Table of Contents
An overview of IPF Points and their role as an alternative to the Wilks Score.
IPF Points vs. Wilks Score: Key Differences
Explains the differences between IPF Points and the Wilks Score, and why IPF Points might be more accurate for certain lifters.
How to Calculate Your IPF Points
A breakdown of what’s needed to calculate IPF Points, along with a link to online calculators for easy use.
Using IPF Points to Set Realistic Strength Goals
Guidance on using your IPF Points score to set achievable, personalized strength goals.
Tracking Progress with IPF Points
Tips on how to use IPF Points as a long-term tracking tool to monitor improvements and assess training effectiveness.
IPF Points for Competitive Lifters
How competitive lifters can use IPF Points for meet day strategies, weight class decisions, and improving their competitive rank.
Discusses the limitations of IPF Points and suggests using them alongside other metrics for a well-rounded view of progress.
Conclusion: Make IPF Points Work for Your Goals
Encourages readers to use IPF Points as a flexible and motivating tool to guide long-term strength goals.
Summary
If you’re serious about lifting, you know that strength isn’t just about raw numbers—it’s about how much you can lift relative to your body weight. For years, the Wilks Score was the go-to metric for “leveling the playing field” across different body weights. But as lifting has evolved, so has the need for a more refined system to measure strength fairly. Enter IPF Points.
Introduced by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), IPF Points are a modern alternative to the Wilks Score. Designed to be more accurate for lifters at both ends of the weight spectrum, IPF Points offer a way to compare strength across weight classes without the biases that can sometimes affect the Wilks Score. Whether you’re a competitive powerlifter or simply looking to track your progress with a fair and balanced metric, IPF Points can help you set smarter goals and optimize your training.
In this guide, we’ll break down how IPF Points work, how they differ from the Wilks Score, and how you can use them to build a training plan that’s tailored to your goals. Ready to make the most of this powerful strength metric? Let’s get started.
IPF Points vs. Wilks Score: Key Differences
If you’re already familiar with the Wilks Score, you might be wondering how IPF Points are any different. Both metrics aim to create a fair comparison between lifters of different body weights, but IPF Points were introduced to address some specific limitations of the Wilks Score, particularly for very lightweight and heavyweight lifters.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the main differences:
Fairness Across Body Weights
The Wilks Score formula sometimes tends to favor lifters in certain weight classes, especially those closer to the middle of the weight spectrum. For lifters on the lighter or heavier ends, the Wilks Score can produce results that feel slightly biased. IPF Points were designed with this in mind, using a more complex algorithm to reduce those biases and offer a more balanced comparison across all weight classes.
Updated Formula
IPF Points use a newer, data-driven formula based on statistical analysis of lifter performances across a range of body weights and genders. This updated approach aims to reflect the actual strength capabilities of lifters more accurately than the Wilks Score, which was created decades ago and hasn’t been updated as thoroughly. For competitive lifters, especially those in federations that recognize IPF Points, this can mean a more reliable assessment of where you stand.
Recognition in Competitive Powerlifting
The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and several other organizations have adopted IPF Points as their standard, replacing the Wilks Score in competitions. This means that if you compete in an IPF-sanctioned event, your performance is likely to be measured using IPF Points rather than Wilks. For lifters with competitive goals, understanding IPF Points becomes essential.
Improved Accuracy for Tracking Progress
Because IPF Points adjust more precisely for weight variations, they can be a more accurate tool for tracking your personal progress. Lifters who fluctuate in body weight—whether cutting, bulking, or naturally adjusting over time—may find that IPF Points provide a more consistent measure of their strength gains compared to Wilks.
In short, IPF Points offer a more modern and balanced approach to assessing strength relative to body weight, making it an attractive option for both competitive and recreational lifters. By understanding these key differences, you’ll have a better idea of why IPF Points could be a more effective tool for your training goals.
How to Calculate Your IPF Points
Calculating your IPF Points can seem complex, but thankfully, there are plenty of online tools that make it simple. IPF Points are calculated using a formula that takes both your body weight and your total lifted weight (the sum of your best squat, bench, and deadlift) into account. Unlike the Wilks Score, the IPF formula was designed using more recent data and aims to provide a balanced comparison across all body weights and genders.
