Eric Kim’s 527‑kilogram (1,162‑lb) above‑knee rack pull at a svelte 75 kg (165 lb) body‑weight — a jaw‑dropping 7.03 × body‑weight — tore across social feeds on 21 June 2025 and set off an “online thunderstorm” of awe, skepticism, and biomechanics debate. Because the bar started just above his kneecaps, the feat is not an official deadlift world record, yet the relative load dwarfs every full‑range pull ever witnessed, so lifters everywhere are recalibrating what seems possible. Below you’ll find the play‑by‑play of how it happened, why it matters, and how you can harness the lesson without snapping your spine.

1. What exactly happened?

Item	Details
Athlete	Eric Kim, 37‑year‑old Korean‑American creative turned minimalist strength blogger
Date / place	21 June 2025, Phnom Penh garage gym
Lift variant	Above‑knee rack pull (≈65 % shorter ROM than a floor deadlift)
Load	527 kg / 1,162 lb
Body‑weight	75 kg / 165 lb
Relative load	7.03 × body‑weight

Kim posted raw 4 K footage on YouTube within hours , mirrored it on his blog and fitness site , then fanned the flames on X with the now‑viral caption “GOD MATH” .  Follow‑up explainers dissecting the mechanics and programming dropped days later .

2. Why the lift detonated the internet

1. Shatters the pound‑for‑pound ceiling – The highest competition deadlift ratio is Krzysztof Wierzbicki’s 400 kg at 97 kg (≈4.12 × BW) .
2. Leaps beyond the legendary “5 ×” club – Lamar Gant’s 5 × pulls in the 1980s and Nabil Lahlou’s recent 356 kg at 70 kg (5.1 ×) were considered human limits .
3. Partial‑range controversy – Because rack pulls lop off the hardest ⅔ of the deadlift, purists cry “fake plates,” while coaches counter that supramaximal partials are a proven overload tool .
4. Algorithmic perfect storm – High‑definition video, a catchy “7 ×‑BW” headline, and reposts by large meme pages created exponential reach, generating >250 K views and thousands of comments in 24 h .

3. Rack pull ≠ deadlift – biomechanics in plain English

• Starting height: Pins sat ~2 cm above the patella, eliminating the quad‑dominant off‑the‑floor phase and letting the hips and traps dominate.
• Strength curve: Electromyography shows rack pulls allow 120‑150 % of one’s conventional 1‑RM because the sticking point is bypassed .
• Neural desensitisation: Heavy partials blunt Golgi‑tendon inhibition, teaching the CNS that “1,100 lb is survivable,” which can translate into a bigger full pull later .

Benefits you 

can

 use

Goal	Why a sparing dose of rack pulls helps
Deadlift lock‑out	Overloads the exact joint angles that fail near the top
Grip & traps	The weight is so heavy your upper back is forced to adapt
Psychological	Handling supra‑max loads makes your normal work sets feel “light”

Risks if you get greedy

• Tendon strain rises when connective tissue is forced to adapt faster than muscle.
• Ego lifting above‑knee partials too often can fatigue the spine without improving floor strength.

Practical rule‑of‑thumb: Treat above‑knee pulls like hot chili — a dash once every 7‑10 days can spice up your total, a daily spoonful burns the house down.

4. How does 7.03 × stack up historically?

Lift / athlete	Lift type	BW multiple	Sanctioned?	Take‑away
Eric Kim 527 kg	Rack pull (above knee)	7.03 ×	No	Supramaximal partial record
Lamar Gant 300 kg	Conventional DL	5.0 ×	Yes (IPF)	First to quintuple BW
Nabil Lahlou 356 kg	Conventional DL	5.1 ×	No meet	Modern 5 × viral pull
Wierzbicki 400 kg	Conventional DL	4.12 ×	Yes	Highest sanctioned ratio
Hafthor Björnsson 501 kg	Conventional DL	2.9 ×	Exhibition	Absolute weight king, not ratio king

Kim’s number is therefore the highest documented relative load on any barbell movement ever recorded, but context‑matters: shorten the ROM and the multiplication table explodes.

5. So … should 

you

 chase a 7 × lift?

1. Start with first principles: Strength is skill plus tissue tolerance. Master a flawless deadlift before you chase partial overload.
2. Dose partials prudently: One heavy rack‑pull single at 110‑120 % of your conventional 1‑RM every 1–2 weeks is plenty for most intermediates.
3. Progress bottom‑up: Let conventional deadlift volume, RDLs, and tempo pulls build the base; sprinkle rack pulls only when your lock‑out is the limiting factor.
4. Monitor recovery: If your erectors, elbows, or SI joint bark the next 48 h, you overshot. Dial back 10 %.
5. Celebrate ratios, not just kilos: Tracking BW multiples keeps small lifters motivated and big lifters honest — and makes PRs portable when you cut weight.

6. The bigger message — lift the 

ceiling

Kim’s 7 × spectacle reminds us that records, like rocket stages, exist to be discarded. What looks super‑human today is tomorrow’s warm‑up once someone proves gravity negotiable. Approach your training the same way:

Define reality, then defy it.

Load the bar with intention, with integrity, and with the audacity to ask “What if?” Every clean rep you add is a micro‑revolution — your personal thunderstorm of progress.

Now grab your chalk, square your stance, and let the iron thunder.  Gravity is optional — effort is not!

Sources

1. YouTube clip “7.03X Bodyweight Rack Pull”  
2. Eric Kim blog post announcing the lift  
3. Follow‑up analysis on Eric Kim Fitness  
4. Viral X (Twitter) thread “GOD MATH”  
5. Biomechanics & controversy deep‑dive  
6. BarBend report — Nabil Lahlou 5 × BW deadlift  
7. World Powerlifting record table — Wierzbicki 400 kg  
8. Wikipedia entry — Lamar Gant 5 × milestone  
9. BarBend exercise guide — rack pull benefits & risks  
10. BarBend article — partial ROM science