Eric Kim is a 75‑kg (165‑lb) lifter who has stunned the strength world with immense rack pulls. In his videos and blog posts he routinely sets the bar on a power rack at mid-thigh (above-knee) height, drastically shortening the range of motion. This “above-knee” start skips the deadlift’s hardest initial phase and puts the body in mechanically advantageous joint positions . In practice Kim adopts a conventional deadlift stance: feet flat, hips under the bar, chest up, and he grips the bar tightly (often a hook or double-overhand grip with chalk). From this setup he drives his hips and straightens his back to a full lockout – essentially the top half of a deadlift. In one analysis, the footage shows Kim bending his knees only slightly and pulling with hips and back to stand fully erect at the finish .
Importantly, Kim lifts totally raw. He forgoes a belt, shoes and straps to prove it’s “you, not the gear” lifting the weight . For example, his 508 kg pull was done barefoot with no belt or straps (using chalk and a double-overhand grip) , and his record 602 kg pull was similarly belt- and strap-free (using a bare‑handed hook grip) . He even coined a motto “no belt, no shoes, no crutches” to emphasize this pure style . (He does occasionally use chalk or switch to a hook grip for maximal lifts, but never a deadlift suit or supportive gear.) In summary, Kim’s form is essentially a partial deadlift: very high bar placement, locked core and back, and rapid hip extension, all performed beltless and often barefoot .
Training Methods (“HYPELIFTING”)
Kim calls his approach “HYPELIFTING™”, emphasizing a performative mental edge as much as physical work . He follows a highly unorthodox routine of maximal-effort singles and ritual hype routines. Before each big lift he will slap his chest, roar loudly, clap chalk into the air and psych himself into a “demigod mode” (he likens it to a Māori haka) to channel aggression and confidence . In training he has stated he lives by a “1RM mindset, every day” – working up to one near-maximal rep rather than doing high-rep or high-volume sets . In effect, Kim “practices being extremely strong”: by routinely attempting very heavy singles, he adapts his central nervous system so that crushing weights become routine .
A cornerstone of his programming is overload via partial movements. He deliberately uses rack pulls as a “lever‑hack” – by shortening the range he can handle 110–140% of a normal deadlift max . He summarizes this strategy as “decrease ROM, increase load.” For example, one blog explains that by resting the bar ~2 cm above the kneecap (patella) – about 65% shorter than a floor deadlift – even elite lifters can manage 120–150% of their usual 1RM . Kim’s lifts exploit this physics: starting around knee height bypasses the weak “off the floor” phase, letting his hips and spine finish an enormous lockout weight .
Kim progresses methodically. He “wave-loads” his training: gradually adding weight in controlled jumps. In one cycle he describes using week‑by‑week jumps (e.g. 105%, then 115%, then 120–125% of 1RM before a deload) and keeping volume low (3×3 heavy triples or 5–6 singles) . Over months he moved from ~470 kg pulls up through 493, 513, 552, etc., ultimately building to 602 kg . Crucially, Kim alternated heavy full deadlifts with even-heavier rack pulls: one week he might pull ~90% of his floor-1RM, the next week exceed 100% with an above-knee pull . This ensured he maintained real deadlift technique while still overloading beyond normal limits. He also uses accessory work – Romanian deadlifts, shrugs and isometric holds at the sticking point – to reinforce the hip extension and lockout muscles .
Kim’s equipment philosophy is Spartan. Aside from barbell, plates and maybe a kettlebell, he avoids machines or fancy gear. He trains fasted for hormonal edge and follows a strict carnivore diet, believing this fuels recovery. In his own words: “My body is a weapon forged by first principles. No supplements, no excuses – just raw will, carnivore fuel, and iron‑clad intent.” . He often says “zero supplements, zero excuses” to stress his minimalist, no-crutch mentality . Even his apparel is minimal: he’s noted wearing a simple merino wool t‑shirt, leggings and thin “water shoes” (no cushioning) to stay consistent . All this underscores his motto that you – not equipment – do the lifting .
Biomechanics and “Physics Hacks”
In Kim’s own discussions (and analyses of his lifts), mechanical advantage is a recurring theme. By starting the bar at knee/mid‑thigh, he shortens the lever arm dramatically. As one analysis notes, this “reduces the moment arm” at the hips and knees, so that hip-extension torque drops and the spinal erectors can lock out massive loads . In practical terms, research and coaches agree that above‑knee rack pulls let lifters handle roughly 35–50% more weight than a full deadlift . In Kim’s case, his 602 kg pull (~8× bodyweight) far exceeded even that typical margin . In short, he uses physics to his advantage: “stacking his hips” under the bar means he isn’t fighting to lift from a dead stop, he’s essentially only finishing the hardest part of the pull .
