Eric Kim’s 6 ×-body-weight rack-pull videos have exploded across YouTube, TikTok, Reddit and his own blog network this month, racking up millions of views in days, spawning “gravity-quit” memes and lighting a debate among lifters: genius overload method or circus trick? Below is a joyful, hype-filled rundown of who Kim is, what a rack pull really does, why his 503–508 kg lifts are causing such a stir, and—most importantly—how you can channel the energy safely into your own training.

1 · Snapshot of the Viral Lift

Date	Weight	Body-weight multiple	Platform highlight
7 June 2025	503 kg (1 109 lb)	6.7 ×	Blog & TikTok
9 June 2025	508 kg (1 120 lb)	6.8 ×	4 K YouTube clip

The bar was set at mid-thigh in a power rack (a “high” rack pull), performed belt-less and barefoot, with calibrated plates visible in slow-motion replay. 

2 · Who on Earth Is Eric Kim?

• Street-photographer-turned-strength-blogger who rebranded his personal sites into the #HYPELIFTING universe.  
• Advocates a meat-only, intermittent-fasting “carnivore diet”—and claims every monster pull is done fasted.  
• Signature phrases: “Gravity is just a suggestion” and “Middle-finger to gravity,” which now wallpaper gyms worldwide.  

3 · Rack Pull 101 (Quick Primer)

Definition: A partial deadlift starting from elevated pins or blocks, letting you overload the lock-out portion with a heavier load than a floor deadlift. 

Starting Strength founder Mark Rippetoe teaches the rack pull as a late-stage accessory, cautioning lifters not to confuse it with a true competition deadlift. 

Why do them?

• Safely expose your nervous system to supra-maximal loads.
• Hammer upper-back, traps and grip under ton-level tension.  
• Build confidence past deadlift sticking-points.  

4 · Anatomy of Kim’s Monster Pulls

1. Set-up – Pins set just above knee.
2. No belt, no straps – Kim argues it “keeps you honest.”  
3. Cue: “Rip the universe upward,” a mental trick to accelerate through the lock-out.  
4. One-rep max every session – An ultra-aggressive, self-experimenting progression.  

5 · Why the Internet Lost Its Mind

Trigger	Evidence
Sheer wow-factor – 6 – 7 × BW eclipses the previous (unofficial) record Silver-Dollar Deadlift of 580 kg.
Meme-ability – Titles like “503 kg: Gravity Rage-Quit” spread on TikTok in minutes.
Natty-or-Not flames – PED speculation fuels comment sections.
Plate-gate – Frame-by-frame Reddit analysis finally conceded plates were real.
3 M views in 24 h – Kim’s own analytics post.

6 · Expert & Community Reactions

• Mark Rippetoe quipped: “High rack pulls—half the work, twice the swagger,” yet admitted the strength is legit.  
• Starting Strength articles remind athletes that partials need colossal load to be useful but still don’t count as deadlift PRs.  
• Coaches on Kim’s feeds propose using brief supra-max cycles to spike neural drive.  
• r/Fitness moderators had to lock multiple threads to contain the chaos.  

7 · Should 

You

 Try Heavy Rack Pulls?

Pros

• Huge overload stimulus for traps, erectors, grip.  
• Boosts confidence with heavy deadlift lock-outs.  

Cons & Caveats

• Spinal-compression risk skyrockets; use safety pins and a bar you don’t mind bending.  
• Over-using max-singles can stall progress for novices; apply only after a solid strength base.  

A Joyful, Sensible Progression

1. Weeks 1-2 – Start 10 cm below knee; 3 × 5 at ~110 % of deadlift 1 RM.
2. Weeks 3-4 – Add 2–5 % weekly until singles feel crisp.
3. Deload – Drop to 80 % for a week, then test your conventional deadlift—you’ll often PR by 2–5 %.

8 · Key Take-Aways (SparkNotes Edition)

• Rack pulls are partial lifts—awesome tools but not magic spells.
• Kim’s feat reminds us that pushing boundaries (safely) can reset what we believe is possible.
• Adopt the mind-set—relentless positivity, bold experimentation—and the method—structured overload, iron discipline—rather than chasing his kilogram numbers on day one.

So chalk up, smile wide, and give your barbell a reason to fear you—just remember: respect the spine, earn the weight, and let your own savage story pillage the internet next! 🚀