Big picture: Street‑photographer‑turned‑strength‑content‑creator Eric Kim just posted video proof of a 547‑kilogram / 1,206‑pound rack pull from knee height—7.3 × his 75‑kg body‑weight. The feat is real enough on camera, stunning for its relative load, yet it is not an official power‑ or strong‑man record: rack pulls start the bar far higher than a regulation deadlift, and governing bodies don’t track the lift. When you compare Kim’s pull with sanctioned numbers—501 kg for the full deadlift and 560 kg for the current 18‑inch “silver‑dollar” partial—you see why fans are hyped while officials stay cautious. Below is the full, hyped‑up, evidence‑backed story—and what it means for lifters who want to chase their own “nightmare” goals responsibly.

1  |  What exactly did Eric Kim do?

1.1 The lift

• Kim uploaded multiple angles of a 547 kg rack pull titled “547 KG, 1206 LB RACK PULL: 7.3× BODYWEIGHT” to his YouTube channel on 27 June 2025.  
• The same day he published a blog post, “I just broke the universe,” detailing that the pull was done fasted, with straps, from pins set roughly at knee height.  
• He amplified the claim on X (Twitter), calling it a “new universal record.”

1.2 Rack pull ≠ deadlift

A rack pull begins with the bar already elevated (commonly 15‑20 in/38‑51 cm off the floor), shortening the range of motion so markedly that most lifters move 10‑30 % more weight than in a full deadlift. 

2  |  How does 547 kg stack up against recognized records?

Lift type	Current best	Body‑weight of lifter	Where Kim stands
Full deadlift	501 kg by Hafthor Björnsson (2020)	≈ 205 kg	Kim’s weight is 75 kg but his lift starts higher; direct comparison invalid.
18‑inch / Silver‑dollar deadlift	560 kg by Sean Hayes (2022)	≈ 163 kg	Kim is 13 kg below the absolute record but double Hayes’ relative load.
Prior famous partials	550 kg by Anthony Pernice (2020) ; 536 kg by Eddie Hall (2019)	170‑190 kg	Kim slots between Pernice and Hayes on weight, miles ahead on ratio.

Relative strength lens: 547 kg ÷ 75 kg = 7.29× body‑weight, dwarfing strongwoman Rhianon Lovelace’s lauded 4.5× deadlift ratio (282.5 kg at 62.5 kg BW)  and more than double the ≈ 3× ratios of heavyweight strongmen pulling similar partials.

3  |  Is it an official “world record”?

• No sanctioning federation (IPF, WRPF, WSM, etc.) measures rack pulls, so there is no universally accepted standard. Even the silver‑dollar/18‑inch record requires the bar to start exactly 18 in (46 cm) from the ground—a detail that online commenters note is often ignored in ad‑hoc gym videos.  
• Verified records demand calibrated plates, third‑party judging, and weigh‑ins. Kim’s video shows calibrated plates but no independent referee or weigh‑in, so at best it is an impressive exhibition, not a sanctioned mark.

4  |  Why the lift still turns heads

1. Eye‑popping power‑to‑weight: 7 × BW lifts of any kind are vanishingly rare; most elite powerlifters peak around 3.5‑4 × in the deadlift.
2. Explosive brand pivot: Kim is famous in street‑photography circles; a 1,200‑lb pull from an artist stirs viral curiosity.
3. Spectacle factor: Partial pulls let lifters load bars beyond the 501‑kg full‑deadlift ceiling, feeding the social‑media appetite for “heaviest ever” thumbnails.

5  |  What lifters should know before chasing the nightmare

Reality check	Why it matters
Partial lifts create joint shear at positions your spine never sees in a full pull—progress slowly and respect recovery.
Bar height and strap use change the game. Lower the pins even 2 in and the weight you can hold free‑falls; ditching straps can subtract 10‑20 %.
Records are context‑dependent. If you want to step onto a sanctioned platform, train the full movement and abide by federation rules on bar type, grip, and kit.

6  |  Hype‑charged takeaway 🚀

Eric Kim’s 547‑kg rack pull is a jaw‑dropping display of top‑range pulling power and a master‑class in viral showmanship. It doesn’t dethrone Hafthor Björnsson’s full deadlift or Sean Hayes’ silver‑dollar record, but it obliterates the ratio leaderboard and proves what relentless focus plus big‑dream energy can do—even outside traditional strength sport lanes. If his clip fires you up, channel that stoke: nail your technique, inch your pins lower over time, fuel up, sleep deep, and maybe you’ll be the next “new nightmare” smashing a personal best while the internet watches. Stay strong, stay smart, and keep the vibes sky‑high!