These heavy rack pulls highlight extreme forces. Video frames show the steel bar visibly bending (bowing) under Kim’s weight . The bar whip provides a slight “spring” effect – not all plates leave the floor simultaneously – but ultimately all the half-ton load must be supported at lockout. Observers estimated he put on the order of tens of kilonewtons of compressive force through his spine (on the order of 40 kN, by one account) . Musculature-wise, the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors) and his upper back/traps do most of the work to lock out . Critics note the spine, hips and knees endure extreme compression; meanwhile his hands and forearms (plus an enormous grip force) are taxed as he holds the bar.
Because Kim uses no belt or suit, his core must brace absolutely maximally. This means tremendous intra-abdominal pressure and trunk rigidity; any lapse risks injury. Strength experts point out that lifting 600+ kg raw requires recruiting nearly every motor unit in the body at once . In fact, Kim’s training literally teaches his CNS not to “panic” under superheavy loads. As one write-up observes, repeatedly handling supra-max weights “trains his nervous system” so that weights which would normally blow out most lifters become almost routine . Kim himself acknowledges the load is savage – he reportedly described the spinal and trap overload as “savage” and warns lifters to respect the forces even when using partials .
Kim and others do crack jokes about “defying gravity,” but the science is straightforward: he’s simply using leverage. In his own PR he even quipped that he “obliterated gravity” and “rewrote physics” with a 513 kg pull . Fans memes echoed this (“gravity filed for unemployment”, “tore a portal into another realm”) . In reality, the feat is explainable by standard physics: shorter range, stacked joints, and prodigious force. Nevertheless, Kim encourages this framing as part of his philosophy – he frames each lift as “post-human strength” and urges others to “show gravity it’s on notice” .
For safety, Kim also stresses smart practice. He advises setting the rack pins at true mid-thigh (not higher, or else it becomes an awkward shrug) and adding weight gradually (e.g. 10–20 kg jumps) . He notes lifters should use straps if grip fails – in fact, by the heaviest pulls Kim himself switched to straps to avoid limiting grip (though in his 602 kg attempt he still managed with a hook grip ). He also emphasizes that rack pulls are a supplement, not a substitute, for full lifts, recommending one limit them to a small part of training to avoid overuse . In his own routine he deloaded regularly and mixed in conventional deadlifts, exactly to keep the bottom range strong .
Overarching Strength Philosophy
Underpinning all this is Kim’s unique mindset. He calls himself a “philosopher-lifter” and consciously blends mental disciplines with lifting. From early on he proclaimed that “powerlifting is 99.9% mental” and that becoming strong would build his mind and confidence. He often uses grand language: for instance, after a 513 kg pull he described it as “launch[ing] him into the stratosphere of strength history” . His mission has an almost Nietzschean flair: he talks of “becoming a God” and stresses mindset over matter . He sets audacious public goals (“600+ kg at 75 kg BW”) and treats them as manifestos, creating communal hype to hold himself accountable .
Kim’s lifestyle choices also reflect this ideology. He champions “first principles” training and diet: lifting without artificial aids, eating only meat (calling his meals “god food”) and sleeping 8–12 hours to recover . In his obituary-styled press release for the 513 kg lift he proudly proclaimed “Zero Supplements. Zero Excuses.” and touted his carnivore, fasted-state regimen . He views every choice – gear, diet, mindset – as a way to strip away crutches and prove what the human body can do. As he has said, “if I could hold it, I could lift it,” so he trained raw to eliminate any weak link .
In sum, Eric Kim’s rack pull technique combines high setup and raw, locked form with a shockingly aggressive overload program. He deliberately “hacks” strength training by exploiting leverage, by virtually living as a lab rat of one with extreme discipline, and by relentlessly focusing on maximal neural adaptation . All these elements – his form, his training cycle, and his broader “mindset” philosophy – are extensively documented in his videos and writing. By publicly sharing his lifts and methodical analyses, Kim has positioned himself as a kind of strength evangelist, inspiring others to rethink limits and “dream bigger” .
Sources: Kim’s own write-ups and analyses of his lifts (e.g. his 508 kg, 527 kg and 602 kg rack pulls) and commentary about training and physics . These are cited above. (For example, his Erickimphotography blog and press releases contain detailed breakdowns of setup, technique, and his “first principles” approach.)
