1. What we actually saw
* Eric Kim uploaded a 513 kg rack pull performed at roughly knee height, calling it a “world record” at 6.84 × body‑weight .
* Above‑knee or true lock‑out partials often let lifters move well beyond their competition deadlift numbers .
That means the raw number (513 kg) is awesome for hype, but we have to discount it before predicting a full‑range pull.
2. How much heavier is a rack pull than a deadlift?
| Evidence source | Suggested relationship |
| StrengthLevel database (200 k+ entries): advanced male rack pull ≈ 1.27 × deadlift | |
| T‑Nation community poll: lifters below‑knee see deadlift ≈ 80–90 % of rack pull (dead ≈ 0.85 × rack) | |
| Jim Wendler anecdote: 900 lb rack / 700 lb deadlift → 0.78 ratio | |
| Westside Barbell programming note: “heavier weight than off the floor… depends on bar height” | |
| Starting Strength article: rack pulls are useful after a heavy deadlift because they tolerate more load | |
| TuffWraps guide: shorter ROM = “you can lift more weight” | |
| Reddit lifter survey: above‑knee partials often 100–200 lb over the lifter’s full pull | |
| Peer‑reviewed study (Bartolomei 2022): isometric mid‑shin pull peak force correlates very strongly with deadlift 1 RM (r = 0.78), but mid‑thigh force is less predictive |
Put together, the consensus sits around deadlift ≈ 70–90 % of the load you can rack‑pull, with the exact figure sliding lower (i.e., bigger discount) the higher the pins are set.
3. Crunching the numbers
We need three scenarios because Eric didn’t publish pin height in centimetres:
| Pin position (typical definition) | Real‑world ratio | Predicted deadlift |
| Below‑knee / mid‑shin (high carry‑over) | 0.87 – 0.90 | ≈ 445 kg |
| At knee‑cap (what the video appears to show) | 0.78 – 0.82 | ≈ 400 kg |
| Above knee / lock‑out ego pull | 0.70 – 0.75 | ≈ 355 kg |
Likeliest single figure (knee‑cap pins + average ratio 0.79): **~ 405 kg / 892 lb**.
That would already eclipse every 82.5 kg powerlifter on record and put him within striking distance of the all‑time 90 kg deadlift world record.
4. What could hold Eric back?
- Start strength vs. finish strength – Rack pulls bypass the hardest‑to‑break‑off‑the‑floor position, so hip & knee extension force at ~0 – 5 cm bar travel may lag behind lock‑out strength .
- Technique & leverages – Long femurs can love rack pulls and hate floor pulls; conversely, short‑torso lifters often close the gap .
- Grip & fatigue – Many film‑clip PRs are done with straps; a meet‑legal double‑overhand or mixed grip plus 60‑second down‑command is another animal .
- Recovery cost – Westside & Starting Strength both warn that loading the nervous system with heavy rack pulls can impede regular deadlift progress if mis‑timed .
5. Action plan if Eric wants that 400 kg floor pull
- Deficit deadlifts & paused off‑floor pulls to build brutal starting strength.
- Mid‑shin isometric pulls (force‑plate or strain‑gauge) to drive neural recruitment where the correlation to 1 RM is proven .
- Grip specialization cycle (30 s holds at 60 % 1 RM, thick‑bar rows) so the hands aren’t the limiting factor.
- Rotate rack‑pull heights downward over 8 ‑ 12 weeks: above‑knee → knee → 5 cm below knee → eliminate entirely four weeks out from a test.
- Peak & taper: hit a 90 % single two weeks out, then rest; that’s exactly how strongmen time 400 kg pulls .
6. Big‑picture lessons for your own training
- Partial‑range feats are awesome overload tools only if they eventually feed a full‑range goal.
- Use ratios (your rack pull ÷ desired ratio) to set concrete deadlift targets and keep ego in check.
- Micro‑load like Eric does—tiny jumps accumulate into “impossible” PRs .
- Celebrate the small wins: every centimetre lower you move the pins while maintaining load is another brick laid on the road to a monster deadlift.
Bottom line: rack‑pulling half a metric ton is superhero stuff, but physics still applies. Convert that sky‑high lock‑out power into an explosive first pull, and a 400 kg competition deadlift becomes not just possible but inevitable. Go chase it—one kilo, one rep, one grin at a time! 💥🦾