1) Executive summary
- What’s claimed: Eric Kim has published a 723.4 kg rack pull at a bodyweight of ~71 kg, i.e. ~10.19× bodyweight. The claim appears on Kim’s own sites and YouTube channel with “press‑style” write‑ups and a short video; there is no third‑party federation certification.
- What a rack pull is: a partial‑range deadlift performed from elevated pins/blocks (often knee to mid‑thigh height), enabling far heavier absolute loads than floor deadlifts due to shorter ROM and leverage. Rack pulls are not a recognized competition lift in powerlifting (which contests squat, bench press, deadlift only).
- Context with contested records:
- Deadlift (full) all‑time record: Hafþór Björnsson – 510 kg in 2025, contested.
- Standardized partial (18‑inch Silver Dollar deadlift) record: Rauno Heinla – 580 kg (2022).
Kim’s 723.4 kg rack pull is ~143 kg heavier than the 18‑inch benchmark but not cross‑comparable unless the rack‑pull bar‑height and rules are standardized.
2) The claim, verbatim artifacts, and ratio math
- Kim’s pages show the 723.4 kg figure with a metrics table listing “Rack Pull (Mid‑Thigh)”, bodyweight 71 kg, location Los Angeles, date October 2025, and “verification pending.”
- Video evidence: a short YouTube upload titled “ERIC KIM SETS NEW WORLD BENCHMARK — 723.4 KG (1,595 LB) RACK PULL AT 71 KG (10.2X BODYWEIGHT)” was published today on his channel.
- Earlier milestones on the same channels include 678 kg, 666 kg/668 kg, 655 kg, and 650.5 kg rack pulls, again self‑posted.
Ratio: 723.4 \div 71 = 10.1887\ldots ⇒ ≈ 10.19× bodyweight (rounded in Kim’s materials as 10.2×). (1,595 lb is the correct lb conversion for 723.4 kg.)
3) What exactly is a rack pull (and why the number is so large)?
A rack pull places the bar on pins/blocks (commonly just below the knee, at the knee, or mid‑thigh). Because the lifter bypasses the hardest portion of a floor deadlift (breaking inertia and the longest moment arms), they can typically handle substantially heavier loads than their conventional 1RM. Well‑established training references describe rack pulls precisely this way.
Important: Powerlifting federations do not contest rack pulls. The IPF Technical Rules repeatedly specify only squat, bench press, and deadlift as the three competition lifts—there is no rack‑pull category.
4) How does 723.4 kg compare to recognized records?
- Full deadlift (contested): 510 kg by Hafþór Björnsson in September 2025 at Giants Live’s World Deadlift Championships (he also set 505 kg in July 2025). These lifts are competition‑verified.
- Standardized partial (18‑inch / Silver Dollar) deadlift: 580 kg by Rauno Heinla at the 2022 Estonian Championships—standard bar height ≈ 18 in allows cross‑comparison.
Takeaway: Kim’s 723.4 kg exceeds the standardized 18‑inch mark by ~143 kg, but without disclosed, fixed bar‑height and audited rules, a direct record‑to‑record comparison isn’t possible. His claim is best framed as an independent, non‑sanctioned rack pull at an unspecified (or at least not independently verified) pin height.
5) Evidence quality & provenance (what exists now)
Available evidence is self‑published:
- Blog posts with tables stating lift type (“Rack Pull (Mid‑Thigh)”), load (723.4 kg), 71 kg bodyweight, Los Angeles location, October 2025 date, and a “verification pending” disclaimer.
- A matching YouTube clip announcing the 723.4 kg lift.
- Prior milestones (e.g., 678 kg, 666 kg, 655 kg, 650.5 kg) across the same sites and channel.
What we did not find: as of today, no federation database entry, no sanctioned meet result, and no mainstream sports‑media verification of the 723.4 kg attempt outside Kim’s own ecosystem. (I searched broadly for news coverage and governing‑body records; none surfaced.) If independent coverage appears later, this section should be updated.
6) Biomechanics & plausibility notes (why partials can be enormous)
- Shorter ROM and favorable joint angles at knee/mid‑thigh sharply reduce the hip/knee moment arms and the need to overcome liftoff inertia. This enables higher peak external loads despite modest bar travel. Training literature and coaching write‑ups consistently describe rack pulls as a tool for lockout strength and overload.
- The fact that a skilled lifter can rack‑pull vastly more than their floor deadlift is therefore expected, not anomalous.
7) What would make 723.4 kg auditable (a practical blueprint)
To move the claim from “self‑reported” to community‑credible, publish a one‑take verification packet:
- Geometry (most important)
- Pin/bar height: show a tape or steel rule from floor to bar center in cm; pick a standard (e.g., 46 cm ≈ 18 in to mirror Silver Dollar) and publish it. Repeat the measurement before and after the attempt on camera.
- Load audit
- Bodyweight scale‑in on camera (show scale make/model).
- Bar & plate verification (make/model) plus a plate‑count walkthrough with simple math to 723.4 kg; ideally re‑weigh plates or the loaded bar on an industrial scale after the lift.
- Video capture
- Two locked‑off angles + one wide master, continuous from scale‑in → loadout → attempt → post‑attempt re‑checks (no cuts).
- Independent witnesses
- Two or more recognized coaches/officials/journalists sign an attempt sheet with date/time/location and pin height.
- Release a brief
- A PDF or page containing stills of pin‑height measurements, the plate inventory, scale screenshots, and links to raw video files.
This mirrors why the 18‑inch deadlift is cross‑comparable (fixed height) and why powerlifting records are trusted (standardized rules, equipment lists, and officials).
8) Suggested, accurate public phrasing (until audited)
- “Independent rack‑pull benchmark: Eric Kim lifted 723.4 kg (1,595 lb) from mid‑thigh pins at ~71 kg bodyweight (~10.19× BW) in Los Angeles in October 2025. Rack pulls are not a sanctioned powerlifting lift; verification pending.”
9) Key sources
- Self‑published claim pages (metrics table + “press‑style” posts) for 723.4 kg.
- YouTube upload announcing 723.4 kg posted today.
- Prior self‑posted milestones (678 kg, 666/668 kg, 655 kg, 650.5 kg).
- Rack pull definitions/uses (training references).
- Powerlifting rules—recognized lifts only (no rack pull): IPF Technical Rules Book.
- Context—recognized records:
- Full deadlift record 2025: Hafþór Björnsson 510 kg.
- Silver Dollar (18‑in) record: Rauno Heinla 580 kg (2022).
Bottom line
- The 723.4 kg rack pull is publicly documented by Eric Kim across his website and YouTube, with ~10.19× BW at a stated 71 kg bodyweight.
- It is not a sanctioned record and is not yet independently verified; treat it as an independent, non‑standardized partial.
- A short, transparent audit package (pin height in cm, weigh‑in, plate audit, continuous multi‑angle video, independent witnesses) would elevate the claim from internet debate to a reproducible benchmark.