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to calculate your IPF Points:
Your Body Weight
Make sure you have your body weight in kilograms. IPF Points rely on precise measurements, so using an accurate, up-to-date body weight is important for getting a true score.
Your Total Lifted Weight
This is the combined total of your best squat, bench press, and deadlift attempts (in kilograms). For example, if your best squat is 150 kg, bench press is 100 kg, and deadlift is 180 kg, your total would be 430 kg.
The IPF Points Formula
The IPF Points formula is more complex than Wilks, involving specific coefficients that differ based on gender and body weight. This can make manual calculations challenging, but it’s designed to adjust for the unique strength potential across different weights and genders.
Use Our Online Calculator
To make things easy, use our online IPF Points calculator here. This saves you the math and ensures you get an accurate score.
Once you have your IPF Points score, you’ll have a better understanding of how your total lifts compare to others across different body weights. This score serves as a baseline for tracking your progress, allowing you to set more tailored and effective strength goals.
Using IPF Points to Set Realistic Strength Goals
Now that you know your IPF Points, you can use this score as a valuable benchmark to set realistic and personalized strength goals. Unlike raw lifting numbers, IPF Points account for your body weight, so they provide a more balanced view of your strength progression. Here’s how you can use IPF Points to optimize your training goals and track meaningful progress.
1. Set Incremental Goals Based on Your Current Score
Start by using your current IPF Points score as a baseline. Rather than aiming for huge jumps, focus on incremental increases. For example, if your IPF Points score is currently 300, you might aim to increase it to 310 over the next training cycle. Small, steady improvements help you stay motivated and prevent burnout, especially if you’re adjusting your body weight or working through plateaus.
2. Track Progress During Body Weight Changes
IPF Points are particularly useful if you’re in a phase where your body weight is fluctuating, such as during a cutting or bulking cycle. Since the IPF formula adjusts for body weight, you can use your IPF Points score to gauge whether your strength is truly improving relative to these changes. For instance, if you’re cutting weight and your IPF Points stay stable or increase, that’s a sign you’re maintaining or even enhancing your strength despite the weight loss.
3. Use IPF Points to Balance Strength Goals Across Different Lifts
If you’re focused on improving one particular lift (like your squat or deadlift), it’s possible to shift your IPF Points score by prioritizing gains in that specific area. By tracking how changes in each lift impact your total score, you can tailor your training to reach specific goals. For example, if you’re aiming to increase your deadlift while maintaining your squat and bench, you can use IPF Points to see how these focused gains translate to overall progress.
4. Re-Evaluate Your Goals Over Time
As your IPF Points score improves, re-evaluate your goals every few months to keep things challenging and fresh. If you’ve hit a major milestone, such as moving from 350 to 375 points, consider setting a new target that pushes you toward the next level. Regularly updating your goals based on your IPF Points helps you stay engaged in your training and ensures you’re always working toward the next level of strength.
5. Stay Motivated with Long-Term Tracking
Using IPF Points as a long-term tracking tool allows you to focus on steady, meaningful progress. Your absolute lifting numbers might fluctuate, but a consistent increase in IPF Points over time is a clear indicator that your strength is improving relative to your body weight. This can be especially motivating if you’ve been lifting for a while and are looking for ways to stay focused on growth.
By setting goals around your IPF Points, you can optimize your training to reflect true strength gains, rather than just chasing bigger numbers on the bar. Whether you’re cutting, bulking, or maintaining, your IPF Points score can help you set realistic goals that keep you motivated and progressing in the right direction.
Tracking Progress with IPF Points
Using IPF Points as a tool for tracking progress over time can help you assess whether your training is truly effective. Because IPF Points adjust for body weight, they offer a reliable way to measure improvement even as your body composition changes. Here are some tips on how to use IPF Points to monitor your long-term progress and make data-driven adjustments to your training plan.
1. Record Your IPF Points Regularly
To get a clear picture of your progress, track your IPF Points at regular intervals—such as monthly or at the end of each training cycle. Logging these scores alongside your individual lift records (like your max squat, bench, and deadlift) allows you to see patterns over time. By comparing your IPF Points from one cycle to the next, you’ll be able to identify periods of growth, plateaus, or regression.
