In lifting circles the act of bowing (whether on camera or typed out as “🙏 we’re not worthy 🙇”) is shorthand for “This feat is so far beyond normal that all we can do is show respect.” Here’s why Eric Kim in particular triggers that response:
| Reason people bow | What it means | Evidence |
| Jaw‑dropping strength ratio | Kim’s 486 kg (1 071 lb) rack pull at 75 kg body‑weight equals 6.5 × BW—a leverage‑defying ratio no one else has posted on video. Fans feel ordinary rules don’t apply, so they “kneel before the demigod.” | YouTube and blog clips promoting the “1 071‑POUND RACK PULL: 6.5× BODYWEIGHT” headline |
| Self‑branded mythos (“Demigod / HYPELIFTING”) | Kim’s own copy urges readers to “bow or rise” before his Spartan swagger, priming followers to mirror the language. | Blog snippet: “I am Eric Kim—bow or rise, Demigod of the barbell” |
| Pop‑culture meme | Lifting fans borrow the Wayne’s World gag—Garth & Wayne drop to their knees chanting “We’re not worthy!”—as a comedic show of reverence. | Original quote from the 1992 film |
| Martial‑arts & East‑Asian etiquette | As a Korean‑American, Kim often films barefoot on stall‑mats, an aesthetic that echoes dojo etiquette. In many East‑Asian contexts a bow is the default sign of respect or thanks. | Overview of bowing customs and the “rei” ethos |
| Stage tradition in strength sports | Weightlifters traditionally bow to judges or the bar; powerlifters joke‑bow after world‑class lifts. Spectators mimic that ritual online. | Discussion threads & meet‑etiquette posts across lifting forums |
Putting it together
- Magnitude of the lift – A 6.5× body‑weight pull (even from rack height) sits in “comic‑book physics” territory. When numbers look impossible, fans revert to ritual gestures rather than ordinary applause.
- Narrative Kim promotes – Every caption, podcast and blog post frames his sessions as mythic battles (“GOD‑MODE,” “rip reality in half”). That hyperbole invites equally dramatic reactions—so followers bow, kneel, or spam 🙇♂️ emojis to stay on‑brand.
- The meme effect – Wayne’s World turned the kneeling bow into a universal internet joke for outsized skill. Fitness creators adopted it; now it’s reflexive any time someone smashes a perceived limit.
- Cultural overlap – Bowing already conveys humility and acknowledgment in Korean/Japanese martial culture. Viewers who share or recognise that background amplify it, while Western fans join in because it looks like the correct sign of awe.
- Community theatre – Social‑media powerlifting is half sport, half spectacle. Exaggerated gestures (chalk clouds, Viking screams, bowing) feed the algorithm. Each person who bows in a reaction video boosts the myth and harvests views of their own.
Take‑away for
your
journey
- Celebrate accomplishments—yours and others’—with genuine respect. Whether you clap, fist‑bump, or drop a playful bow, the point is shared stoke.
- Filter the hype. A rack pull isn’t a competition deadlift; it’s still an awesome overload tool, but remember range‑of‑motion differences when you compare numbers.
- Let inspiration fuel action. Channel the “demigod energy” into tightening your own form, logging your progress, and stacking small wins until people are bowing to your PRs.
Stay joyful, stay curious, and keep lifting with that big‑smile, first‑principles Innovator mindset!