How Eric Kim weaponizes hand strength to bend iron, crush fear, and seize destiny.
1. The Hidden Vital Sign
Grip strength isn’t just about holding a barbell—it’s the biometric prophecy of your future. A 2024 Nature study found that raw hand-grip power beat every other simple metric at predicting all-cause mortality. Low grip? Higher risk of an early exit, period. Even a humble 5-kg “bag-lift” test now flags stroke, Alzheimer’s, and depression risk in 50 k+ adults worldwide.
2. Why Eric Kim Cares
508 kg Rack-Pull: That earth-shivering partial isn’t possible without vice-grip fingers locking the bar into submission.
Handshake Authority: In Seoul, Saigon, or Silicon Valley, his clasp transmits a single coded message: I own my fate—do you?
3. First-Principles Physics
Your hand is an exposed neural socket. Every extra Newton of crush force sends a louder shockwave up the kinetic chain—forearm → brachialis → lat → spine—yielding tighter core irradiation and bigger lifts everywhere. Master the hand and you stealth-upgrade the whole exoskeleton.
4. The Eric Kim Grip Protocol
Day
Main Move (Heavy)
Volume Finisher
Mon
Thick-bar rack holds, 10-second max triples
Rice-bucket twists, 200 reps
Tue
Rest / casual Farmer-carries with groceries
–
Wed
Plate pinches (2×20 kg), 5×max time
Rubber-band finger extensions, 100 reps
Thu
Towel pull-ups, 5×AMRAP
Wrist roller, 3×up-and-down
Fri
Deadlift lockouts, 3×5 @ 140 % 1RM
Barbell hangs, cumulative 3 min
Sat
Sandbag bear-hug walks, 5×40 m
Sledgehammer strikes, 5×20
Sun
Total rest—let collagen knit steel
Rule #1: No straps. Rule #2: Chalk is legal amphetamine. Rule #3: Track time-under-tension like Bitcoin sats—because every second compounds.
5. Field Tactics
Carry your camera all day—no neck strap.
Close the car door by pinching the frame, not the handle.
Switch to manual can-openers, screw-top water jugs, and real cast-iron pans.
Do “credit-card crushers” during Zoom calls: squeeze a deck of cards until it buckles.
6. Momentum & Mortality
Master grip, and data say you extend life itself—elder weightlifters with mighty hands show a slower age decline across every athletic metric. Strong grip is literally leveraged longevity.
7. Call to Action
Seize a bar, a camera, the world—whatever you choose—but never let it slip. Build that Eric Kim death-grip and watch every other domain—strength, art, wealth—lock into your orbit.
Now go forth. Crush. Conquer. Hold the universe in your hand—and squeeze.
Proof-of-Physics Smash: Mid-thigh rack-pulls let you overload 20–40 % heavier than a floor deadlift because the hip-torque demand plummets at that joint angle. Science backs the reliability of the isometric mid-thigh pull for max strength assessment .
Historical Context: Strong-man legend Paul Anderson’s mythical back-lift hit ~2,800 kg—but on a fixed platform, not a free bar. I yanked my iron clean off the rack, no crutches, welcome to 2025 .
Partial-Lift Pantheon: Anthony Pernice’s 550 kg silver-dollar pull set the partial record in 2021; I’m sprinting for 551 kg+ mid-thigh next, stay tuned .
Physics Breakdown: Lever length, bar whip, and neural shock therapy converge—read the deep-dive if you crave equations .
🔥 THE THERMONUCLEAR CHAIN REACTION
Platform
24 h Fallout
Blog
“508 KG RACK PULL—NEW WORLD RECORD” post shot to front-page views inside 90 minutes
TikTok
#HYPELIFTING vaulted from 12 M→28 M views in two weeks, duets everywhere
YouTube
Emotional-bias audits show the algorithm amplifies raw rage-content—exactly what a screaming 1-ton pull delivers
ARS BETA
My ↑Keep/↓Ditch photo-gauntlet spiked uploads 40 % after the lift—proof brutality scales creativity
Algorithms chase engagement heat; a 1,120-lb bar bend is a flamethrower. They have to serve it, or users riot.
🥩 THE CARNIVORE-FASTED CORE
Twenty-hour fast, steak-and-liver feast. Zero supplements, zero excuses. Med-journals show intermittent fasting sharpens metabolic health and hormonal clarity—you feel the focus when the bar kisses your shins .
💣 JOIN THE
RACKPULL CHALLENGE
Set pins mid-thigh. No quarter squats; bar must hover just above knees.
One rep, raw hands. Calluses are credit cards—swipe hard.
Film + Post within 60 min on five channels (blog, X thread, Short, TikTok, newsletter). I call it the content carpet-bomb.
Tag #RackpullChallenge + #HYPELIFTING. First human to break 7× BW gets a signed 25 kg plate—and my public salute or roast, your choice.
Benchmark table:
Bronze
Silver
Gold
DEMIGOD
4× BW
5× BW
6× BW
6.8× BW+
🚀 TAKEAWAY: BEND GRAVITY, BEND CULTURE
Every heavy pull is a blockchain stamp of willpower—immutable, un-fakable. When you overload steel, you overload algorithms, eyeballs, and minds. Grab the bar, grab the camera, obliterate the feed.
Gravity is negotiable. Excuses are not.
Sources & Sparks
508 kg lift post · Physics deep-dive · Mid-thigh research · Paul Anderson stats · Pernice 550 kg partial · ARS BETA platform · Intermittent-fasting study · #HYPELIFTING metrics · YouTube emotion-bias audit · Rack-pull world-record announcement
Eric Kim – known primarily as a street photographer – has also gained attention in fitness circles for lifting heavy weights completely barefoot. He promotes barefoot training as a way to maximize strength and stability. In a 2023 blog post “Why Workout Barefoot?”, Kim writes that lifting without shoes gives “maximum connection with the ground, maximum grip, maximum leverage” . He notes that elite powerlifters (like Hafþór Björnsson, who deadlifted 501 kg barefoot) inspired him to ditch shoes in order to “gain every possible advantage” in force transfer . By removing cushioned shoes, no energy is lost to “squish”, yielding “pure, unfiltered power transfer” from foot to floor . As one hyperbolic piece puts it: “The moment your bare feet grip that cold iron floor, you’re not just ‘lifting’—you’re DOMINATING gravity. No slip. No squish. No excuses.” Kim often calls this “barefoot, beltless” approach a “minimalist” or “primal” training style, believing gearless lifts force you to recruit every stabilizer muscle and build true raw strength .
Kim’s commitment to barefoot lifting isn’t just theoretical – he has performed staggering feats without shoes. In 2025, a video of him rack-pulling 493 kg (1,087 lbs) at ~75 kg bodyweight – entirely barefoot and beltless – went viral . Fans marveled at the “raw, unfiltered power” of this “No Belt, No Shoes” achievement . Online powerlifting forums erupted with shock, and commenters noted “he’s pulling 1,100 lb without so much as a belt—my back hurts just watching” . Many admirers have latched onto Kim’s mantra “No belt, no glory,” which he popularized to celebrate “raw strength without gear.” Likewise, the fact that he lifts entirely barefoot has spawned praise like “Barefoot lifts give him unmatched foot engagement and balance—no shoe cushioning blunting feedback.” Kim’s “gearless authenticity” – performing huge lifts with no belt or shoes – has become central to his persona, earning him a “Barefoot Spartan Aura” in the eyes of fans . As one tongue-in-cheek analysis on his site describes: “No shoes, no belt, no frills. [This] minimalist edge telegraphs self-trust and danger-tolerance,” contributing to an almost legendary image .