2. Analyze Score Changes with Body Weight Fluctuations
One of the advantages of IPF Points is that they can help you assess your strength progress even as your body weight fluctuates. For example, if you’re in a bulking phase and gaining body weight, you might expect your total lifting numbers to go up. But IPF Points will tell you if your strength gains are keeping up with the added weight. Similarly, if you’re cutting and your IPF Points remain stable, it shows that you’re maintaining strength while losing weight, which is a positive outcome.
3. Identify Plateaus and Adjust Your Program
If your IPF Points remain stagnant over a couple of training cycles, it may be a sign that your current program needs a change. Consider experimenting with different variables, such as adjusting volume, incorporating new accessory exercises, or prioritizing different lifts. Because IPF Points provide a balanced look at your overall strength, they can give you early feedback if your progress is stalling, helping you make timely adjustments to your program.
4. Use IPF Points to Measure the Success of Specific Training Phases
When you’re testing out a new training phase—like a strength cycle focused on deadlift or a hypertrophy cycle that includes more volume—you can use IPF Points as a marker of success. If your IPF Points increase after a training phase, it suggests that the program is working well for you. By logging your score at the beginning and end of each phase, you’ll have a concrete way to measure how each approach affects your overall strength relative to your body weight.
5. Track Long-Term Trends for Consistent Motivation
Progress can sometimes feel slow, especially if you’ve been lifting for a while. By tracking your IPF Points over the long term, you can see that even small, consistent improvements add up. Looking back at where you started compared to where you are now can be highly motivating, especially during times when it feels like progress has slowed. This long-term tracking helps you stay focused on the big picture and reinforces the benefits of steady, consistent effort.
Using IPF Points as a tracking tool allows you to go beyond simple lift numbers and get a fuller picture of your overall strength progress. This metric provides meaningful insight into how your training is impacting your strength relative to your body weight, making it a valuable addition to your progress-tracking toolkit.
IPF Points for Competitive Lifters
For competitive powerlifters, IPF Points are more than just a personal tracking tool—they’re a key metric used to rank athletes in competitions. As a lifter, understanding how IPF Points affect your competitive standing can help you optimize your training and make strategic choices on meet day. Here’s how IPF Points play a role in competition and how you can leverage this metric to improve your competitive edge.
1. How IPF Points are Used in Competitions
In many IPF-sanctioned events, IPF Points are used to determine overall rankings and awards, especially in “Best Lifter” categories where lifters across different weight classes compete against each other. This means that rather than simply comparing raw totals, IPF Points allow lifters of different sizes to compete on a more level playing field. In some cases, awards for Best Male and Best Female Lifter are awarded based on the highest IPF Points score, which emphasizes relative strength over absolute weight lifted.
2. Setting Meet Day Goals Based on IPF Points
Knowing how IPF Points factor into your competition ranking allows you to set smart goals for meet day. Instead of just aiming to hit personal bests in each lift, you can target a total that optimizes your IPF Points score. For example, if you’re deciding between two attempts, consider how each option will impact your final IPF Points score. This can help you make strategic decisions that maximize your score rather than simply focusing on lifting the heaviest weight possible.
3. Weight Class Strategy and IPF Points
If you’re on the borderline between two weight classes, your IPF Points score can help you decide whether it’s more advantageous to cut weight or to compete in the higher class. Since IPF Points adjust for body weight, sometimes a small weight cut can yield a higher score by lowering your coefficient. On the other hand, if cutting weight might compromise your performance, it may be better to stay at your natural weight and focus on maximizing your total. Using IPF Points as a guide can help you make strategic weight class decisions to optimize your competitive results.
4. Tracking IPF Points Progress Across Training Cycles
Competitive lifters can use IPF Points as a measure of progress throughout their training cycles. By tracking your IPF Points score at the beginning and end of each training cycle, you can assess whether your program is effectively building competitive strength. If your IPF Points score is steadily increasing, it’s a sign that you’re on the right path. For athletes, even small gains in IPF Points over a cycle can translate to a stronger competitive ranking over time.
