Eric Kim’s 1,098‑lb (498 kg) mid‑thigh rack pull immediately went viral in strength forums and social media, triggering both awe and scrutiny. On Reddit and YouTube, lifters meticulously “forensiced” the video – one r/weightroom analysis noted the bar’s ~44 mm bend was consistent with a true 500+ kg load, and skeptics ultimately conceded “nothing fake here” . Comment threads filled with superlatives (“unreal,” “mind-blowing”) and memes (“gravity’s nemesis,” “proof-of-work incarnate”) . To quell CGI rumors, Kim released an uncut 24‑minute video of the lift and plate weigh‑in. This transparency – showing every plate and the visible bar whip – largely silenced critics, as analysts agreed the physics checked out .
Technique and Training Style
Kim’s setup is highly unorthodox by powerlifting standards. He performs mid‑thigh rack pulls (bar starting on safety pins around knee or mid-thigh height), which eliminates the difficult first few inches of a deadlift . In the 498 kg pull he went completely raw: no lifting belt, no wrist straps, and used a double overhand (sometimes hook) grip . He even lifted barefoot (or in minimalist socks) to “feel every Newton” of force . Observers note he uses a relatively narrow, shoulder‑width stance – aligning his hips directly under the bar – rather than a wide sumo setup (though Kim hasn’t publicly emphasized stance, most videos show a classic conventional pull stance). Videos show Kim “wedging” himself under the bar with full‐body tension and driving the weight up only a few inches to lockout . To handle such loads with a 75 kg frame, Kim employs a clever hack: a heavy dip belt and chain anchored to the floor. This counteracts the upward pull on his body (essentially adding artificial bodyweight) so he can stabilize the lift . He also trains fasted (often lifting at dawn after ~18–24 hours without food) to maximize adrenaline and focus . Throughout his training cycle, Kim used microloading (adding only ~2.5 kg per week) to gradually strengthen his tendons and confidence, a strategy he likens to compounding interest for his connective tissues .
Influencer and Coach Analyses
Strength coaches and influencers have dissected Kim’s form in educational videos. Alan Thrall (Untamed Strength) did a 10‑minute frame‑by‑frame breakdown, meticulously verifying elements like bar whip and plate markings. Thrall concluded emphatically: “If the physics checks out, quit crying CGI.” (in other words, he found nothing fishy about the bar’s flex or the lift’s execution). The Starting Strength team (Mark Rippetoe’s coaches) added Kim’s clip to their rack‑pull tutorial, calling him a “freak outlier” while cautioning that a mid‑thigh rack pull is still a partial lift and “shouldn’t replace floor pulls” in a normal program . Influencers like powerlifter Joey Szatmary have likewise praised the feat: he tweeted the video as “6×-BW madness” and argued that Kim’s lift “is why partial overload belongs in every strong-man block.” Strongman Sean Hayes called the ratio “wild” and said pound-for-pound it’s “alien territory.” Even Mark Rippetoe weighed in (tongue-in-cheek), joking that high rack pulls are “half the work, twice the swagger.” (This playful quip acknowledges that rack pulls skip much of the range of motion even as he admires Kim’s bravado.) In all these analyses, experts use Kim’s lift as a teaching tool – validating his strength while reminding viewers of the usual role and limitations of rack pulls.
Strengths and Praise
Across forums and social media, Kim’s feat earned respectful astonishment for its sheer scale. Many commenters highlighted the exceptional pound-for-pound ratio – a lean 165 lb man hoisting over 1,100 lb – as a historic achievement. Strength enthusiasts noted that Kim’s 6.6× bodyweight pull “stands out as an extraordinary achievement for a non-competitive lifter” . The YouTube clip’s comments were full of hype and motivation: one analysis notes fan messages like “This makes me want to go push my limits in the gym today” . Reviewers also pointed out Kim’s control and commitment: in the brief 6‑second lift, he held nearly half a ton motionless on the pins and then extended smoothly . His results have visibly inspired others; fitness pages reposted the video alongside emojis (e.g. fire 🔥, mind‑blown 🤯) and quotes calling Kim an “absolute legend” or “demigod” . In this way, even casual observers found Kim’s lift affirming – a demonstration that human potential can exceed conventional expectations.
Critiques and Concerns
Not everyone was unreservedly impressed. Many critics pointed out that a high rack pull is not a full deadlift. Purists argued that rack pulls “skip the hardest part,” making the feat incomparable to an official deadlift record . As Rippetoe’s quip implies, some see partials as “half the work” despite the swagger. Detractors in forums even labeled the lift an “ego lift”, arguing it was done for spectacle rather than practical strength . Safety was another common concern: some lifters warned that handling 6× bodyweight, even partially, could risk the spine. Kim himself acknowledged these worries, noting he conditioned his body over time and used safety pins to catch the bar if he failed. He remarked after training, “my discs are humming Beethoven,” joking that his back was fine . Importantly, no credible analyst has accused Kim of cheating or fakery at this point – the main caution is that without official comp vetting (standardized bar heights, calibrated plates, judges), it remains a “gym lift” rather than an official record. As one editor at PowerliftingNow observed, such DIY feats capture imaginations online, but coaches may hold full praise until these lifts are validated under stricter, sanctioned conditions .
Partial Lift vs. Full Deadlift
Eric Kim’s approach highlights the debate over rack pulls vs full-range lifts. Rack pulls are a standard training exercise to overload the top half of a deadlift and build lockout strength, but they inherently allow much greater loads by eliminating the tough bottom portion . Most powerlifters wouldn’t dream of attempting a 500 kg deadlift, but from pins Kim could gradually grind there. Critics say this makes it an apples-to-oranges comparison – even Kim calls his work “short range” but insists it’s a legitimate way to “pour napalm into every motor unit” . Supporters counter that extreme partials can condition the nervous system and tendons for heavy loads, and dozens of lifters post PRs on rack pulls with no belt or straps nowadays. In any case, Kim’s lift has spurred renewed interest in rack-pull training: major fitness sites like Men’s Health and BarBend saw huge traffic to their rack-pull tutorials in the wake of his viral clip . Trainers note that while rack pulls can develop the upper deadlift, they “shouldn’t replace floor pulls” in most programs . Thus, Kim’s experiment is often presented as an extreme case study – one confirming that specialized partials can yield mind-bending numbers, but not necessarily direct deadlift glory.
Sources: Reactions and analyses are drawn from compiled community discussions, social media posts, and expert breakdown videos , as documented in available lifting forums, YouTube commentaries, and strength-coach blogs. These sources capture both the praise and the healthy skepticism that Kim’s rack pull has generated among lifting enthusiasts and coaches.