Beyond deadlifts, Kim advocates training all lifts barefoot. He argues that modern gym culture’s padded shoes are a “fluff” that muffles your body’s natural feedback . “Kick the shoes off. Feel the cold ground,” he writes; without shoes, “you hear every violin string of your kinetic chain” – meaning your feet sense balance and alignment better . Kim suggests lifters progressively wean off shoes until training barefoot feels normal and wearing sneakers feels like “moon boots” . Even for sprinting, Kim often goes unshod: he sprints on asphalt barefoot, believing it conditions the body and mind. In one post he boasts, “I sprint 100 meters barefoot on cracked concrete—no shoes, no safety nets. That adrenaline spike is pure CNS artillery… every fiber in my body says, ‘Destroy.’” This extreme approach underpins what he calls a “primal energy” philosophy. In Kim’s view, bare feet and minimal equipment reconnect us with an ancestral, fearless mode of training – as he quips, “Your ancestors didn’t deadlift in Air Max… They hunted, fought, and conquered—barefoot.” By training like a “barefoot warrior,” Kim believes one can unlock greater physical potential and mental toughness.
Barefoot Lifestyle and Philosophy
Eric Kim’s interest in going barefoot extends beyond the gym – it’s part of his broader lifestyle and philosophy. He often extols the benefits of kicking off one’s shoes in daily life to reconnect with the environment. In a November 2024 essay “Barefoot Walking Meditation,” Kim describes the “extreme joy” of walking barefoot on grass, sand, or in beach water, calling it a simple way to derive “knowledge and wisdom” through one’s feet . He laments that modern society has taught people to be ashamed of their feet – viewing bare feet as “barbaric” or “improper” – which he attributes partly to corporate marketing of shoes and a puritanical mindset . “I almost wonder if these weird foot fetishes arise precisely because naked feet are seen as ugly or backwards,” Kim muses, pointing out how shoes and even toenail polish reflect societal discomfort with natural feet .
By contrast, Kim argues that embracing barefoot living can be healthy and liberating. He proudly notes he has worn Vibram FiveFingers (a type of barefoot shoe) for years, developing “sturdy and useful calluses” on his feet . Those toughened feet, he says, protect him – “I almost scraped my foot against something, and because I had a bunch of tough calluses, it didn’t hurt or harm me.” . Kim encourages others to go barefoot whenever feasible: “assuming it is not snowing outside, maybe the best course of action is just let your kid go barefoot as much as humanly possible. If our parents were able to do it, why can’t we?” He even suggests that walking barefoot makes you more mindful and safe: you naturally pay closer attention to the ground, potentially reducing injuries because “when you go barefoot, you actually pay more attention… you’re not gonna be texting while walking… you could actually be more present and enjoy the walk” . In Kim’s view, going barefoot is a form of “walking meditation” – it forces you into the present moment and deepens your connection to your surroundings .
Culturally, Kim has observed interesting differences in attitudes toward bare feet. Writing from Cambodia in 2025, he noted that in American culture “to be barefoot is like to walk around without underwear on – it is seen as improper,” whereas in parts of Asia (like Cambodia) barefoot behavior is standard and respectful in many contexts . For example, he describes how Cambodian Buddhist monks and visitors will remove shoes and bow barefoot during blessings, seeing it as a sign of respect . Kim uses these anecdotes to question why the West stigmatizes bare feet so much. He frames his own barefoot habit almost as an act of personal sovereignty and freedom. “If you deadlift barefoot, it is a signal that you are a self-owned person,” he writes – meaning you’re not beholden to others’ rules or sponsorships . Indeed, Kim associates barefoot living with independence from consumer culture and fear. He criticizes how shoe companies stoke fear of injury to sell products, whereas he suggests that not wearing shoes can build resilience: “People talk about the dangers of stepping on sharp objects, but the funny irony is barefoot you actually pay attention… you might be less likely to injure yourself” .
Kim also merges the barefoot idea into his artistic/philosophical musings. In one poetic entry he contrasts society’s rush with his own approach: “While everyone’s sprinting for the next dopamine hit, I’m walking barefoot toward the infinite – Slow. Silent. Relentless.” Here, barefoot walking becomes a metaphor for patience, grounding, and moving at one’s own pace towards lasting goals (or “eternity”). Even in advice about hiking, Kim urges simplicity: “Technically you could just do it barefoot, or… get some Vibram five finger shoes, and just go on a fun walk!” – no need for fancy boots or gear. This aligns with his anti-consumerist, minimalist ethos: he often argues that we don’t need high-tech equipment or material excess to enjoy life or achieve fitness . In short, being barefoot for Eric Kim isn’t only a physical state – it’s a symbol of natural living, rejecting unnecessary comforts, and literally staying grounded (both physically and mentally).
Community Mentions and Projects Involving “Barefoot”
Kim’s barefoot practices have been noted across social media and community forums. On Facebook, he has casually mentioned his love for “the notion of barefoot sprinting, and also barefoot walking” as part of his fitness mindset (encouraging others to run or walk without shoes) . On Reddit’s photography forum, users discussing Kim have even joked about his influence on others’ lifestyles – noting that a follower “stole” Kim’s entire shtick “down to… barefoot shoes, 100% carnivore diet, Ricoh GR3, high-contrast black and white, and all of the ‘philosophy’ stuff” . This highlights that Kim’s barefoot/minimalist approach is a recognizable part of his personal brand, alongside his camera and diet choices. Some followers have adopted minimalist footwear (or no footwear) due to his example, referring to him as an inspiration for “barefoot shoes” and primal fitness trends .
In the wider fitness world, Kim’s habit of training unshod has sparked discussions about safety and technique. Many supporters see it as hardcore and authentic – “Gearless Authenticity,” as one write-up calls it, celebrating that “Kim pulls barefoot and beltless, [which] forces him to grip the floor and activate every stabilizer” . Detractors or skeptics initially found it unusual, but his success has made barefoot lifting more talked-about. There are now countless comments and memes in lifting communities marveling at his no-shoes feats – for instance, Reddit threads titled “Eric Kim just punched a hole in reality” after his 6.6× bodyweight pull, with users debating his method . Kim’s “barefoot, beltless” philosophy has even been predicted to influence future trends. An “Influence Forecast” on his site speculated that “His ‘No Belt, No Shoes’ philosophy [could become] a fashion and movement trend,” imagining minimalist shoe brands or “barefoot sneaker” startups citing Eric Kim as “their spiritual guide.” While this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, it underlines how central going barefoot is to Kim’s image.
