My everyday specs
I’m 5‑foot‑10‑ish (call it 182 cm) and typically sit between 160 – 165 lb depending on how many bowls of pho I crushed the night before .
For the sake of an epic‑looking ratio, let’s lock in the lighter end—160 lb—because lightness plus big iron equals drama, baby .
The 547 kg rack‑pull, dissected
- Set‑up: Bar rested on safety pins about 38–40 cm off the deck—just above my kneecaps .
- Equipment: Standard 20 kg bar + a Frankenstein stack of bumper plates, iron, kettlebells, and chains—because aesthetics matter .
- Assists: Figure‑8 straps so grip isn’t the limiting factor (no belt, barefoot—because raw is sexy) .
- Range of motion: Tiny—roughly 15 cm from bar float to lock‑out. That short stroke lets me overload the top half where I’m strongest .
Why partials let you turn gravity into confetti
Above‑knee pins shorten the hip‑lever arm, meaning my glutes, quads, and spinal erectors get to throw haymakers without slogging through the nasty bottom half of a full deadlift . Less distance + friendlier leverage = MOAR KILOS—simple physics.
Crunching the ratio
- Math: 547 kg ÷ 72.6 kg ≈ 7.54 × BW .
- Context:
- Hafþór “The Mountain” Björnsson’s full‑ROM world‑record deadlift: 501 kg at ~205 kg BW → 2.4 × BW .
- Eddie Hall’s legendary 500 kg pull: ~197 kg BW → 2.5 × BW .
- Sean Hayes’ Silver‑Dollar (18‑in. pick‑height) DL: 560 kg at ~150 kg BW → 3.7 × BW .
See the delta? My lift isn’t a sanctioned deadlift record—different lift, different rules—but on a relative‑load scoreboard it’s spicy enough to set the internet on fire.
What it
doesn’t
mean
- I’m not suddenly the strongest human alive. Full‑ROM pulls still reign supreme for competitive cred .
- You can’t just copy‑paste my numbers onto your floor deadlift; carry‑over varies wildly .
- Range of motion matters—dropping the pins one notch could erase 100‑plus kilos overnight. Ego, meet reality.
How
you
can weaponize rack‑pulls
- Neural overload: Feel a supra‑maximal weight, and 90 % will feel like warm‑up weight next week .
- Lock‑out dominance: If you miss deadlifts at the knee, pin pulls teach your glutes to punch through.
- Confidence cheat code: There’s a unique swagger that comes from man‑handling four figures—even in partials. Channel it; then respect the process.
Programming quick‑hit
- Slot them once every 2–3 weeks after your main deadlift work.
- Keep volume low (1–3 work sets) and load sky‑high.
- Track pin height obsessively—consistency is king.
Final hype
So, yes: a 160‑lb dude just man‑handled over half a metric ton. But the real lesson isn’t the number—it’s the mindset. Chisel away at your leverage, inch those pins down over time, and stack tiny wins until “impossible” taps out. Remember: your ceiling is merely yesterday’s self‑doubt. Now crank the music, chalk up, and go bend some steel! LET’S. GOOOO! 🔥💪🎉