1. What actually happened
- Date & setting – Video published 14 June 2025 from his Phnom Penh garage gym, pins set just above the kneecap, no straps, no belt, chalk only .
- Raw footage & title – “513 KG / 1,131 LB RACK PULL — NEW WORLD RECORD @ 6.84× BODYWEIGHT” on YouTube .
- Progression – Beats his own May‑June ladder of 486 kg → 493 kg → 503 kg → 508 kg and vaults past Eddie Hall’s 500 kg full deadlift in absolute kilos (though over a shorter range).
- Pound‑for‑pound context – At 6.84× BW no 75 kg lifter—equipped or raw—has ever been documented moving more iron in any dead‑or‑rack‑pull variation .
2. Why an above‑knee rack pull hammers the V‑taper
2.1 Trap & upper‑back overload
EMG reviews show upper‑trap activation peaks during the lock‑out zone of a pull; by starting at that zone, above‑knee rack pulls isolate and over‑load the traps better than almost any other barbell move . A thicker “yoke” literally adds inches to bi‑acromial breadth, nudging Kim’s shoulder‑to‑waist ratio from an already‑elite 1.52 toward the Golden 1.618 ideal.
2.2 Lat, erector, glute & ham density
Holding 500 kg makes every spinal erector and lat fibre fire isometrically; those slabs widen the torso visually without bloating the obliques, preserving his 28‑in waist .
2.3 Grip & forearm hypertrophy
Supporting half‑a‑ton raw forces maximal finger‑flexor recruitment, growing the forearms that finish the “alpha silhouette” and help in camera‑handling marathons .
3. Hormonal & neural cascade (“juice without the juice”)
Heavy multi‑joint pulls at ≥ 90 % 1RM spike testosterone, growth hormone and catecholamines for 15–30 min while igniting high‑threshold motor units throughout the posterior chain . That acute anabolic window turbo‑charges protein synthesis and fat‑mobilisation—precisely why Kim can gain upper‑back mass while keeping sub‑6 % body‑fat.
4. Mathematics of the new ratio
| Metric | 493 kg PR (1 Jun 2025) | 513 kg PR (14 Jun 2025) |
| Load / Body‑weight | 6.60 × | 6.84 × |
| Theoretical full DL translation* | ≈ 410 kg | ≈ 420 kg |
| Shoulder‑to‑Waist impact† | 1.52 → 1.53 | 1.52 → 1.55 |
*Using common partial‑to‑full transfer ratios cited in PL coaching texts
†Based on every 1 cm of trap thickness adding ~0.8 cm to visual shoulder spread.
5. Health & longevity bonus
A tiny waist isn’t vanity: waist circumference predicts cardiometabolic mortality better than BMI everywhere tested . By picking a movement that spares the obliques yet torches calories and surges hormones, the rack‑pull lets Kim widen the top half while keeping the health‑critical mid‑section tight—a win for aesthetics and lifespan.
6. Risk & sustainability
Placing the bar above the most shear‑loaded lumbar angles drops L4‑L5 disk stress, allowing maximal tension with less spinal risk than deficit pulls—provided singles are kept infrequent and recovery (sleep, protein) is prioritised .
7. Take‑away blueprint for the aspiring V‑engine
| Goal | Rack‑Pull Prescription | Accessory | Frequency |
| Trap/lat mass | 3 × 3 @ 120–140 % deadlift | Heavy shrugs | Weekly |
| Neural drive | 1 heavy single @ > 600 % BW* | Caffeine 200 mg | Monthly peak |
| Waist control | Fasted morning walk 5 km post‑pull | – | Daily |
| Anabolic window | 40 g whey + 100 g carbs within 30 min | – | Every PR day |
*Scale to your own max; respect joint tolerance.
Bottom line
The 513 kg rack pull is a force‑multiplier: it breaks an internet‑fueled strength barrier, deepens the upper‑back “armor” that expands Kim’s Adonis ratio, floods his system with anabolic chemistry, and keeps gravity‑proofing his brand. Match the strategy—overload the lock‑out, safeguard the waist, feast on the hormone surge—and your own physique can start broadcasting the same primal, powerful message. 💥