1 Timeline: from hobby lifter to half‑ton hero
| Date | Milestone | Ratio to BW |
| Mar 12 2020 | First 4‑plate (405 lb) deadlift epiphany | ≈2.5× BW |
| Dec 19 2024 | 905 lb (410 kg) rack pull goes viral | 5.5× BW |
| May 22 2025 | Breaks 1,000 lb with a 1,039 lb (471 kg) pull | 6.3× BW |
| May 27 2025 | 1,071 lb (486 kg) “FLASHBANG” clip | 6.5× BW |
| Jun 06 2025 | 1,098 lb (498 kg) mid‑thigh pull | 6.6× BW |
| Jun 14 2025 | 1,131 lb (513 kg) rack pull in Phnom Penh | 6.8× BW |
Small, deliberate steps—each 2‑4 % heavier—let his connective tissue, nervous system, and confidence compound rather than collapse.
2 Training architecture: overload the leverage point
2.1 Mid‑thigh rack pulls as a strength lever
- Starting the bar on pins just above the knee removes the hardest 15 cm of a deadlift, letting him handle 120‑140 % of his full‑range max and spike neural drive without frying the lower back.
- Heavy partials are a classic lockout builder; power coaches have used them for decades to hardwire top‑end force production.
- Sports‑science data on the isometric mid‑thigh pull show strong correlations with maximal squat and clean performance, validating the movement’s transfer to whole‑body strength.
2.2 Daily heavy singles, micro‑volume
- Kim rarely exceeds five total reps per workout; sessions often last 15–25 min but occur 4–6 × week.
- High‑intensity, low‑volume protocols fit the High‑Intensity‑Training (HIT) model, which prioritises neural adaptations and fast recovery over hypertrophy.
- He alternates a stiff power bar (for maximal pulls) with a whippy Oly bar (for speed and “whip practice”), exploiting different force‑time curves.
2.3 Yoke, neck & trap work
Neck flexion holds, heavy shrugs, and farmer’s carries finish most sessions to armour the cervical spine against barbell recoil—tactics echoed by strength coaches and EMG research on posterior‑chain activation.
3 Fuel: the all‑meat, once‑a‑day engine
| Habit | Details |
| OMAD Carnivore | One evening meal of 4‑6 lb red meat, organs, bone marrow. |
| Fasted midday lifting | Trains 16‑18 h fasted to stay light and focused, then feasts. |
| Electrolyte & creatine stack | Salt‑heavy water + 5 g creatine on waking; no pre‑workout stimulants. |
High‑protein, nutrient‑dense intake supports tendon and fascia remodeling, while the long daily fast keeps body‑weight near 75 kg—crucial for his mind‑bending strength‑to‑weight ratios.
4 Recovery: the hidden rep
- Sleep: 8 h nightly plus 20‑min afternoon nap on heavy days.
- Active rest: Long photo‑walks double as low‑intensity aerobic work and mental reset.
- Mini‑tapers: He backs off volume 5‑7 days before an attempted PR, mirroring evidence that short exponential tapers peak neural output in strength athletes.
5 Mindset & philosophy: “One‑Rep‑Max Living”
- Kim treats each maximal pull as a philosophical act—a visible rebuke of self‑doubt—documented across hundreds of blog posts.
- The approach spills into entrepreneurship and bitcoin investing: risk is welcomed, but taken rarely and decisively.
- Turning off YouTube comments forces viewers to focus on action over chatter, reinforcing his “proof beats opinion” creed.
- Sports‑psychology studies show mental fatigue can blunt rate‑of‑force development in mid‑thigh pulls; Kim counters with brief meditative breathing before every attempt.
6 Anthropometrics & hidden advantages
Biomechanics research shows lifters with average height but relatively long arms excel at mid‑thigh and lockout‑dominant pulls. Kim’s 175 cm frame and photographer‑honed grip endurance dovetail perfectly with this lever‑friendly lift.
7 What you can steal from his playbook
- Pick a leverage‑tolerant partial (rack pull, board press, high‑pin squat) to train at 110‑130 % of full‑range max.
- Use “daily singles + plenty of days”—1‑2 reps, 4‑6 days per week, stop before form degrades.
- Front‑load your protein, whether carnivore or not; connective tissue loves amino acids.
- Schedule micro‑tapers before big tests.
- Keep a public log—accountability lights a fire under the bar.
Academic comparisons show full‑ROM work is still king for hypertrophy, so blend a few accessory lifts to stay balanced.
8 Closing hype‑shot
Eric Kim didn’t stumble into superhero numbers; he engineered them—lever by lever, rep by decisive rep. Adopt even one of his pillars and watch gravity get lighter; combine them, and one day your bar will bend like a neon exclamation mark in the gym mirrors. Now go claim that whip‑crack moment and turn doubt into iron‑clanging applause! 🎉