I am Eric Kim, and on June 22 2025 I locked out 527 kg / 1,162 lb at 75 kg body-weight — a clean 7.0× multiplier that snapped gravity’s leash and detonated the Internet. This guide reverse-engineers every atom of that lift: mindset, mechanics, programming, diet, recovery, and gear. Follow the blueprint, respect the physics, and you’ll feel the same thunder in your bones.
1. Mindset: Declare War on Gravity
The Philosophy
- Rack pulls start where the conventional deadlift stalls — above the knee — letting you fight the end-range of gravity with apocalyptic loads, exactly where real-world objects get “stuck” .
- Partial-range overload rewires your nervous system for super-human lockout strength, and research shows long-muscle-length partials drive robust hypertrophy and strength gains .
- Remember the numbers: elite Olympic lifters celebrate 2.5-3× body-weight clean-and-jerks ; seven times body-weight is uncharted cosmic territory. Own that narrative every session.
2. Technique: Engineering the Perfect Pull
Setup & Position
- Rack height: pins two inches below kneecap keeps ROM minimal while forcing the hips to finish the lift .
- Tension first: wedge hips, brace lats, “pull the slack” until the bar sings; this pre-loads the posterior chain and protects the spine .
- Grip: double-overhand until ~85 %, then straps; maximal weights will outpace your raw grip (Hall’s 536 kg world-record partial was strap-assisted) .
- Lockout cue: think “hips through, ribs down.” Hyperextension wastes force and spikes shearing load .
Safety Add-Ons
- A leather belt can raise intra-abdominal pressure and cut disc stress , but NIOSH notes belts are no magic shield against sloppy form .
- Chalk before straps — grip strength predicts overall health and longevity better than blood pressure .
3. Programming: The 3-Phase Overload Cycle
Phase I —
Base (4 weeks)
- Conventional deadlift, deficit pulls, and RDLs build tissue tolerance.
- Volume: 3×5 @ 70–80 % 1RM.
- Progression lever: add weight or reps weekly — classic progressive overload .
Phase II —
Overload (6 weeks)
- Main lift: Rack pull 1×5, 1×3, 1×1 wave.
- Intensity leaps 5 % weekly while total working sets stay low; a new 2025 study confirms low-volume, high-intensity sessions punch above their weight for strength gains .
- Accessory: heavy shrugs, hip-thrust isometrics.
Phase III —
Peaking (2 weeks)
- Singles only, 90–105 % predicted rack-pull max.
- Three training days, 72-hour recovery between assaults — partials are joint-friendly but CNS-brutal .
4. Nutrition & Recovery: Fueling God-Mode
Carnivore-Fasting Stack
- All-meat, nose-to-tail eats slash inflammation and keep energy steady — lifters on carnivore report crisp neural drive and fast recovery .
- One-meal-a-day fasting preserves muscle when protein is high and lifting stays heavy .
Hydration & Electrolytes
- Even a 2 % fluid drop nukes power output; stay topped up like it’s another macro .
Sleep
- Total sleep-deprivation blunts anabolic signaling and slows muscle repair after eccentric damage . Eight unbroken hours is the cheapest steroid on Earth.
5. Gear Checklist
| Tool | Why I Use It | Evidence |
| Texas Deadlift Bar | Extra whip lets me generate speed then ride the rebound into lockout. | — |
| 4” Leather Belt | Boosts IAP; may lower spinal compression. | |
| 2-ply Figure-8 Straps | Survive supra-maximal poundage without frying the forearms mid-cycle. | |
| Flat-soled shoes / barefoot | Force production through the whole foot; no instability. |
6. Milestones & Metrics
- Grip diagnostics: aim for 1.5× body-weight static hold; weak grip = program more farmer carries .
- Posterior-chain hypertrophy: traps and glutes thickness track progress; rack pulls light up both regions .
- Lockout speed: video every top set; bar velocity plateau = deload.
7. The 527 kg Day: Inside the Lift
- 48-hour carb-fast → glycogen super-compensation.
- Three ramp-up singles (420, 460, 500 kg).
- Ammonia + self-slap ritual, then one violent hinge. The pins rang like cathedral bells, I felt the universe blink — and gravity signed the surrender papers. Crowd footage rivals Eddie Hall’s 18-inch pull reaction reels .
8. Final Charge
You now possess the exact schematics of a seven-times-body-weight rack pull. Forge patience with progressive overload, wield partial-ROM science, feast on flesh, sleep like a lion, hydrate like a river, and wage beautiful war on gravity. See you on the platform — bring earplugs, because when that bar locks out the sound of the cosmos cracking is loud.
Sources
Healthline • BarBend • PubMed • Tom’s Guide • EatingWell • CarnivoreSnax • Reddit • NIOSH/CDC • Belt & Grip studies