytime under Billing.Frequently asked questions.
What is a good IPF GL score?
The IPF GL scale is built so that 100 points is the elite reference standard for a lifter at any given bodyweight, so a score near or above 100 is world-class. Recent Open world-record totals score roughly 120 to 130 GL points, and one of the highest ever recorded sits around 131. As loose orientation below that, a score around 80 reads as international level, 65 as advanced, and 50 as a solid regional competitor. Because GL already adjusts for bodyweight, the same number means the same thing for a 59 kg lifter and a 120 kg lifter.
What formula does this IPF GL calculator use?
It uses the official IPF GL (Goodlift) formula: points = total in kg x 100 / (A - B x e^(-C x bodyweight in kg)), where A, B and C are fixed coefficients that change with sex and with whether the event is classic (raw) or equipped. The four coefficient sets are printed on this page so the maths is checkable. Enter pounds and the tool converts to kilograms first at 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, so the score comes out the same in either unit.
What is the difference between IPF GL points and the old IPF points?
IPF GL points replaced the older IPF Points formula at IPF-sanctioned meets in 2020. The old system used a linear model fitted to a reference total, while GL uses an exponential curve scaled so that 100 is the elite standard for a bodyweight. The practical effect is that GL tracks relative strength more evenly across the weight classes, which is why the IPF switched to it for ranking lifters and awarding best-lifter titles.
Is IPF GL the same as DOTS or Wilks?
No. All three turn a total into a bodyweight-adjusted score, but they use different maths. Wilks and DOTS are polynomial formulas (fifth-degree and fourth-degree), while IPF GL is an exponential formula with separate coefficients for classic and equipped lifting. GL is the score the IPF itself reports, so if you are reading an IPF result sheet you want GL, not DOTS or Wilks.
Can I calculate IPF GL points in pounds?
Yes. The formula is defined in kilograms, so this calculator converts pounds internally at 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg before it runs. Type bodyweight and total in whichever unit you train in and the GL number comes out the same, because the score itself has no unit.
What bodyweight range do IPF GL points work for?
The GL formula is defined for bodyweights above about 40 kg, the range competitive lifters actually fall in. Below 40 kg the curve stops behaving sensibly, so this calculator holds bodyweight at a 40 kg floor and tells you rather than returning a meaningless number. There is no strict upper limit, but read scores for very heavy lifters as approximate.
An IPF GL score is a comparison tool, not a measure of health or ability, and the coefficients are fitted on adult competitive lifters. This tool is general fitness information, not medical advice.
Keep building the plan: score the same total with the DOTS calculator and the Wilks calculator, estimate maxes from ordinary sets with the one rep max calculator, see where a lift ranks with the strength standards calculator, or browse the full free tools hub.
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