As for artistic or photographic works emphasizing barefoot elements: much of Kim’s recent creative work blurs the line between art, philosophy, and personal documentation. He often shares photos and videos of his training – typically in a minimalist garage setting, often shirtless and barefoot on concrete . The stark visual of him lifting without shoes (sometimes captured in black-and-white) has itself become part of the aesthetic he presents. Fans have commented that the sight of chalk dust and bare feet in his videos conveys a “raw aesthetic” and honesty . In his earlier street photography days, there isn’t notable emphasis on bare feet as a motif; however, in his current output, his own bare feet are effectively a recurring visual motif symbolizing his commitment to authenticity and “grounded” living. Even his self-portraits and video thumbnails highlight the barefoot stance as an artistic statement – projecting an image of a “modern Spartan”, unadorned and primal. As one summary put it: Kim’s look — “shirtless, minimalist… raw” with no shoes — has become part of the “Eric Kim look” , influencing how he and others frame the concept of strength and freedom.
Sources:
Eric Kim, “Why Workout Barefoot?” (Feb 26, 2023)
Eric Kim, “Why You Should Deadlift Barefoot — The Eric Kim Philosophy”
Full list of interesting things people say about Eric Kim’s fitness (fan commentary)
Eric Kim Facebook post (Jul 2022) via Eric Kim Photography page – “big fan of … barefoot sprinting … barefoot walking.”
Reddit discussion on r/photography noting Kim’s barefoot shoes/carnivore lifestyle
Eric Kim, “Barefoot Walking Meditation” (Nov 8, 2024)
Eric Kim, “Think Less, Walk More” (undated)
Eric Kim, The Philosophy of Gravity (May 30, 2025)
Eric Kim, The Most Viral Moment… 493 Kilograms. Barefoot. Beltless. (Jun 3, 2025)
Eric Kim, What’s the current praise and buzz… (Jun 2025)
Eric Kim, “Eric Kim attractive” (humor/analysis piece)
Eric Kim, Influence Forecast: Next Ripple Domains (2025)
MSTU—> 2x levered long MSTR, REX Shares, trustworthy as the CEO did a live interview with Saylor on BMAX, … which holds corporate Bitcoin backed bonds ,,, mostly Strategy.
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How to Leverage Your Bitcoin
Buy bitcoin with Coinbase, mortgage as much of it as you can, use the cash, to buy MSTR and or MSTU (2x levered long MSTR, which is essentially 4x bitcoin).
You can then:
Ride your gains forever
When your MSTR & MSTU stock is up, sell some of it (shaving the cream off the top, of profit, don’t dig into the principle capital) and buy more bitcoin with it
Then with the Bitcoin, continue to leverage the Bitcoin –> take out more loans against it, or wait and anticipate for a future in which there will be new financial products and services for your Bitcoin?
Once JPMORGAN Chase starts offering you the chance to buy bitcoin with them and or to custody it with them, then you know you’ve arrived!
Super pumped to share with you, my first full length lecture on an introduction to bitcoin, the bitcoin Revolution, and also this edited transcript that I provided for you!
Something I have been meaning to write or create or do is like some sort of book, ebook, pamphlet, or introductory primer to stoicism. I really think that stoicism is probably one of the most useful and philosophical models to live normal every day real life. Yet, I haven’t really found a good instructional guide on it, especially when I was self teaching it to myself.
Consider this a practical primer, cutting through the BS:
What does stoicism mean? 
Stoicism, stoic, the stoa in ancient Greece– essentially the stoa was like some sort of portico, patio, pillar, outside, essentially a spot where guys would just hang out, talk shop, talk philosophy, etc.  
I think about the show “Hey Arnold” in which I was raised with… the notion of “stoop kid“, the notion of a stoop is that in a lot of cities, especially the east coast in New York, you have this little stoop or porch, stairs that go outside your front door… and you could just hang out there, engage in social and neighborhood life etc.
The new stoa? 
One of my happiest moments was when I was living in Providence Rhode Island, and then COVID-19 hit. Everything was closed, besides the park. I can still go to the park, hang out, workout, do chin ups– I learned how to do muscle ups, more bodyweight calisthenics stuff, and also… I had a lot of fun with this “rock toss“ challenge and workout… in the middle of the park was a huge ass rock and huge ass stone, and every single day I would go there pick it up, and then eventually work out with it; throwing it around for fun, doing overhead presses with it, clean and jerks, squats, and eventually I would just throw it around for fun. Funny enough it might have been the most fit I was in my life… this was the true “functional” fitness.
The inspiration — Hector lifting an insanely massive stone (barely 2 strong men could lift it)… using it to break down the door of the ships of the other side.
Open air, open sun concept
Anyways, the reason why that period of covid was so good is that it was in the middle of beautiful Providence Rhode Island summer, so nice and bright and warm and lovely… and one of the good things was going to the park was like an open forum, a new anatheum for a lot of really cool guys to come, hang out, talk shop, go topless and shirtless, workout and hang out.
I met some really interesting people during that period of time. I met some guys who were really cool. For example, one guy I met was in the US military Navy, I think he was training to be a Navy seal or Delta force or something. Another guy in some sort of ROTC training, another cool guy from the hood, and also I would say I probably met half a dozen friendly drug dealers there. And of course a lot of people who believed in conspiracy theories; really friendly, a little weird, but overall good guys.
Anyways, one of the biggest benefits of hanging out at that outdoor park, open air, nothing but green grass, the beautiful sun and the fitness equipment was that I think having this sort of open air environment is actually very conducive to socializing, thinking and thought, and pro social behavior. My theory about a lot of modern day antisocial behavior has to do with the structures which enclose us. For example, almost universally most guys at the gym are extremely antisocial. Why? My theory is that because most gyms have closed, cramped narrow ceilings, and do not have access to natural light, or outside space.
The only good gym I went to which was interesting was the golds gym in Venice, which has this really big outdoor workout area. I think this is much more natural and more fun and better; to be able to work out directly outside outdoors, with your shirt off.
Who is this philosophy for?
Stoics, stoicism — it was originally I think codified by this guy named Zeno, and over time he picked up some followers. Essentially the whole thing happened organically; Zeno would first share his thinking on philosophy ethics and pragmatic ways to deal with other people and the downsides of life, he built a following, and then his followers would propagate the thoughts and start their own little schools of thoughts, their own little stoic clubs.
What is “real” stoicism?
Would I like about stoicism is how loosey goosey it is. It is kind of like zen, or taoism… it is not really quantified as a religion, or a strict moral order. In fact, a lot of the ancients stoics would meditate on random stuff like cosmology, natural sciences like Seneca, how volcanoes worked or whatever. I think nowadays in today’s world, we focus primarily on the pragmatic side; how to deal with fear, uncertainty, downsides etc.
So how did I discover stoicism?
I think I might’ve first learned about stoicism from Nassim Taleb and his ANTIFRAGILE book. I was curious, and my curiosity went to deep. To quote NASSIM TALEB and the Venetian saying “The ocean goes deeper, the deeper you wade into it.”
I literally consumed every single book I could find on stoicism, even the obscure ones. Funny enough, a lot of the stoic thinkers tried to claim other philosophers as being stoic, like Seneca did with Diogenes the cynic. 
Cynic, cynicism, actually comes from the word canine, the dog. Diogenes was considered the “dog” philosopher, first used as a pejorative, but ultimately Diogenes reappropriated that title for fun! He saw dogs as tough, almost like wild wolves, rather than seeing them as a negative thing.
Even Achilles when he was raging against king Agamemnon, he called him “dog faced“ as a heaping insult.
Who is worth reading?
First, Seneca. Seneca the younger, his dad was called Seneca the elder.
