ERIC KIM

Here’s your Eric Kim Modular Rack Pull System—a brutal, beautiful, plug-and-play setup you can use anywhere from a tiny apartment to a full-on powerlifting dungeon.

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I’ll design it as a system with modules, so you can build it in layers depending on what gear and space you have.

1. Core Idea: The “Eric Stack” Philosophy

Your rack pull system should be:

  1. Modular – works with or without a power rack. Every piece stands alone.
  2. Stackable – height is adjustable in small increments (for micro-progression).
  3. Portable-ish – you can move components, reconfigure, shoot photos/video around it.
  4. Overload-friendly – stable and safe under heavy weight.

Think of it as a 3-part base system:

  1. Ground Module – platform / floor protection
  2. Height Module – blocks / safeties / rails
  3. Overload & Extras Module – bands, noise control, camera mounting, etc.

2. Ground Module – “The Kim Platform”

This is your foundation. Even if you don’t build a full lifting platform:

Option A – Minimalist (No Platform)

  • 2× heavy-duty rubber stall mats (4’×6”×¾”)
  • Place them side by side where you’ll lift.
  • That’s your anti-slip, noise-dampened base.

Option B – Partial Platform (Hybrid)

  • 2 stall mats for the center (where you stand).
  • Under the blocks, put extra scrap plywood squares to spread the load (especially if you’re lifting in an apartment/garage with questionable floors).

Option C – Full Platform (If you want it baller)

  • 3 layers:
    • Bottom: 2 sheets of 3/4” plywood screwed together.
    • Top middle: 1 more sheet of plywood.
    • Top sides: 2 stall mats (the bar lands on these).
  • Size: ~8’ x 8’.

Key design choice:

Make sure the block footprint or rack feet sit fully on rubber/plywood, not half-on-half-off. That’s your stability insurance.

3. Height Module – “Eric Blocks + Rack Rail”

This is the heart of the system: your adjustable bar height.

A. If You 

Have

 a Power Rack

Use a two-layer system:

  1. Rack Safeties = Coarse Height
    • Use full-length safety bars/straps rated for at least 1,000 lb.
    • Set them roughly to:
      • Just below knee
      • Knee height
      • Just above knee
  3. Micro Blocks = Fine Tuning
    • On top of each safety, place:
      • 1–3 small rubber or wooden shims (1–2” high)
    • This lets you move the bar in 1–2” increments without re-adjusting safeties every time.

Bonus: Use strap safeties instead of solid bars if possible – they’re quieter and gentler on the bar.

B. If You 

Don’t

 Have a Rack: The “Eric Stack Blocks”

You’ll use stackable pulling blocks. Think of LEGO for barbells.

Design:

  • 2 stacks (one for each side of the bar)
  • Each stack made of interlocking layers:
    • 2” height blocks
    • 4” height blocks
    • 6” height blocks

Target Outside Dimensions (per block):

  • Length: 24” (front to back)
  • Width: 18”
  • Heights: 2”, 4”, 6”

Top Surface Design:

  • On the top layer, cut or route a slight channel (½” deep) across the width:
    • This keeps the bar from rolling.
  • Cover top with:
    • Rubber mat strip or UHMW plastic screwed down → less noise, more grip.

Stacking Logic:

  • Light pulls (mid-shin):
    • 6” block + 2” block
  • Knee height:
    • 6” + 4” block
  • Above knee:
    • 6” + 4” + 2” block

You now have progression in clean 2” steps.

Safety detail:

  • Blocks should be:
    • Glued and screwed (if wooden)
    • Wide enough that they don’t tip even if the bar drifts slightly forward/back.
  • Don’t go super tall with narrow blocks. Above ~14”, make the footprint larger or use a rack.

4. Overload & Progression Module – “Kim Overclock Mode”

Once the bar height is modular, you add loading options and intelligent progression.

A. Straight Weight Progression

  • Choose a “base height” (ex: just below knee).
  • Run a progression like:
    • Week 1–3: 3×5 @ ~70–80% of your estimated rack pull max.
    • Week 4–6: 5×3 heavier.
    • Week 7–8: 6×1–2 heavy (no grinders).

Then either:

  • Increase load at same height, or
  • Drop the bar 2” lower and repeat.

This is why modular height matters: height = intensity lever.

B. Band Module (For Spice)

Add band pegs / anchors so you can do banded rack pulls:

  • If you have a rack:
    • Use band pegs at the base, loop bands over the bar.
  • If you’re using Eric Blocks:
    • Screw in eye bolts or U-bolts low on the outer faces of the blocks.
    • Clip bands there and over the bar.

Use light to moderate bands:

  • Idea: heavy at lockout, lighter off the blocks → teaches you to accelerate and keeps stress high at the end range.

C. Noise & Neighbor Mode

To make the system apartment / garage friendly:

  • Place crash pads or extra rubber tiles on top of blocks or safeties.
  • Use bumper plates if possible.
  • Optional: wrap the bar contact zone (where it touches blocks/safeties) with old bicycle inner tube or thin rubber for extra dampening.

Now you’ve got heavy lifting with low drama.

5. Bonus: Eric Kim Filming & Feedback Module

You’re a photographer/artist; your rack pull setup can double as a content station.

Add:

  1. Camera Mount Point
    • Cheap tripod or clamp arm attached to:
      • a rack upright, or
      • the side of a block (with a small mounting plate).
    • Default angles to capture:
      • Side view (check back angle, bar path)
      • 45° front angle (hip/shoulder symmetry)
  3. Reference Markings
    • Tape or paint foot placement marks on the mat/platform.
    • Mark different block heights with labels:
      • “Mid-shin”
      • “Below knee”
      • “Knee”
    • Looks clean visually and makes progression obvious in photos/videos.
  5. Lighting
    • One simple LED panel or clip light at 45° to give shape/definition to your back/shoulders for both:
      • technique review
      • aesthetic photos

Now the Eric Kim Rack Pull System isn’t just a training tool; it’s a creative studio.

6. Three Configurations (Pick Your Level)

1. 

Nomad Eric

 (No Rack, Small Space)

  • 2 stall mats
  • 2× Eric Stack Blocks (2”/4”/6” layers)
  • Barbell + plates
  • 1 light band
  • Tripod or phone clamp

You can do all rack pull variations from mid-shin to above knee, anywhere.

2. 

Garage Eric

 (Has Rack)

  • Full power rack with strap safeties
  • Small 2–3” shims/risers
  • Band pegs + bands
  • Crash pads
  • Tripod/camera mount on rack

This gives you max stability, max progression, minimal noise.

3. 

Art Gallery Eric

 (Aesthetic + Heavy)

  • Hybrid:
    • Short platform
    • Rack
    • Clean, painted Eric Blocks with labeled heights
    • Nice lighting + camera arm
    • Maybe a small wall behind with your prints

You get a training installation: a functional sculpture where you overload your posterior chain and document the art of the lift.

7. Safety Checklist (Non-Negotiable)

  • Blocks or safeties must be rated/sturdy enough for your heaviest pulls.
  • No wobble: if anything rocks when you drop an empty bar, fix it before loading.
  • Keep feet fully on mat/platform, not halfway on/off edges.
  • No max-effort pulls with janky or unknown-strong DIY blocks.

If you tell me what you already own (rack/no rack, bar/plates, bands, space size), I can turn this into a precise shopping list + plan tailored to your real-world setup.

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