How Do I Earn A Pro Card?

Minimum DOTS score of 475 female / 500 male + one of the following placings:
  • Best Lifter 2023 Arnold Amateur part of Pro/AM
  • Best Lifter at 3-4 other Pro Qualifier Meets
  • Top 3 in Weight Class at Nationals (Open Division)

(37-38 Total Female & 40-41 Total Male Pro Cards available)

* Any lifter achieving a minimum DOTS score of 550 (female) or 575 (male) at a Pro Qualifier event will earn a Pro Card, even if they are not the "best lifter".

Minimum DOTS score of 475 female / 500 male + one of the following placings:
  • Best Lifter 2023 Arnold Amateur part of Pro/AM
  • Best Lifter at 1-2 other Pro Qualifier Meets
  • Top 2 in Weight Class at Nationals (Open Division)

(26-27 Total Female & 28-29 Total Male Pro Cards available)

* Any lifter achieving a minimum DOTS score of 550 (female) or 575 (male) at a Pro Qualifier event will earn a Pro Card, even if they are not the "best lifter".

  • Best Lifter 2023 Arnold Amateur part of Pro/AM
  • Top 2 in Weight Class at Nationals (Open Division)

(23 Total Female & 25 Total Male Pro Cards available Raw/Equipped)

How Do I Earn A Master Pro Card?

Updated 3/14/23

Minimum Age-Adjusted DOTS score of 400 female / 425 male + one of the following placings:
  • Best Female & Male Lifter (Masters Division) at Regionals (DOTS + age) - up to 8 Regions
  • Top 3 Female & Top 3 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Masters World Cup (DOTS + age)
  • Top 15 Female & Top 15 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Nationals (DOTS + age)
    • Must be entered in Masters Division

(29 Total Female & 29 Total Male Masters RAW Pro Cards available)

Any lifter achieving a minimum Age-Adjusted DOTS score of 475 (female) or 500 (male) at a Masters Pro Qualifier event will earn a Masters Pro Card, even if they are not the "best lifter".

Age-Adjusted DOTS Score = Dots Score x Age Coefficient

Updated 3/14/23

Minimum Age Adjusted DOTS score of 400 female / 425 male + one of the following placings:
  • Best Female & Male Lifter (Masters Division) at Regionals (DOTS + age) - up to 8 Regions
  • Top 3 Female & Top 3 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Masters World Cup (DOTS + age)
  • Top 10 Female & Top 10 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Nationals (DOTS + age)
    • Must be entered in Masters Division

(24 Total Female & 24 Total Male Masters EQUIPPED Pro Cards available)

Any lifter achieving a minimum Age Adjusted DOTS score of 475 (female) or 500 (male) at a Masters Pro Qualifier event will earn a Masters Pro Card, even if they are not the "best lifter".

Age-Adjusted DOTS Score = Dots Score x Age Coefficient

  • Top 3 Female & Top 3 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Bench World Cup (DOTS + age)
  • Top 10 Female & Top 10 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Nationals (DOTS + age)
    • Must be entered in Masters Division

(11 Total Female & 11 Total Male Masters RAW Bench Pro Cards available)

Age-Adjusted DOTS Score = Dots Score x Age Coefficient

  • Top 3 Female & Top 3 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Bench World Cup (DOTS + age)
  • Top 10 Female & Top 10 Male Best Lifters (pro or non-pro) at Nationals (DOTS + age)
    • Must be entered in Masters Division

(11 Total Female & 11 Total Male Masters RAW Bench Pro Cards available)

Age-Adjusted DOTS Score = Dots Score x Age Coefficient

How Is the Series Scored?

2023 Pro Series: Overall by DOTS (Open Division) / Overall by Dots & Age Coefficient (Masters Division)

    • Placing Overall (1st - 20th)
    • Points: 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 22, 19, 16, 13, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

For example, 1st place earns 50 pts, 2nd place earns 45 pts, 3rd place earns 40 and down to 20th place, earning 1 pt.