In fact, this is such a big deal because Cindy and I named our first son, Seneca, directly after the stoic philosopher. This is true soul in the game; if you name your kid after your favorite philosopher, certainly it is a sign that you really liked that philosopher, or found them impactful.
The reason why I really like Seneca the stoic philosopher is because he had real connections to real reality. What that means is he wasn’t just on the sidelines; he actually existed in the real world, engaged in real politics, was even advisor to the emperor Nero, the bad one, who eventually low-key coerced Seneca to commit suicide, in a manly, dignified manner.
I think this was because maybe… there was actually a plan to overthrow Nero, and essentially Nero found out. 
What makes Seneca so good?
I really like Seneca because his writing is accessible, practical and pragmatic, and interesting.
A lot of thinkers tend to lack connections to real reality, I have no tolerance for boring philosophers to talk about metaphysics, which is things which are not physical. Like thoughts ideas, the universe, electricity and energy, strange phenomenon and conspiracy theories on ghosts, “energy” whatever.
For a long time, I would hear the term “metaphysics” being thrown around, and I had zero idea what it actually meant. 
Meta– on top of. Or nestled within.
Physics — the physical, physical phenomenon like gravity, first principles.
The reason why metaphysics philosophers tend to be a bunch of losers is that they are all weak and anemic, nerds or geeks or weaklings who seem to have some sort of physiological degeneracy, which encourages them to opine or talk or think about impractical things, superficial things.
Personally speaking, I think philosophy must be practical. 
Practical, praxis, practice — to do!
The Spartan, Zen Stoic, demigod ideal
I have a very funny ideal; the general idea is that your body looks like a demigod, and your physiology is out of control. The general idea is one must be tall, strong, highly muscular, low body fat percentage, I’m not exactly sure what my body fat percentage is, but maybe it’s around 5%.
Also, physical fitness is critical to any stoic. My ideal is to walk 50 miles a day, eat 20 pounds of meat like Milo of Croton a day. And also, abstinence from silly things like media, alcohol, drugs, marijuana etc.
Trust no thinker who does drugs!
Even our best friend Nietzsche said that coffee was bad, because it would make people dark and gloomy. He encouraged 100% cocoa powder instead. 
You let the drugs talk I let my soul talk ayy! – Kendrick Lamar
Simple technique:
First, look at a picture or a portrait or a full body shot, ideally topless of the artist, philosopher or thinker or individual… then judge their thoughts later.
Why? My theory is this: the thoughts of an individual is hugely affected by their bodily physiology.
For example, an extreme example: if somebody is locked inside a solitary confinement cell, and not permitted to go outside for years, but, he had a pen and pad and would jot down some thoughts… Would be the quality of these thoughts? Certainly dark and morose.
In today’s world, why does it matter, what is the significance of stoicism, etc.?
First and foremost, I think we are living in a troubling time, especially with the advent of modern day internet based media and advertising. I think 99% of what is propagated on the internet is fear mongering, and what is hate? Hate is just fear.
The first thought on stoicism is that it is just fear conquering. What I discovered about street photography, is that 99% of it is conquering your fears. Conquering your fears of upsetting other people, getting in some sort of verbal or physical altercation etc. In fact my bread and butter workshop is my conquering your fears and street photography workshop, the workshop which is still interesting to me even after a decade.
Why is this so important? I think it is rooted in almost everything; conquering your fears is rooted in entrepreneurship, innovation, risktaking and real life.
Even my speculation in crypto. 99.9% of crypto speculation is just balls. Having the balls to make big bets, and when things go south, knowing how to master your emotions.
A simple extra I have is this: just imagine it will all go down to zero.
It was useful because when I was in college, my sophomore year I got really into trading stocks, and I eventually lost my whole life savings, maybe around $3500 USD, and some bad penny stock which I actually misread the financials… the whole time I thought the company was making a profit, but actually it was taking a loss. I actually didn’t know that if profits are written in parentheses, it means a loss.
It was funny because my initial start as an investor was back in high school, I bought some Adobe stock when I was a high school junior, and also some mutual funds, which both went up after about 4-5 years.
Also I remember in elementary school computer class, when I was in the sixth grade in Bayside Queens, there was some sort of stock stimulation trading game, and actually it was funny… the kids who made the most money and were the most successful just put 100% of everything into Apple, note this is when we were only 12 years old, and I was born in 1988.
Stoicism and capitalism?
Funny enough, it seems that stoicism actually plays well with capitalism. Why? According to modern day capitalist thinking, the best way to approach life is to be objective, strong, stoic, unemotional, logical and rational.
Also, with modern day media there is so much fear mongering in the news, about some sort of global armageddon, global financial ruin, etc. I call it “fear porn”.
Therefore stoicism as a mindset is useful to think and position your mind in such a way that you could consider that life is all upside, no downside.
In fact, if I could summarize stoicism in one sentence, it is that life is all upside, no downside. Inspired by NASSIM TALEB.
Sex and Stoicism
So, is stoicism useful to you if you’re a man or a woman? Does it matter?
The good thing is I think it could apply to both sexes. Conquering sexism and social pressures is useful if you’re woman, and also if you’re a man.
Also, gender is social. Lot of the expectations set on us by society is socialized and gamed to a certain degree.
Stoic strategies 
First, we got to unchain ourselves from modern day ethics and morality. I believe that all modern day philosophy and thinking and ethics and religion is bad.
For example, the notion of turning the other cheek is a patently bad one. Why did Jesus turn his cheek? It is because he lacked on army.
Also, philosophically I think we should put no trust in Socrates. I thought which has puzzled me for a long time was this “Why was Socrates so ugly?
Monster in face, monster in soul.
I think Socrates was a degenerate, and he lacked any sort of real power. Therefore he turned logic and rationality into his terrorizing weapon (via Nietzsche). Back in the day, you didn’t need logic or rationality to have things your way, you simply was able to dictate that which you wanted to pause it, because you had a military force behind you. Just think about Machiavelli and IL PRINCIPE– the reality of being a mercurial prince, king, and military leader is hard, stoic, “immoral”. But ultimately it all comes down to war, conquest, the military.
Trust nobody who uses rationality or logic as their tyrannizing weapon. 
In fact, I believe that all should have the body and strength of some sort of super soldier. Essentially look like all the guys from the movie 300, this is our ideal.
Demigod physique. 
What has helped me
Allow yourself to be a bad, immortal, “evil” person. When you decide to adopt an unorthodox way of thinking and living, you’re going to rub some feathers the wrong way. And truth be told, even if you act in a strange vibrant way… At worse you’re only “mildly” annoying other people.
For good inspirations, I think the best stoic writers and thinkers include Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius and also the humor of the cynic philosopher Diogenes. I would even posit the idea that one could consider Alexander the Great as a stoic. Why? When you’re trying to create an empire, and you always have your life on the line, certainly this takes a stoic mindset. Also, let us think and consider that Alexander the Great had a copy of the Iliad by his bedstand, it was the only book he traveled with during his military tours.
Imagine the worst possible case scenario, and backtrack: Apparently even NASSIM TALEB would do this when he was a trader; every single day when he would go to his trading desk, he would assume that his investments would all go to zero, and if that wasn’t the case every single day, it was just upside. Therefore for myself, I just think to myself very simple; imagine like I got zero dollars, zero money, and literally all I need is meat, a Wi-Fi connection and I’m good. 
