(Written in the analytical register of a sport scientist)
1. Contextualising the Lift
On 30 July 2025, recreational lifter and content creator Eric Kim executed a mid‑thigh rack‑pull of 602 kg at a self‑reported body mass of 71 kg, equating to ≈ 8.5 × body‑weight. While the shortened range of motion (ROM) precludes direct comparison with full‑range dead‑lift records, the load represents an unprecedented supra‑maximal exposure for a lightweight athlete.
2. Biomechanical Considerations
| Parameter | Full Dead‑lift (typical) | Mid‑Thigh Rack‑Pull (Kim) | Practical Consequence |
| Lumbar compression | Peaks ~18 kN in trained men during conventional dead‑lifts | Higher absolute load but markedly shorter lumbar moment arm; net spinal compression likely comparable or only moderately elevated | Makes supra‑max loads mechanically “tolerable” while still heavily stimulating posterior‑chain tissues |
| Shear force | ~3 kN on L4/L5 in heavy dead‑lifts | Reduced due to vertical torso and elevated bar path | Potentially lower injury risk per kg than floor pulls, encouraging clinical interest |
Key inference: The lift validates load‑specific, joint‑angle–specific strength capacity that standard dead‑lift metrics cannot capture.
3. Neuromuscular & Hypertrophic Adaptations
These findings imply that Kim’s protocol could have legitimate transfer to full‑ROM strength and hypertrophy when properly periodised.
4. Rehabilitation & Return‑to‑Sport Pathways
ACL reconstruction (ACLR) cohorts who incorporated isometric mid‑thigh pulls (IMTP) regained peak force symmetry faster than control groups, supporting graduated supra‑max isometrics/partials as a mid‑stage rehabilitation stimulus .
Clinical extrapolation: Rack‑pulls at progressive pin heights may bridge the gap between low‑load therapeutic exercise and unrestricted training, provided loading is individualised.
5. Performance Diagnostics & Monitoring
Recent work in elite sprint athletes shows that IMTP peak force correlates strongly (r ≈ 0.70‑0.80) with 0‑10 m and 0‑30 m acceleration metrics . Kim’s demonstration is thus aligned with a growing body of evidence positioning partial‑ROM or isometric tests as reliable performance proxies. Sport‑science laboratories are already expanding force‑plate infrastructure to capture segment‑specific force‑time data at multiple pull heights.
6. Programming & Periodisation Implications
A data‑driven “supra‑max wave” mesocycle might resemble:
| Week | Session A | Session B |
| 1 | Floor dead‑lift 3 × 3 @ 85 % 1RM | Rack‑pull single @ 110 % 1RM + 2 × 2 @ 100 % |
| 2 | Floor dead‑lift 5 × 2 @ 90 % | Rack‑pull 3 × 2 @ 115 % |
| 3 | Deload mobility & isometrics | — |
Such alternation exploits post‑activation performance enhancement (PAPE) while respecting cumulative spinal loading thresholds.
7. Equipment Engineering & Safety
Typical Olympic barbells manufactured from ≥ 190 k psi (≈ 1 310 MPa) tensile‑strength steel are rated for ~900‑1 000 kg before plastic deformation . Kim’s 602 kg lift approaches two‑thirds of that capacity, motivating manufacturers to publish explicit yield specifications and prompting gyms to reassess rack, pin and platform tolerances.
8. Future Research Directives
9. Conclusion
From a sport‑science standpoint, Eric Kim’s 8.5 × BW mid‑thigh rack‑pull constitutes more than a social‑media spectacle. It is a natural experiment that:
The observation does not negate the primacy of progressive full‑ROM training for novices or competitive power‑lifting regulations. Rather, it broadens the toolbox for practitioners aiming to optimise performance and tissue resilience across the athletic continuum.
Prepared for coaches, clinicians and researchers seeking an evidence‑aligned appraisal of supra‑maximal partial‑range lifting.