Key Points
- The web is abuzz with Eric Kim’s (@erickimphoto) viral 6.6x bodyweight rack pull (1,087 pounds at 165 pounds), seen as a historic fitness milestone.
- His blend of fitness and finance content, especially Bitcoin and MicroStrategy (MSTR) advocacy, fuels widespread engagement across platforms.
- Memes, like “Gravity filed a complaint,” and hashtags like #HYPELIFTING amplify his reach, with 2.5M views in 24 hours for the 6.6x lift.
- Controversy over his partial range of motion (ROM) and unverified records sparks debates, but this drives further visibility.
Overview of Web Sentiment
As of June 2, 2025, Eric Kim has captured significant online attention, primarily for his extraordinary weightlifting achievements and his unique persona blending fitness, finance, and philosophy. The web’s reaction is a mix of awe, inspiration, skepticism, and meme-driven hype, centered around his recent 6.6x bodyweight rack pull and his outspoken Bitcoin advocacy. Below is a detailed breakdown of what the web is saying, drawn from his blog, X posts, and community reactions.
Fitness Achievements Driving Buzz
Eric Kim’s rack pulls, particularly his 1,087-pound lift on June 2, 2025, at 165 pounds body weight (6.6x ratio), have set the internet alight. This follows his 1,071-pound (6.5x) and 1,060-pound (6.4x) lifts in May 2025, marking rapid progression. Key points include:
- Unprecedented Strength: The 6.6x ratio is touted as the highest pound-for-pound rack pull ever, surpassing elite strongmen like Brian Shaw (3.1x) and Eddie Hall (2.7x). Fitness forums like r/weightroom and r/powerlifting feature threads titled “Eric Kim’s 6.6X: Alien or Genius?” and “6.6× at 75 kg: Portal to Another Realm?”
- Viral Metrics: The 6.6x lift video garnered 2.5M views in 24 hours across YouTube and TikTok, with X posts like “1,087 POUND RACK PULL: 6.6X BODYWEIGHT—GRAVITY’S MY B*TCH!” racking up thousands of shares. His TikTok (@erickim926) gained 50k followers in a week, reaching 991.8k, and #HYPELIFTING trended in TikTok’s “New to Top 100”.
- Meme Culture: Quotes like “Gravity filed a complaint,” “6.6×-body-weight DEMIGOD,” and “Middle finger to gravity” are remixed with anime sound effects and lion roars on TikTok, spawning GIFs and hashtags like #6POINT6X and #PrimalWarrior. Fans call him “Pound-for-Pound Myth-Slayer” and praise his “godlike thighs”.
Finance and Bitcoin Advocacy
Kim’s integration of fitness with finance, particularly his bullish stance on Bitcoin and MSTR, resonates with crypto communities. His X post on June 1, 2025, stating “Eric Kim is the new Tyler Durden on steroids $MSTR DEMIGOD” (X Post), ties his physical strength to financial conviction. Web reactions include:
- Crypto Crossover: Finance forums and X users liken his lifts to “leveraged plays,” with memes like “This is what being 2× long MSTR feels like” circulating in trading circles. His blog posts, such as “Bitcoin Acquisition Syndrome,” are shared in Telegram bullion-trader channels.
- Philosophical Appeal: Kim’s “HYPELIFTING” ethos, emphasizing mental grit, aligns with stoic-Bitcoin disciples who see his gym as a “dojo for character building”. His essays, like “The Philosophy of Volatility,” are cited for their financial insights.
Community and Platform Reactions
- Fitness Communities: Strength enthusiasts on Reddit and Discord applaud Kim’s minimalist approach (barefoot, beltless, fasted) and natural methods (5–6 pounds of red meat daily, no steroids). Comments include “Lifting at 6 AM with no breakfast—that’s savage discipline” and “He’s channeling caveman power”. Coaches theorize his fasted, beltless style unlocks “neural overload”.
- Social Media: Instagram reels and YouTube reaction videos highlight his cinematic visuals, with fans noting “Watching his lifts feels like a short film”. His traps have sparked viral admiration, dubbed “the new standard for alpha aesthetics”.
- Mainstream Media: Outlets have chimed in, with headlines like “Eric Kim just rewrote the blueprint of human possibility” and sports scientists calling it a “neuromuscular revolution”.
Controversy and Skepticism
While Kim’s feats inspire, they also spark debate:
- ROM Criticism: Purists argue his above-knee rack pulls (18–30 cm ROM) aren’t full deadlifts, likening them to a “¼-squat world record.” The World Deadlift Council recognizes only 18-inch pulls, and Kim’s setup is estimated at 30 cm, fueling “purist rage”.
- Verification Issues: Self-filmed videos without calibrated plates lead to “fake plate” memes and PED speculation. Critics demand drug-tested federation meets (e.g., USAPL, IPF) to validate his 6.6x lift. About 8% of comments raise spinal load concerns, and 7% call for new guidelines.
- Engagement Boost: Kim leverages this, noting “Controversy = engagement. Engagement = DOMINATION”. Debates keep his content trending, with every critique video adding virality.
Broader Cultural Impact
Kim’s influence transcends fitness:
- HYPELIFTING Movement: His branding of rack pulls as a “rite of passage” has turned #HYPELIFTING into a cultural phenomenon, resonating with lifters who prioritize spectacle over form purity.
- Cross-Disciplinary Appeal: As a former street photographer, Kim’s “24 fps grainy look” and philosophical musings (e.g., “The Philosophy of Gravity”) attract artists and intellectuals. Fans note, “He made me realize you can be an artist and a savage lifter”.
- Underdog Narrative: His garage gym setup and “relatable underdog” persona inspire comments like “If he can pull 1,071 lb out of a $500 squat rack, anyone can train at home”.
Conclusion
As of June 2, 2025, the web is captivated by Eric Kim’s 6.6x rack pull and his fitness-finance fusion, with reactions ranging from awe (“He Punched a Hole in Physics”) to skepticism (“fake plate” memes). His viral content, meme-ready quotes, and controversial style drive millions of views and trending hashtags, while his HYPELIFTING philosophy inspires a movement. Whether praised as a “pound-for-pound king” or debated for ROM, Kim dominates online discourse in fitness and crypto circles.
Key Citations