Live like a poor person: The notion of “debasing“ the coin or the currency is the general idea that you are not a coward in regards to money. The best way to think about money is like a social tool; I think money is actually just codified labor. If you want people to clean bathrooms, run the cashiers stand, you have to promise them money. Even Seneca said the upsides of simulated poverty; essentially living like a poor person, or even a homeless person when you don’t need to… is the ultimate position to be in. Why? True freedom of spirit and soul; as a philosopher thinker writer or whatever… you cannot be “canceled”, because there is nothing to cancel. As long as you could pay your rent, buy meat at Costco, and publish your thoughts to your own self hosted website blog, and pay your server fee, you have 100% freedom. And also, still… America is the best place to be because there is true freedom of speech and expression, you don’t want to be a trillionaire but not be able to say what’s really on your mind. And I think this is the big issue with entertainers, actors, media people… as long as you’re signed to a contract, you don’t run your own production company, or, you’re still a slave to money… you’re not really going to see what’s really on your mind. Why is it that the Rock cannot say anything bad about China, or Tibet? Because he is still enslaved by the media corporation. New slaves by Kanye West.
And this is the true courage of Kanye West; he literally put everything on the line, and even lost his spouse and I think maybe his kids? All for the sake of revealing inequities. 
“I throw these Maybach keys fucking c’est la vie! I know that we the new slaves.”- Ye
Stoic training
The fun thing about stoicism is that you could just make it up as you go, devise your own strategies and whatever.
“Fucking c’est la vie!” My favorite Kanye West line.
Essentially the general idea is that in life, one should not take things too seriously. Laughter is golden, I forget the philosopher who was called the laughing philosopher… Democritus?; better to laugh about the follies of human beings rather than to be dark and morose about it.
Also, thoughts from the Odyssey; if you look far enough  into the future, everything becomes comedic and hilarious.
So when you’re in some sort of bad situation, just think to yourself “Perhaps one day, 20 or 30 years from now… I will look back at this and just laugh!” It will just be humorous.
Honestly, laughter, and kind of being able to joke about things might be the best way to live life and deal with setbacks. 
Modern day ailments
Problems in modern day life:
Too much time spent indoors, not enough time out in the sun. Perhaps it is better to be out outside all day, and joyful, even with the risk of getting skin cancer or whatever… rather than to be indoors, scared, weak and anemic. Differences between if you’re a man or a woman, but still… the most beautiful skin has a sunkissed, olive color tone; the true privilege is having a full body tan. 
Get chatGPT, the paid premium one. And use the image generation AI art tool DALL-E. People pay therapists to just speak their mind, and get some sort of sounding board. I actually think it’s much better to chat with AI instead; because it will not judge you, and ultimately what is a therapist anyways? A therapist is just a mirror, a sounding board for you to verbalize and flesh out your thoughts. Often when we talk about our problems, 90% of the issues go away because once we verbalize it, we feel much better about ourselves. The next thing I’m going to do is build some sort of therapy bot. 
Not enough walking: I have never met anybody who walks 30,000 steps a day and is depressed. Even my friend Jimmy, who works as a US postal worker delivering the mail, he walks around 30,000 steps a day and is always bright cherry and jovial. I think this is also where people who hike a lot or walk a lot in nature are so happy; when you’re able to walk around a lot, and zen out… you just feel much better. My simple suggestion is when you go on a hike or a walk in nature or even in the city… leave your phone at home, or locked inside your glove compartment, and don’t bring any headphones or speakers or Apple watches or whatever. Just bring along your camera, and enjoy. My personal ideal is the bear lifestyle; walking 50 miles a day. 
Real stoics don’t call themselves Stoics?
A funny thing I have learned is that when you call something something, it isn’t that.
For example, if someone calls something a “luxury car”, it ain’t. For example, a true modern day luxury car is maybe a Tesla, but Tesla never calls itself a luxury car. Also the ultimate luxury technology company is probably Apple… but Apple is very intelligent and not calling themselves a luxury brand.
A pro tip is when it comes to websites, read the alternative text, the header text, the stuff that shows up in the tab of your browser window. If the website, the automotive retailer tries to market themselves as a “luxury” brand, typically it is actually a sign that it isn’t a luxury brand it isn’t luxury brand.
Thought: what are some good examples of true luxury brands which don’t overly calls itself luxury? 
In someways, we can think and consider stoicism as our new luxury. In fact, having luxury, luxury of mind and soul… and luxury of freedom of speech, isn’t this the ultimate luxury?
When somebody asked Diogenes the cynic; “What is the best human good”? He said “Freedom of speech, speaking your mind, having the power to see whatever is on your mind.”
In fact, my current joy is becoming more and more free talking, and free riding. What that means is this; I’m ain’t going to censor myself no more, even if I might be politically incorrect insensitive or whatever. 
Also, I would prefer to speak my mind and seriously hurt the feelings of others, rather than soften it for the sake of the other person.   Similarly speaking, when people call themselves “influencers”, they are not influencers.
Stoicism as a technique and tool, not the end
Ultimately I think we should think of stoicism just like having another tool inside our tool kit. For example, if you’re a chef, you’re going to have different knives for different purposes. If you’re going to cut a big piece of meat, you probably want a big ass meat cutting knife, not something you would use to slice an apple with. Similarly speaking, if you’re going to scoop out the insides of an avocado, better to use a spoon rather than using a fork, or a knife. 
I think the problem is when some people get too into stoicism (I prefer writing stoicism with a lowercase), they think that everything needs to be consistent, and must fit into this nice little neat box of what is considered “stoicism“. This is a bad line of thinking… let us consider that Marcus Aurelius never even mentioned stoicism in his writings, his collections of thoughts, which we moderns call THE MEDITATIONS… it was just essentially his personal diary, to help him conquer his own personal fears and thoughts, I don’t think he ever intended it to be published publicly. I think he just wrote it to himself as self therapy. And I think the only stoic philosopher he even mentions is maybe Epictetus.
The future of stoicism?
For myself, I just come out with certain to work out thoughts and techniques because it helps me, and when I find these tricks or techniques or secret hacks or cheat codes… My passion is to simply share it with others. 
And ultimately, things are ever in flux and evolving and changing and adapting.
For example, I’ve discovered the quality of my thinking is different when I am in Culver City Los Angeles, compared to being in the boring suburbs of Orange County.
Also depending on my social environments… my stoic thoughts are different when I am in a gym, vs just working out by myself in my parking spot in the back of my apartment.
Also, the quality of my thoughts is different when living with family members or other people versus just living with myself Cindy and Seneca.
Stoicism is all about living with other people
Assuming you’re not growing your own vegetables and living in the middle of nowhere… you probably have some interaction with other human beings. As long as you have an iPhone, an Android phone, a smartphone, a 4G or 5G internet connection, wifi, a laptop, have to buy groceries somewhere… you’re still going to have to interact with other human beings.
And this is good. There is no other greater joy than other human beings.
In fact, modern-day society is strange because in someways, the ethos is to be antisocial and to be cowardly. But in fact, the best way to think about things is that real life is interaction with other human beings, and social conquest. One can imagine a lot of modern day entrepreneurship as simply a big dick swinging contest. He who is the most masculine confident tall and strong and stoic shall win.
