IPF GL Points Calculator
Calculate your IPF Goodlift (GL) Points from your powerlifting total. Compare across bodyweights and see your competition level for raw and equipped
IPF GL Points Calculator
Calculator
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Formula: GL Points = Total (kg) × 100 / (A − B × e^(−C × Bodyweight))
Worked example — ~69.21 GL Points — Intermediate level
Formula
GL Points = Total (kg) × 100 / (A − B × e^(−C × Bodyweight))
A, B, and C are coefficients specific to sex and equipment category (raw/equipped). The denominator represents a theoretical maximum for the given bodyweight. A score of 100 means your total equals the denominator reference — roughly national-level performance.
Worked Examples
Example 1: 83 kg male, raw — 500 kg total
Problem:Male lifter, 83 kg bodyweight, raw, 500 kg competition total.
Solution:Denominator = 1199.73 − 1025.18 × e^(−0.00921 × 83) ≈ 722.40. GL = 500 × 100 / 722.40 ≈ 69.21 points.
Result:~69.21 GL Points — Intermediate level
Example 2: 63 kg female, raw — 350 kg total
Problem:Female lifter, 63 kg bodyweight, raw, 350 kg total.
Solution:Denominator = 610.33 − 1045.59 × e^(−0.03048 × 63) ≈ 457.07. GL = 350 × 100 / 457.07 ≈ 76.57 points.
Result:~76.57 GL Points — Intermediate level
Frequently Asked Questions
What are IPF GL (Goodlift) Points?
IPF GL Points is the official scoring formula adopted by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) in 2020, replacing the Wilks formula. It calculates a bodyweight-normalized score so lifters of different sizes can be compared on an equal footing. The formula was developed by Jan Vamberský and uses updated coefficients derived from comprehensive competition data.
What is a good GL Points score?
General benchmarks: 60 points = solid Beginner/Intermediate, 80 points = Advanced (competitive club level), 100 points = Master/National-level competitor, 120 points = Elite/International level, 140+ points = World Class. These thresholds apply to both sexes and all weight classes because the formula accounts for bodyweight differences.
Does the formula differ for raw vs equipped?
Yes — the four coefficient sets (male-raw, male-equipped, female-raw, female-equipped) each have different A, B, and C values. Equipped lifting typically produces higher totals, and the formula accounts for this by adjusting the denominator accordingly.
How does bodyweight change the GL denominator?
The denominator A − B × e^(−C × bodyweight) rises steeply at light bodyweights and then flattens as the exponential term decays toward zero, approaching the ceiling value A. Practically, a lifter at 60 kg gains a lot of expected total for each extra kilo of mass, while a superheavyweight gains very little. That is why moving up a weight class raises the bar you must clear to hold the same score.
Can I score a bench-press-only meet with IPF GL Points Calculator?
No — the coefficients loaded here are the full-power sets, calibrated on squat plus bench press plus deadlift totals. Single-lift bench competitions use their own GL coefficient sets, because a bench-only result is a fraction of a full total. Entering a bench-only number against full-power coefficients produces a score far below the real standing and cannot be compared with published bench-only rankings.
What is the difference between GL Points and Dots?
Both normalise a total for bodyweight, but they use different curve shapes. Dots fits a polynomial in bodyweight and is defined only by sex, so raw and equipped lifters share one curve. IPF GL uses an asymptotic exponential and splits raw from equipped, which matters because supportive gear adds far more to a squat and bench press than to a deadlift. Scores from the two systems are not interchangeable.
Why must the total and bodyweight both be entered in kilograms?
The A, B and C coefficients were fitted to kilogram data, and C sits inside an exponent, so the units are baked into the curve rather than cancelling out. Feeding pounds into the exponential term distorts the denominator in a way no simple rescaling of the answer can undo. Convert first: divide pounds by 2.20462 to get kilograms, for both the competition total and the weigh-in bodyweight.
Does the GL formula account for a lifter age?
It does not. GL Points adjust only for bodyweight, sex and equipment category, so a masters lifter and an open lifter with identical totals at identical bodyweights score identically. Federations that rank masters, juniors and sub-juniors apply a separate age coefficient as a multiplier on top of the GL score. If you are comparing yourself to an age-group ranking, check whether those numbers are raw GL or age-adjusted GL.
When is gaining bodyweight worth it for your GL score?
Only when the total climbs faster than the denominator does. Because GL is total × 100 divided by the denominator, a bulk pays off if the percentage gain in your total exceeds the percentage gain in the denominator at your new bodyweight. Since the denominator flattens as mass increases, this trade is usually favourable for lighter lifters and increasingly unfavourable near the top weight classes.
Why does GL use an exponential curve instead of total divided by bodyweight?
A plain kilo-for-kilo ratio rewards the lightest competitors, because muscle force scales roughly with cross-sectional area while bodyweight scales with volume. The exponential form captures that diminishing return: expected total rises quickly across the light classes and then levels off toward the asymptote A. That keeps a 59 kg lifter and a 120 kg lifter of comparable calibre on a similar GL score.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Sher, Sports Science & Nutrition Specialist · Editorial policy
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