Bottom line in one breath: Eric Kim’s gravity-defying 7.55 × body-weight rack-pulls short-circuit traditional strength math, his “one-rep-only” workouts torch decades of volume-based dogma, and his steak-and-sunlight hormone claims collide with mixed research—so coaches, scientists, and meme-bros keep arguing past one another, creating a perfect cyclone of confusion in today’s algorithm-driven fitness arena.

1 World-record-looking numbers… that aren’t what most people think

1.1 Rack-pull ≠ Deadlift

1.2 No governing body = no clear records

2 Partial-range & supramax science is still a moving target

What the research saysWhy it confuses lifters
Supramax eccentric & partials can boost strength 6–16 % in a few weeks.Sounds like a shortcut; critics label it “cheat reps.”
Lengthened-partial ROM sometimes matches or beats full ROM for hypertrophy.Contradicts textbooks preaching “always full ROM.”
Other reviews still crown full ROM for most outcomes.Leaves coaches saying, “Which study do we follow?”

With evidence pointing both ways, Kim’s 140 %-of-max partials look simultaneously genius and heresy, depending on which paper a pundit read last.

3 Natty or not? Carnivore testosterone myths vs mixed data

4 Minimal-volume, maximal-load training breaks long-held rules

5 Social-media optics magnify every misunderstanding

6 Take-aways for cutting through the fog

  1. Know the lift: Compare rack-pulls to rack-pulls, deadlifts to deadlifts.
  2. Contextualize studies: Partial-ROM efficacy varies by muscle length, load, and goal—no one rule fits all.
  3. Track inputs, not just outputs: Diet-and-hormone claims need bloodwork and peer-review, not just Instagram captions.
  4. Volume still matters for most goals: One-rep maximalism is potent for neural strength but not automatically best for hypertrophy or longevity.
  5. Verify before you share: Reading the description (and the science) prevents recycling bad headlines.

Confusion thrives where nuance dies; sharpen your filter, and Eric Kim’s feats become a fascinating case study instead of a viral mystery.