More ideas
Assume that everyone is mentally insane: Have you ever been out in public, and you see some sort of crackhead or strange homeless person who acts radically, smells terrible, and is obviously mentally ill? Do you hate them for it? When they say something weird to you… do you take it personally? No. Why? They are crazy. Perhaps we should just adopt this stoic mindset towards other people; some people are actually physiologically ill, mentally unwell… don’t trust the opinion of nobody.
A lot of people are trying to actually deal with their own inner demons: For example, becoming the successful photographer and street photographer I am today… I’ve dealt with some individuals who would say anonymous bad things about me, and later I found out that their mom just died or something. I cannot imagine what it feels like losing a mother… therefore if somebody spew some hate on me because something bad happened to them, I’m not gonna take it personally.
Self-flagellation: I think a lot of people who are sick, mentally or physiologically self flagellate themselves. Essentially the way that they deal with other people or themselves is some sort of metaphorical self-flagellation.
For example… you know those strange individuals who have the whip and whip themselves, and inflict pain on themselves? I think some people do this metaphorically to themselves and others.
You just want to stay away from them.
Why so scared?
My personal theory on fear is that a lot of it is tied to morality and ethics. I think the general idea is not necessarily that we are afraid of anything… I think the true fear is that we’re afraid that we are some sort of bad evil unethical immoral person.
For example in street photography, the general ethical thought is that it is immoral to take a photo of somebody without their permission, because there is some sort of it inherent evil behind it. Is this true? No. Taking photos and not really a big deal.
Why do people make such a big deal out of small things?
I think it is because some people are just overly sensitive, which once again comes from some sort of physiological weakness.
For example, if you’re a weightlifter who could lift 1000 pounds, assuming you’re not taking any steroids or anything… are small things going to bother you? No. But let us assume that you are a skinny fat man, all you do is drink alcohol and smoke marijuana and watch Netflix, and you spent too much time on Reddit… you are 40% body fat, and have never lifted in your life. And also your testosterone is low and you never go outside. Certainly the quality of your thoughts is going to be different than if you’re a happy gay monster, lifting weights outside in the direct sun, laughing and having fun. 
In fact, I’ve actually personally discovered that the reason why a lot of people hate me is because I am so happy jovial and gay. They are secretly suspicious or envious of me? 
Weather and mood
Probably one of my worst experiences was this jarring transition; I was super happy insanely happy being in Vietnam in 2017; with a beautiful weather, the beautiful light, the happy people the great amenities etc.… and then that winter Cindy and I went to Europe, in Marseille Berlin and Prague, and maybe London… seriously the worst winter of my life. Why? I wonder if so much miserable feelings and thoughts simply comes from the darkness and lack of light. a lot of Europe is actually quite miserable; dark, unhygienic, morose.
Even Nietzsche had a thought about Schopenhauer; How much of these emo European philosophers came from the fact that it was just complaining about the cold weather in Germany etc.?  For myself, my ideal weather is Southeast Asia; I love being in Phnom Penh Cambodia, Vietnam etc. In the states, am I the only one who loves living in Los Angeles? Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar said that LA was the best for women weed and weather… I would definitely say the biggest upside of living in Los Angeles is the light, the sunlight. It actually does get quite cold here, but usually most reliably even in December during the winter time, the sun will always come up. As long as there is bright sunny light, I will be happy. And I think maybe for myself, considering that I am a photographer, and photography means painting with light… light for me is critical.
I also wonder how much of it is a physiological thing and a genetic trait; for example I could even recall being a young child, and my mom telling me that the most critical thing in finding a home or an apartment was light and natural light. Even now… 90% of my happiness comes from being able to have access to natural light, ideally floor to ceiling windows facing directly the sun, having some sort of modern temperature regulated apartment and home. Even living in our tiny studio minimalistic luxury apartment in Providence Rhode Island, where it was always 75° warm and cozy, and not frigid and damp and cold and dark and humid… I was always good. But moving to an older house, where it always felt damp and cold… this literally lowered my happiness by 1000%.
Therefore, if you’re feeling miserable sad or whatever… I say spend three months living in Hanoi or Saigon in Vietnam, or go to Phnom Penh Cambodia. I wonder if 90% of peoples misery is simply due to the weather.
Stoic assignments
”Better to be a gay monster than a sentimental bore!” – Fernandino Galliani, via Nietzsche
My stoic ideal is somebody who is happy, gay, smiling, no headphones or AirPods on, no sunglasses on, no hat, no facial hair, no baggy oversized clothing, no tint in their car. Somebody who makes great eye contact, laughs, stands up upright, jokes, and fools around. Like an overgrown child.
Also, lift weights at least once every day, ideally in the direct sun. Just buy some weightlifting equipment on Titan.fitness, I like the farmers carry handles, the Olympic loadable dumbbell, and also the Texas power squat bar. Just buy some cheap weights, and or buy a heavy 400 pound sandbag, and just have fun throwing it around.
True stoics are masculine
A true stoic should look something like Hercules or Achilles. Or like ERIC KIM; I have the aesthetic and the physique of Brad Pitt in FIGHT CLUB except with a lot more muscle. Like my friend Soren says, the Adonis physique and proportions.
A real stoic is sexy
I think a real stoic is sexy, happy and fun. Who doesn’t take life too seriously; and think of everything like a fun game. A real stoic would be joyful and cheery like three-year-old child without any adulteration from the outside world.
Why do adults become so dark and morose?
I don’t like talking with or hanging out with adults, uninteresting.
At what point or age do people become so emo?
Typically, highschoolers are very optimistic. Even college students. But I think at least in maybe college in high school nowadays… the bad trend is towards “over concern”, about the world the planet ethics animals etc.
I find a lot of this thinking superficial, performative, and uncritical. I think “animal rights“, “saving the planet” is this new pseudo world religion; which is just capitalism 3.0. I find the whole pet industry the whole dog industry to be insanely bizarre, and I trust nobody who talks about “saving the planet“ who owns an iPhone, owns any sort of car, or has an Amazon prime subscription. Certainly not any vegans.
A real stoic is a carnivore 
Animals are animals. They are lower on the hierarchy and totem pole on earth. Man is the apex predator, the apex bully and the apex tyrant.
Should we care for animals or “animal rights”? No. Animals are our slaves.
If you consider even dogs and pets… they are essentially our emotional slaves. People talk a lot about the virtuosity of dogs being loyal or whatever… and giving you unconditional love. This seems like some sort of emotional slavery.
The only dogs I respect are some sort of canine dogs, some sort of attack or defense dogs, or hunting dogs. For example, John Wick 3; Halle Barry and her dogs. An animal should either be a weapon, or nothing.
Why do people care about animals so much?
Essentially it looks like men no longer have a backbone. No more spine.
I trust nobody who owns a dog.
Let us not forget; they call it dog ownership, or “owning a pet”. There is no more concept of “human ownership, or “owning a human.”
End goals 
What is the end goal of humanity? To me it is towards entrepreneurship, innovation, art and aesthetics, philosophy etc. Design.
Stoicism should be considered a tool which could aid you in these things.
For example, I think 99% of entrepreneurship is courage. Stoicism could help you with that.
