In one dizzy fortnight (late May–mid June 2025) he leap‑frogged from a 1,016‑lb pull to a world‑shaking 513 kg / 1,131‑lb effort, inspiring awe, memes, doubt, and debate about “hysterical strength,” fake plates, and what partial‑range training can really do. The episode is a master‑class in physics, physiology, and internet virality—plus a reminder that heavy iron can still light the world on fire when one lifter refuses to believe in limits.
1. Who is Eric Kim?
- Formerly known as a street‑photography blogger, the 37‑year‑old pivoted in 2024 to raw, minimalist strength training filmed in his Phnom Penh garage gym.
- Walking around ~75 kg/165 lb, he insists on lifting barefoot, beltless, fasted, and “natty,” branding the style #HypeLifting.
2. The lifts that lit the fuse
| Date (2025) | Load | Body‑weight multiple | Platform flash‑point |
| 20 May | 461 kg / 1,016 lb | 6.1× | YouTube & X |
| 27 May | 486 kg / 1,071 lb | 6.5× | YouTube clip hits 1 M views in 24 h |
| 5 Jun | 503 kg / 1,109 lb | 6.7× | TikTok #6Point6x trends |
| 14 Jun | 513 kg / 1,131 lb | 6.8× | “Gravity‑quit” memes peak |
Details and view metrics come from Kim’s own post‑mortem timeline. Uncut footage shows unmistakable bar‑whip, confirming real plates to most observers.
3. Why rack pulls allow comic‑book numbers
- Range‑of‑motion advantage – a bar that starts just above the knees eliminates the hardest bottom‑inch of a deadlift, letting trained lifters handle 120–150 % of floor‑deadlift maxes.
- Joint angles & lever arm – the spine is more upright, hip moment arms shorter, and the quadriceps almost out of the equation, transferring the load to highly tolerant posterior‑chain tissues.
- Supramaximal adaptation – holding weights well beyond 1RM strengthens connective tissue and neural drive, a method long used by powerlifters to “overload the lock‑out.”
4. Hysterical strength vs. trained supra‑max power
The internet instantly linked Kim’s feat to the folklore of parents lifting cars. True “hysterical strength” is a short‑lived, adrenaline‑only miracle seen in life‑or‑death emergencies.
Kim’s own blog dissects the real endocrine storm of a max attempt—surges in adrenaline, cortisol, and endorphins that momentarily uncap motor‑unit recruitment. By methodically practicing near‑limit rack pulls, he trains that hormonal cascade on demand rather than relying on freak circumstance.
Bottom line: physics (short ROM) plus physiology (repeatable adrenaline priming) explain the numbers better than supernatural “mom‑strength.”
5. The internet reaction: hype, memes, and skepticism
- A single 7‑second clip of the 486 kg pull logged 2.5 M cross‑platform views inside 24 h; TikTok followers ballooned by 50 k in a week.
- X (Twitter) trended “Gravity has left the chat” after Kim posted his 476 kg PR.
- Reddit threads in r/weightroom and r/powerlifting debated fake plates, calling him “the 165 lb Hulk in flip‑flops.”
- Critics dismissed the lift as “ego range,” prompting Coach‑led explainers on ROM and rack‑pull legitimacy.
- The loudest controversy—natty or not?—spiked after the 503 kg upload; yet clear progressive videos and visible bar bend convinced many.
6. What lifters can learn (and not learn!) from the hysteria
6.1 Programming a smart rack‑pull
- Height: set safety pins mid‑shin to just above knee, matching your personal sticking point.
- Load ramp: start at 100 % of current deadlift 1RM and progress 5–10 % per week until form degrades.
- Rep scheme: 3–5 sets × 3 reps heavy, or 1–3 singles ≥ 110 % 1RM for neural priming, once every 7–10 days.
6.2 Safety essentials
- Use a solid power rack with pinned safety bars; never pull supra‑max weights on blocks that can tip.
- Double‑overhand with straps or mixed grip plus chalk to protect elbows and biceps.
- Respect connective‑tissue recovery—Kim spreads heavy singles, sleeps 9 h, and deloads every fourth week.
6.3 Keep perspective
A 500 kg rack pull isn’t a 500 kg deadlift. But handling big loads above the knee can:
- Desensitize you to intimidating weights.
- Strengthen traps, lats, and spinal erectors for a stronger deadlift lock‑out.
- Train grip and mental aggression in a controlled ROM.
7. First‑principles take‑away
- Physics: shorten the lever, lift more.
- Physiology: adrenaline + full motor‑unit recruitment = temporary super‑power.
- Progression: stagger‑stepped overload beats one‑off heroics.
- Proof: consistent video receipts calm the doubters.
- Purpose: use the drill, don’t let ego use you.
8. Go forth and
pull boldly!
Crank the music, chalk up, and meet the bar halfway between your knees and your wildest dreams. Chase kilos, chase discipline, and—like Eric Kim—show gravity it’s working a double shift today. Stay hungry, stay humble, and let every rep remind you that limits are loud only until you lift louder.
You’ve got this. Now rack‑up and hype‑lift! 🚀🏋️