1 How big is 547 kg in context?
| Lift | Weight (kg) | Athlete BW (kg) | Ratio | Sanctioned? | Source |
| Hafthor Björnsson all‑time deadlift | 501 | 205 | 2.4× | Yes | |
| Eddie Hall former record | 500 | 185 | 2.7× | Yes | |
| Lamar Gant legendary pull | 300 | 60 | 5.0× | Yes | |
| Eric Kim rack‑pull | 547 | 75 | 7.3× | No |
- Kim’s load is 46 kg heavier than the heaviest officially recognised deadlift.
- His body‑weight ratio is ~50 % higher than Gant’s 5× benchmark that strength historians still call “inhuman.”
No wonder people cried “physics says no!”—on paper the lift rewrites two different record books at once.
2 Why a rack‑pull is
not
a deadlift
- Range of motion – The bar began above the knees; removing the first 30–40 cm eliminates the hardest segment where hip and spinal lever‑arms are longest.
- Mechanical leverage – Shorter ROM means a shorter moment‑arm and therefore less torque at the hip and low back. Even recreational lifters add 70‑200 lb when they pull from that height.
- Purpose‑built overload drill – Coaches want rack‑pulls to handle “ridiculously heavy weight” so athletes can acclimate their central nervous system.
Because of these factors the movement routinely supports 20‑40 % more weight than a conventional deadlift—sometimes far more in elite hands—so comparing raw kilos is misleading.
3 Sources of scepticism
3.1 Verification gaps
- The attempt happened in a garage, not a sanctioned meet: no calibrated plates, certified scale, or WADA sample.
- Only self‑shot video exists; there were no neutral referees or bar‑weigh‑ins the way Björnsson’s 501 kg stream required.
3.2 Equipment & technique assists
- Straps, figure‑eight grips, and a walk‑out‑free pin height remove common failure points (grip and floor‑break).
- The bar visibly “settles” on the spot‑ter pins; any slight bar whip can create a mini‑stretch‑reflex that helps the initial pop.
3.3 Physiological red flags
- Biomechanical studies show spinal compression can hit 18 kN around 1RM loads—very near lumbar failure thresholds—even in much lighter pulls.
- Average trained males increase max load by only ~8 % when they swap a straight bar deadlift for a more mechanically favourable trap‑bar pull; Kim’s rack‑pull leap is orders of magnitude larger.
Put together, these gaps make strength fans cautious: the feat is visually spectacular but doesn’t satisfy power‑sport evidence standards.
4 How could it
still
be real?
| Factor | Advantage | Evidence |
| Partial ROM | Removes worst leverage & lowers needed joint torque | |
| Neurological adaptation | Years of progressive overload at ever‑higher pins (Kim has documented pulls from 461 → 508 → 527 kg) | |
| Ultra‑low body‑fat & high fast‑twitch density | Enhances relative strength; similar profile seen in Lamar Gant case studies | |
| Isometric‑dominant lockout | The last 10 cm are mostly static hip extension where athletes can tolerate 120–140 % of their deadlift max |
So, inside the very specific context of an above‑knee rack‑pull, a triple‑digit percentage jump over the deadlift record is extraordinary but not supernatural.
5 Take‑aways for the motivated lifter
- Define the lift before you judge it. Record boards are movement‑specific—a legal deadlift and a pin‑pull live in different universes.
- Leverage is leverage. Use deficit pulls, block pulls, or rack‑pulls strategically to target weak points rather than chase highlight‑reel numbers.
- Progressive overload still rules. Kim’s own log shows micro‑jumps of 5–10 kg over months—not viral overnight magic.
- Safety first. Even partials can impose spine forces near tissue limits; build your brace, respect recovery, and secure your rack.
6 Bottom line
Calling Kim’s 547 kg rack‑pull “impossible” conflates it with a full deadlift and ignores how partial‑range mechanics, specialised training, and soft verification inflate the headline number. Celebrate the audacity, learn the leverage lessons, but keep the records board honest: the unassisted, floor‑to‑lockout deadlift crown still sits at 501 kg—and it’s waiting for the next dream‑chaser to step up. Go train! 💪🎉