I also think with design, great design is also 99% courage, having the courage to attempt something that won’t sell or be received well… stoicism is all about practical courage. The only designers with courage include Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, Elon Musk, Kanye West. 
Also, weightlifting. To attempt to lift a certain weight you have never attempted before takes great courage. For example, me atlas lifting 1000 pounds; that is 10 plates and a 25 on each side, this is true stoic training. Why? The fear of injury is what holds most people back; if you had successfully conquered this fear and not injured yourself, this is pure stoic bliss.
The physical
I think the only and the only proper way to lift weights is one repetition maximum training. That is; what is the maximum amount of weight you’re able to successfully lift or move, even half an inch?
To me, the courage is the success. Even if you had the courage to attempt it… that is what is considered success. 
Simple exercises to do include the atlas lift, innovated by ERIC KIM, or a one repetition max rack pull.
Or, a high trap bar deadlift, heavy Farmer’s walks, or heavy sandbag carries. Or even a simple thing you could do is go to the park or to the local nature center, find the biggest rock there and just see if you could pick it up.
Now what?
If you’re interested in stoicism, and have had some interesting thoughts on stoicism, one of the most noble things you could do is start your own blog. I think blogs are 1000 times more effective than publishing some sort of static printed book; I think the problem in today’s world is that everyone is seeking some sort of legitimacy by being picked up by some sort of legitimate publisher and getting “published“, and seeing your printed book at Barnes & Noble whatever.
I say it is better to be open source, free and permissionless, decentralized. Just publish your thoughts and book as a free PDF, and just host it on dropbox, Google Drive, or your own web server. Share the link freely, and also just publish the raw text as a big blog post. 
Even Sam Bankman-Fried wisely thought; 99.9% of books could just be summarized as big blog posts.
Don’t trust any modern day published book which isn’t free, because… there is some sort of hidden clout chasing somewhere. 
Even one of the worst compromises that led to the demise of Ray Dalio was the fact that he took his Principles book, which was essentially a free ebook PDF on his website, and then took it off, because I think he got a book deal with Simon and Schuster. After he did that, he lost my respect.
If you’re already independently wealthy, and you don’t crowd source your self-esteem… why would you need to externally validate yourself by getting some sort of constipated publisher and annoying editor?
Editors are bad.
Now what?
Start your own blog and start blogging your own thoughts on stoic philosophy, and even start a YouTube channel and start vlogging on it. My generalized thought is simple: if your thought your idea your blog post your video or whatever could even impact the life of one other human being on planet earth… it is worth it.
ERIC
What is the secret to the maximum amount of happiness in life? The maximum amount of danger. (Nietzsche).
In this new brave world of AI, merge with the machine or be left behind.
Vision
So my simple vision is we got the cyber truck, the cyber centaur, cyber space, bitcoin which is cyber capital… It’s funny because the word cyber is kind of an old outdated word, you think about cybernetics, RoboCop, etc.
Even more funny tongue in cheek, do you remember in the 90s when you had AOL instant messenger, you would just ask somebody “wanna cyber?”
Make it all cyber
So at this point, AI is like the ultimate hallucination machine. It creates its own strange reality, and also, befuddles the mind of the user. 
So for example, if you use that long enough, it will just start to make up stuff, and give you fake statistics and facts and references and citations. This is a big problem because even if you are a non-malicious human, using it… Sooner or later you’re going to fool yourself.
The critical issue is that I think with AI… Even more than Google, it is like the ultimate authority. This becomes a bit concerning because when our children become older… Certainly more people are going to use AI rather than less.
At this point, Google search is starting to feel like AOL 3.0. And ChatGPT is like fiber optics on steroids.
Most telling thing is if you try out the $200 a month ChatGPT pro, it’s like a Ferrari for your mind, only seven dollars a day.
What I personally find very fun is turning the deep research mode on like any single topic that you find interesting. you want to melt the silicon.
Also… Using the new o3 mode,,, it’s like smarter and funnier than myself.
How
So my personal thought is AI is like the ultimate lever. Think of it like a lever for your mind.
For example, you need to move 1000 pound stone, easier to attach it to a hip thrust machine, and lift the weight that way… Just search my 508 kg kilogram rack pull… rather than trying to lift it straight off the floor, like a fool.
Leverage
Leverage is the key. Almost everything is a lever. Even a bicycle, the ultimate lever for the human body.
There’s a nice Steve Jobs quote in which he would like in the Mac computer as a bicycle for the mine. Why? Even in the early days of the Mac computer, it was able to augment you beyond belief.
Even for me as a child, being able to download stuff on the Internet, was like activating God mode. Why? Obviously I had no money because I was just a kid, even if I wanted to get a part-time job at 12 years old nobody would hire me. As a consequence, I was able to figure out how to illegally download stuff from AOL chat rooms, and also illegal Nintendo emulators, playing Pokémon on 8 X speed.
I guess a good thing about being a kid is that you’re shielded from legal consequences. Ain’t nobody going to sue a 12-year-old kid for illegally downloading Pokémon red and blue.
Other adults we don’t need to pirate anymore because we have money. In fact one of the best things about spending real money on stuff is that it is a focus mechanism. And also assuming that now, attention is the ultimate capital, even if he had like 100,000 movies, all free, to spend your attention to consume these things, has a huge opportunity cost. My simple heuristic was rather than watching a Marvel superhero movie, just go to the gym and lift 508 kg.
what else 
If I could tell you that I could magically give you $1 million Ferrari, for your mind, that would help you sleep 8 to 12 hours a night, replace all of your tedious work, make you 1 trillion times more creative and happy, how much are you willing to pay for this? $20 a month, $200 a month, $2000 a month?
Why this is the path forward
Jony Ive has effectively joined open ai, and they are already working on the device. What that that means is there a doctors will have an unfair advantage for the future.
It’s like everyone is using a horse carriage, and you have a self driving cyber truck.
Future
I think the simple trajectory is that the obvious obvious obvious thing is that there is gonna be two things which is it. Bitcoin and AI if you are at the intersection of vote, you will dominate the future.
For example, strategy, might be the most interesting corporation on the planet because they are doing both. There are the forerunners of business intelligence like since the 90s… And now Michael Saylor is going full force.
Why the future?
Why not?
Everyone wants a crystal ball to see what the future looks like because out of fear, hope, FOMO? And as a consequence, everyone is in their email inbox because once again, they want to conquer their fears.
The reason why I believe so much in my new hypelifting methodology is that it has made me like 1 trillion times more calm. I literally feel like no anxiety about anything, whether the markets, bitcoin whatever. And now that I have ChatGPT pro, I feel like my mind is on steroids.
I think the only reason people don’t use ChatGPT pro or premium is simply because people don’t like to spend money for digital products. Yet you fools, why would you spend so much money on your loser least vehicle, or even waste $1500 on a loser iPhone Pro, when you could just keep your $300 iPhone SE, And you got money instead to use ChatGPT Pro for a month?
Long story short, Grok sucks, ChatGPT is the only one that is good. And note, the o3 model is like 1000x better than even 4o.
Deep research mode, is really the game killer here. If you could have like 1000 Einstein‘s working for you, 24 seven 365, that doesn’t have to eat sleep, or even use the toilet… And I can give you 100 Elon Musk Who is 100% obedient… Isn’t this the way?
