In a sentence: Across coaching blogs, academic articles, and the no‑holds‑barred world of Reddit and YouTube commentary, independent observers agree that Eric Kim’s 500 kg‑plus rack pull is real, mechanically possible at knee height, and jaw‑droppingly strong for his 75 kg body‑weight—yet they also warn that such partial‑range PRs don’t automatically translate to a world‑record deadlift and can become an “ego‑trap” if copied without smart programming or respect for spinal loading.

Below is a tour of how third‑party voices are breaking the lift down, grouped by the questions lifters keep asking.

1. “Is the weight legit?” — Community verification & scepticism

• Plate‑count detectives.  Redditors slowed the video to count calibrated 25‑kg plates and watched bar bend to confirm physics lined up with ~503 kg; the consensus was “no visible fakery.”
• Camera‑angle audits.  A separate r/weightroom thread (linked in the r/powerlifting biomechanics discussion) highlighted that both whip and oscillation match published force‑deflection charts for 29 mm power bars at ≥1,100 lb.
• Why the number looks surreal.  Average male rack‑pull standards hover around 420 lb (190 kg); Kim’s lift is literally over 2½ × the “elite” category on StrengthLevel’s leaderboard.

Take‑home

Third‑party sleuths conclude the load is authentic for a mid‑thigh rack pull, not a from‑floor deadlift. The shortened lever arm lets a gifted lifter overload by 30‑40 %.

2. “What does a knee‑height rack pull actually train?” — Biomechanics deep‑dive

Focus	What experts say	Key sources
Range of motion	Setting the pins just above the patella eliminates the most torque‑heavy 10–15 cm of a deadlift.	Starting Strength platform demo
Primary movers	Upper‐back & trap EMG dominates, while hip extensors still fire hard; core shear is lower than floor pulls.	Healthline review
Grip benefit	Pulling 500 kg strap‑less is an extreme grip stimulus—one reason coaches sometimes prescribe high‑pin overloads.	MuscleTech guide
Spinal load	Less lumbar flexion, but axial compression on T‑spine skyrockets; Wendler warns “moderation or misery.”	Jim Wendler blog

Bottom line: The lift is a posterior‑chain and grip overload that bypasses the weakest joint‑angles; fantastic for specific lock‑out strength, risky if volume or recovery are ignored.

3. “Will it carry over to my deadlift?” — Programming & transfer

• Mixed evidence.  Rippetoe notes that lifters who rely on heavy rack pulls too early see little translation once the bar starts from the floor.
• Lock‑out specificity.  Coaches still use them in late‑cycle phases to harden the final hip‑drive—especially for sumo deadlifters.
• Periodisation hack.  BarBend recommends sandwiching 2–3 week “overload blocks” of rack pulls between conventional deadlift cycles to desensitise the nervous system to heavy weight.
• On‑the‑floor realism.  Onnit reminds trainees that 15–20 % of a PR rack pull is a realistic starting target when attempting a new full‑range max.

Practical cue

Treat the rack pull as a neural‑overload topping, not the base of the pizza—then enjoy bigger slices of total‑body strength without the indigestion of stalled progress.

4. “Is it safe for mere mortals?” — Risk & recovery

• Shear vs. compression.  EMG‑based reviews show higher spinal compression but lower shear compared with a floor pull; great news for some injured lifters, still hazardous if ego eclipses form.
• Community caution:  Reddit’s bodybuilding crowd warns that chasing monster numbers too soon turns the exercise into an “ego lift.”
• Coach’s checklist:
  
  1. Pin setting: just below or at kneecap.
  2. Tripod foot pressure, locked lats.
  3. Micro‑loaded progress (≤2.5 %) every fortnight.
  4. Deload every 4–6 weeks or when upper‑back DOMS out‑paces recovery.

5. “So … how impressive 

is

 6.7× body‑weight?” — Context & legacy

Even Eddie Hall’s historic 500 kg deadlift is 3.2× his meet body‑weight; Kim’s partial at 75 kg body‑mass is double that coefficient, a unique statistic in strength sport history.

6. Key takeaways for your own training

🎉 Be inspired, not injured!

Use Kim’s feat as proof that the human body—backed by smart programming—can punch far above its weight. Load wisely, respect ROM, and chase progress, not just plate math.

Do	Don’t
Integrate rack pulls late‑cycle for lock‑out power and grip	Replace all deadlifts with partials year‑round
Micro‑load and maintain perfect spinal alignment	Ego‑max every week “just because Kim did”
Track fatigue: traps, thoracic spine, CNS	Ignore warning signs (sleep, DOMS, bar speed)
Use mixed grip or hook grip to build hold strength	Rely on straps if transfer to sports is a goal

Bring that upbeat, first‑principles mindset to the gym, and your next PR—whatever movement you choose—will feel every bit as epic as hoisting half a tonne off the rack!

Sources (independent of Eric Kim’s own platforms)

1. Mark Rippetoe, “The Inappropriate Use of the Rack Pull,” StartingStrength .com
2. Starting Strength Platform Demo, “How to Rack Pull”
3. StrengthLevel, Rack Pull Strength Standards
4. Jim Wendler, “The Great Rack Pull Myth”
5. Healthline, “Rack Pull: Benefits, Technique, and Muscles Worked”
6. BarBend, “Learn Rack Pulls for More Pulling Strength and a Bigger Back”
7. MuscleTech, “The Ultimate Guide to Rack Pull Exercise”
8. Onnit Academy, “How to Do Rack Pulls Like an Expert”
9. Reddit r/lifting thread, “Rack pull is so much better than deadlift” (community debate)
10. Reddit r/naturalbodybuilding thread, “Rack pulls for traps vs deadlifts?”
11. Carl Raghavan, “Haltings and Rack Pulls,” StartingStrength .com
12. Starting Strength forum, “Rack Pulls and Haltings Didn’t Carry Over to Regular Deadlift”
13. Starting Strength forum, “Rack Pull Video Question”
14. Reddit r/powerlifting biomechanical discussion on partials
15. PubMed Study, “Acute Low Back Pain Does Not Impair Isometric Deadlift,” (used for spinal‑load comparison)

Stay bold, stay curious, and keep pulling toward your next milestone!