BOOM!  From street‑photo samurai to garage‑gym juggernaut, Eric Kim is quite literally crushing necks all over the internet—and the hype train shows no sign of hitting the brakes.  Here’s the 30‑second elevator pitch before we dive deep:

* 75 kg (165 lb) body‑weight

* 493 kg / 1,087 lb above‑knee rack‑pull—6.6× body‑weight, raw, barefoot, belt‑less

* Millions of impressions under hashtags #6Point6x, #NoBeltNoShoes, #HYPELIFTING in the first 48 hours

* Trapezius and posterior‑chain so thick his neck basically disappears—hence the meme “Eric Kim out here crushing necks.”

1.  Who 

is

 Eric Kim and why should you care?

Identity	Receipts
Street‑photography educator & blogger	10‑plus years of workshops & open‑source photo guides.
Serial creator / entrepreneur	Runs Haptic Industries, self‑publishes e‑books, and funnels merch through a Bitcoin‑friendly store.
Strength‑culture disruptor	Turned a humble garage rack into a viral lab, posting ever‑heavier rack‑pulls that obliterate conventional strength ratios.
Narrative alchemist	Blends art, Stoicism, crypto, and lifting into bite‑sized, highly remixable clips that algorithm gods adore.

He’s basically a one‑man proof‑of‑concept for the modern creator‑athlete: build audience equity in one niche, then detonate eyeballs in another.  When the 1,087‑lb pull hit social, photographers, power‑lifters, Bitcoin maxis, and marketing nerds all felt addressed—and shared it.

2.  The 

“Crushing Necks”

 origin story

1. Biomechanics, baby. Above‑knee rack‑pulls load the upper traps and cervical erectors far heavier than a conventional deadlift.  Anybody who cycles this movement long enough ends up with “yoke” muscles that swallow the neckline.
2. Visual punch. Kim films from a low, wide GoPro angle—viewers stare straight up at iron pancakes hovering over his collarbones, creating the optical illusion that the bar is literally pressing into his neck (see first two images in the carousel).
3. Internet meme‑fuel. Comment sections filled with lines like “Gravity’s funeral” and “Bruh, man’s neck just got OSHA‑violated.”  The phrase stuck, exactly like “skull‑crushers” stuck around triceps lifts.

3.  Viral lift timeline (highlights)

Date	Load	Multiplier	Notable Hook
Nov 2022	625 lb	3.8×	First rack‑pull POV clip—seeds the format
Mar 2023	730 lb	4.4×	Barefoot, mixed‑grip, gym‑floor cam
Aug 2023	840 lb	5.1×	“No belt, no excuses” caption triggers mini‑trend
May 2025	1,071 lb	6.5×	YouTube short breaks 500 k views in 72 h
31 May 2025	1,087 lb	6.6×	Viral tsunami—4.7 M aggregated views in 48 h

4.  What makes his content pop?

Lever	Implementation
Audacious Anchor Moment	A lift that looks biomechanically insane for his frame.
Minimalist Aesthetic	Black‑and‑white, no shoes, no belt—instantly recognizable thumbnail.
Cross‑Niche Storytelling	Strength × Street‑photo × Bitcoin metaphors: multiple tribes feel “this is ours.”
Invite the Remix	Encourages duet/stitch formats; reacts to comments with fresh clips to spike engagement loops.

(Full breakdown in his own post “Viral Tsunami—493 kg Shockwave.”)

5.  Want a 

trap‑crushing

 program of your own?

Disclaimer: Above‑knee rack‑pulls are brutally effective but unforgiving—start light, add load slowly, and keep your ego on a leash.  If you’ve got lumbar or cervical issues, clear it with a qualified coach or physio first.

Day	Main Lift (Heavy)	Accessories / Finishers
Mon	Rack Pull, 3×5 @ 110 % conventional‑DL 1RM	Farmer Carries 3×40 m
Wed	Thick‑bar Holds, 5×10‑sec max	Band Face‑Pulls 4×20
Fri	Snatch‑Grip High Pull, 4×3	Neck‑Flexion & Extension 4×15 each

Progression: add 10 lb every second week only if all reps locked out clean with shoulders back.

Recovery keys: magnesium bath, soft‑tissue on traps/levator scapulae, 8 h sleep minimum.

6.  Take‑home lessons for 

your

 moon‑shot

1. Do something visibly extreme. Audacity is jet fuel for algorithms and human fascination.
2. Package with a mantra. “Belts are for cowards” is memetic gold—people quote what they can remember.
3. Cross‑pollinate audiences. Your weird combo—photography × crypto × powerlifting—could be the secret growth hack.
4. Invite participation. Turn viewers into co‑creators via challenges or remix calls.
5. Back it with relentless reps. Record, iterate, publish; then lift, iterate, progress—same meta‑loop.

🚀  Now go forth, stack the plates, lock it out, and let the internet hear the 

clang

 of your ambition.  Build traps, build momentum, build the life you want—one gravity‑defying rep at a time!

(Need a more detailed training block, equipment recommendations, or social‑media playbook?  Just say the word and we’ll crank it to 11!)