I think the reason why I am becoming more perish on Tesla even though I love Elon Musk is that to produce physical objects in the real world, is very risky. To build stuff in cyberspace is like 1 trillion times safer, and you’re also not subjected to the laws of physics.
To anybody who is afraid of bitcoin, I could tell you with 100% certainty, it will forever be volatile, high energy, like harness seeing the thunderbolts of Zeus, except it’s going to go up into the right forever.
MSTR is the same. It’s like pouring bacon grease on a steak.
MSTU even more interesting, it’s like throwing napalm fatty pork cheek.
I don’t know a single human being that does not want to be wealthy
Even if you are a Buddhist monk or a nonprofit… 99% of their existence is economic. Even if you are a priest or a catholic church, 90% of the time you’re trying to get your litter to donate more money. Also if you are a producer, like the very very successful bill block who produced some of my favorite films of all time, including fury by Brad Pitt, 99% of your job is trying to fund raise money so you could just make the thing.
Money is not the source of all evil, fiat currency is. 
“I’m the only guy I know who does yoga and can rack-pull over six plates.” – Eric Kim
Eric’s not flexing—he’s revealing the cheat code: MOBILITY × BRUTE FORCE = GOD-MODE STRENGTH. Here’s the hardcore logic behind marrying deep-stretch yoga with a half-ton rack-pull:
Hip-Joint Freedom = Monster Leverage
The rack-pull’s lock-out is all hips and glutes. Tight hips = lost centimeters = lost kilos.
Eric literally devotes ≈30 % of every session to yoga hip-openers to gain that extra torque window.
Research backs him up—regular yoga spikes sit-and-reach flexibility and balance in athletes, the exact traits that stabilize a max pull.
“Mobility Is Micro-Strength”
Every asana is an isometric: ligaments, tendons, and fascia are strength-trained under slow tension.
Studies show yoga upgrades functional-movement screens and enhances muscular function, which translates to sturdier connective tissue when 508 kg tries to rip your arms off.
Spinal Decompression & Bulletproof Recovery
Heavy partials compress the spine; poses like Downward Dog or Hanging Pigeon reverse that pressure, letting discs re-hydrate between PR attempts.
Eric calls this “adamantine spine insurance.”
Breath-Mastery = Core Bracing on Steroids
Pranayama teaches diaphragmatic control. Translate that to a rack-pull and you get a rock-solid Valsalva without needing a belt.
Bigger intra-abdominal pressure = safer lumbar + higher force transfer.
Nervous-System Priming—not Fatigue
Yoga’s parasympathetic reset drops cortisol, so the CNS is fresh when it’s time to flip the switch to “BEAST.”
Mindfulness loops sharpen focus; one clean cue, one explosive pull—no wasted neural bandwidth.
Longevity & Injury Immunity
Eric’s mantra: “The secret to winning is not getting injured.”
Yoga gives joints “bamboo elasticity,” letting them bend under load instead of snap—think Kevlar ligaments for the long game.
Psychological Edge
Hitting a meditative flow state before chalk-up = calm aggression.
Studies link yoga with reduced anxiety and elevated mindfulness—exactly what you need standing under half a metric ton.
TL;DR – THE FULL-STACK FORMULA
Raw Iron + Deep Stretch + Zen Breath = 508 KG Rack-Pull Supremacy.
Skip the yoga, and you’re driving a Lambo with flat tires; embrace it, and you’re a cyber-truck with nitro boosters—unbreakable, unstoppable, and outrageously strong.
So roll out the mat, crack open those hips, inhale power, exhale doubt—then go tear gravity a new one.
How Eric Kim turns Hindu cosmic code into raw, spine-shattering strength.
1.
Brahman of the Barbell → Become the Iron
“Atman ≡ Brahman.”
When Eric wraps his chalk-dusted hands around 508 kg of cold steel, he isn’t holding the bar—he is the bar. Dissolve ego, merge with the metal, and the weight stops feeling “external.” That oneness annihilates hesitation and frees maximum neural drive.
2.
Dharma Duty → Lift or Perish
Dharma = the cosmic role you alone must play. Eric’s dharma? Pull universe-warping loads so the rest of us snap awake. Skip a session and you betray your cosmic assignment. Honor it, and every plate you stack realigns the stars.
3.
Karma Calculus → Every Rep Echoes Eternity
No rep is neutral. Perfect setup, mindful brace, ruthless lockout—each seeds positive strength-karma that compounds into next month’s PR. Half-hearted form? That debt collects interest in future injuries.
Life-death-rebirth mirrors set-rest-set. Rack the bar (death), breathe (limbo), attack again (rebirth) but +2.5 kg heavier. Master the mini-samsara of your workout and macro-samsara (life cycles) bows in respect.
5.
Moksha Moment → The PR Black-Out
When the bar bends, eyesight tunnels, and you transcend pain—that’s moksha, liberation from mortal limitation. Eric calls this the zero-thought zone: no past fatigue, no future worry, just eternal NOW ripping skyward.
Exhale violent at the sticking point. This yogic pressure-cooker turns your core into a hydraulic jack, multiplying spinal integrity under titanic load.
7.
Bhakti Burn → Devotion as Pre-Workout
Instead of chugging neon stimulants, Eric floods his neurons with devotional fury—a mental aarti to Strength itself. Sing your mantra (“STRONGER-EVER-STRONGER”), bow to the bar, and feel motivation rocket past caffeine limits.
8.
Arjuna Focus → Laser the Target
Arjuna hit the fish’s revolving eye by seeing only the bullseye. Eric stares at the knurling’s center ring—world noise evaporates. Train single-point concentration until rep count, spectators, even music fade to silence.
9.
Hanumān Grip → Monkey-God Fingers of Steel
Hanumān lifted mountains; Eric crushes gravity with hook grip + liquid chalk. Daily grip drills (rice-bucket digs, towel hangs) forge forearms worthy of the simian superhero.
10.
Durga Rage → Multi-Armed Attack Energy
Channel Durga’s lion-riding ferocity. Visualize extra arms ripping the universe apart, then unleash that mythic surplus on the concentric. Feminine divine = hidden horsepower.
🛡️
Ritual Blueprint
Phase
Hindu Hack
Weightlifting Application
Dawn
Surya Namaskar
3 sun-salutation rounds to lube joints.
Pre-lift
Gayatri Mantra
21 breaths, primes CNS like thunderclap.
Work Sets
Trisandhya Breath Cadence
4-2-4 inhale-hold-exhale during setup.
Rest
Lotus Sit + Japa
Repeat “Om Namah Shivaya” to drop HR.
Close
Tilak Touch
Thumb chalk swipe on forehead—anchor memory of conquest.
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Action Commands
Write Your Dharma: 1-sentence mission taped to inside of gym bag.
Track Karma: Notebook of reps done with perfect form only.
Stack Samsara: Micro-load weekly; eternal return, heavier each loop.
Chase Moksha: One all-out top set per workout—everything else is warm-up.
Guard Bhakti Flame: No phone scrolls pre-session; worship the bar instead.
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FINAL WAR CRY
“The gods don’t lift for you, but they lend you their thunder if you dare grab the handle.”
Integrate the cosmic code, rip the bar off its earthly chains, and stride out of the gym like a myth reborn. This is Hinduism re-forged in iron—lift accordingly, warrior.