5. Preparing for the Mental Game with IPF Points
Competition is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. By understanding your IPF Points score and where you stand relative to other competitors, you can set realistic expectations for yourself and build confidence. Knowing your score helps you visualize your performance on meet day and stay focused on your personal goals. Rather than comparing yourself directly to others in raw lifting numbers, focusing on maximizing your IPF Points can keep you centered on what matters most—your own best performance.
For competitive lifters, IPF Points are an essential metric that goes beyond individual lift goals. By using IPF Points to set meet day strategies, make weight class decisions, and track long-term progress, you can approach competition with a well-rounded understanding of your strengths and areas for improvement. This makes IPF Points not only a ranking tool but a strategic asset in your competitive journey.
Limitations of IPF Points
While IPF Points are a valuable tool for assessing strength relative to body weight, like any metric, they have their limitations. Understanding these limitations will help you use IPF Points effectively while keeping a balanced view on your training progress. Here are some of the key limitations to keep in mind:
1. Not Perfect for Extreme Body Weights
Although IPF Points were developed to improve upon the Wilks Score by reducing bias for very lightweight and heavyweight lifters, it’s still not flawless. At the extreme ends of the body weight spectrum, IPF Points may still provide results that don’t perfectly represent a lifter’s relative strength. This means that very light or very heavy lifters may still find IPF Points less accurate as a comparative tool.
2. Doesn’t Account for Individual Lift Strengths
IPF Points are based on a lifter’s total score (the combined max squat, bench press, and deadlift), so they don’t reflect strengths or weaknesses in individual lifts. For example, if you’re particularly strong in the squat but weaker in the bench press, your IPF Points score won’t reveal this imbalance. Lifters looking to optimize specific lifts may want to supplement IPF Points with individual lift tracking.
3. Limited to Powerlifting Contexts
IPF Points are designed specifically for powerlifting, where the focus is on the squat, bench press, and deadlift. For lifters who participate in other sports or training disciplines (such as Olympic weightlifting or functional fitness), IPF Points may be less relevant. If you’re using a variety of lifts and strength measures, it’s worth considering other metrics that better align with your goals.
4. Requires Accurate Body Weight Measurements
Since IPF Points adjust for body weight, fluctuations in weight can impact your score. If you’re tracking your IPF Points over time, it’s important to use accurate and consistent body weight measurements to get a reliable score. Inconsistent measurements can make it difficult to assess your true progress, especially if your weight varies significantly.
5. Should Be Used Alongside Other Progress Metrics
IPF Points are an excellent tool for tracking overall strength relative to body weight, but they shouldn’t be the only metric you rely on. Progress in strength training is multifaceted, and metrics like one-rep max (1RM) records, volume PRs (personal records), and even subjective measures like technique improvement all contribute to a well-rounded view of your progress. Consider using IPF Points as part of a broader toolkit for tracking and assessing your growth as a lifter.
In short, IPF Points provide a more refined and modern metric for strength assessment than the Wilks Score, but they’re not without their limitations. By understanding these potential drawbacks, you can use IPF Points effectively while supplementing them with other metrics to get a comprehensive picture of your progress.
Make IPF Points Work for Your Goals
IPF Points can be a powerful tool for any lifter looking to track progress, set realistic goals, and assess strength relative to body weight. Whether you’re a competitive powerlifter aiming for the podium or a recreational lifter seeking a balanced way to measure progress, IPF Points offer a fair, data-driven metric that helps you understand your strength in a new way.
By learning how IPF Points work, setting incremental goals, and regularly tracking your score, you can create a clear picture of your progress over time. Remember that IPF Points are especially useful during phases where your body weight might change—such as cutting, bulking, or maintaining—giving you a more accurate view of how your strength is evolving relative to your weight.
However, it’s essential to keep IPF Points in perspective. They’re one part of a larger toolkit for evaluating progress, and should be used alongside other metrics, such as one-rep maxes, individual lift tracking, and technique improvements. Each of these metrics provides valuable insights that can guide your training and highlight areas for growth.
Ultimately, IPF Points should serve as a motivator, not a limit. Use them as a benchmark to push yourself toward new goals, refine your training strategy, and appreciate every bit of progress along the way. Strength training is a journey, and IPF Points are there to help you celebrate each step forward. Embrace the process, stay consistent, and let IPF Points be a reminder of how far you’ve come—and the potential that still lies ahead.
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