  • 1 Pro Meet Points (placing via DOTS) + Nationals Points (placing via DOTS) = Series Points
    • One must achieve a DOTS score above zero at Nationals (achieve a total) in each respective division to remain in the Pro Series rankings for said division.
  • Top Series Points go to Finals 
    • If two lifters are tied in total points, the tiebreaker goes to the lifter that scored more points at Nationals
(Open and Masters)

Raw:

  • March 2023 - Arnold Sports Festival
  • September 2023 - Raw Nationals
  • December 2023 - Apex Pro
  • TBD - International Pro Series Events

Equipped:

  • March 2023 - Arnold Sports Festival
  • June 2023 - Equipped Nationals
  • November 2023 - Wisconsin Pro
  • TBD - International Pro Series Events

Raw/Equipped - Bench Only:

  • March 2023 - Arnold Sports Festival
  • August 2023 - Bench Nationals
  • November 2023 - Wisconsin Pro
  • TBD - International Pro Series Events

Pro Card Status

All Pro Cards earned are valid for 3 calendar years for members.

Example: A Pro Card earned at any time during the year of 2023 will expire on December 31, 2025.

Competing in Pro Events within the three year period will continue to validate your Pro Card status (when meeting criteria listed under "How do I earn a Pro card").

Pro Cards are delivered within your Membership email.

Pro Card - Eligible to compete in any Pro Series Meet (excluding the finals). A qualifying total is still required to compete at Nationals.

    • Any Master Lifter holding this card automatically earn a Masters Pro Card

Pro Bench Card - Eligible to compete in any Pro Bench Meet (excluding the finals). A qualifying total is still required to compete at Nationals.

  • Any Master Bencher holding this card automatically earn a Masters Pro Bench Card

Masters Pro Card - Eligible to compete in any Masters Pro Series Meet (excluding the finals). A qualifying total is still required to compete at Nationals.

Masters Pro Bench Card - Eligible to compete in any Masters Pro Series Bench Meet (excluding the finals). A qualifying total is still required to compete at Nationals.

Coefficients used in the Pro Series

DOTS coefficient male

=500/(-0.0000010930*Bw^4+0.0007391293*Bw^3-0.1918759221*Bw^2+24.0900756*Bw-307.75076)

The male’s formula is only accurate from 40kg to 210kg. Lifters heavier than 210kg are assigned the coefficient for 210kg.

DOTS coefficient female

=500/(-0.0000010706*Bw^4+0.0005158568*Bw^3-0.1126655495*Bw^2+13.6175032*Bw-57.96288)

The female’s formula is only accurate from 40kg to 150kg. Lifters heavier than 150kg are assigned the coefficient for 150kg. After the DOTS coefficient is calculated, it is multiplied by the lifter’s 3-lift total to compute DOTS points. The lifter with the highest DOTS points is the “best lifter”.

A Master lifter's age-adjusted dots is calculated by multiplying their "DOTS score" by their "USA Powerlifting Age Coefficient" using the below:

Age Coefficient 
40 1
41 1.003
42 1.008
43 1.014
44 1.02
45 1.026
46 1.033
47 1.04
48 1.048
49 1.057
50 1.066
51 1.075
52 1.086
53 1.096
54 1.108
55 1.12
56 1.134
57 1.147
58 1.162
59 1.178
60 1.194
61 1.211
62 1.23
63 1.249
64 1.269
65 1.29
66 1.312
67 1.335
68 1.36
69 1.385
70 1.411
71 1.439
72 1.468
73 1.498
74 1.529
75 1.562
76 1.596
77 1.631
78 1.668
79 1.706
80 1.745
81 1.786
82 1.829
83 1.873
84 1.918
85 1.965
86 2.013
87 2.064
88 2.115
89 2.169
90 2.224
91 2.281
92 2.34
93 2.4
94 2.462
95 2.526
DOTS Points Competition Calculator with Age Coeff

by Joe Marksteiner

Use the link above to download a calculator to calculate DOTS and Age-Adjusted DOTS.

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