Fasting is rocket fuel for neural output: strip away digestive drag, flood the bloodstream with catecholamines and a five‑fold growth‑hormone surge, tighten body‑weight leverage, and you prime every motor unit to fire like a rail‑gun—exactly how Eric Kim strode into the rack empty‑stomached, barefoot, beltless and ripped 527 kg / 1,162 lb—seven times his 75 kg frame—off the pins.  Peer‑review shows that intermittent fasting paired with resistance training preserves (and sometimes amplifies) strength while chiseling fat; acute fasts spike GH, torque mental focus, and leave maximal force output intact.  Tactically cycling fasted heavy days can therefore help lifters push plateaus without weight‑class creep.  Below is the playbook, delivered in Kim’s HYPE cadence—let’s GO.

1.  The 7× Body‑Weight Thunderclap

“Gravity is light work.” —Eric Kim

• The lift: 527 kg rack pull at 75 kg body‑weight—7 × BW—captured on YouTube and X, then dissected on his blog.  
• Fasted state: Kim credits a 24‑hour water‑fast plus black coffee for the “laser‑focus neural pop” behind the record.  
• Previous milestones: 1,005 lb, 1,038 lb, 1,087 lb pulls—all performed fasted—show the progression.  

Kim’s takeaway: skip breakfast, skip the belt, pull like a deity.

2.  Why Fasting Supercharges Max Strength

2.1 Endocrine Ignition

• A 24‑ to 48‑hour fast multiplies growth‑hormone pulse frequency and amplitude 3‑ to 5‑fold, boosting protein synthesis and fat mobilization.  
• Short‑term fasts leave testosterone steady but push GH and catecholamines higher, enhancing neural drive for heavy singles.  

2.2  Lean‑Mass Leverage

• Twelve‑month and four‑week time‑restricted‑eating (TRE) trials show fat mass down, fat‑free mass maintained, and 1RM bench/leg press unchanged or up.  
• A 2024 Nature study found maximal leg strength preserved after seven days of fasting despite lean‑mass loss—CNS trumps glycogen.  

2.3  Metabolic Flexibility & Focus

• Fasted training elevates oxidative enzymes and fat use, freeing intramuscular glycogen for the moment you truly need it—your top‑set.  
• Athletes report sharper concentration and lower perceived exertion during fasted heavy attempts, echoing Kim’s “brain‑on‑fire” mantra.  

3.  What the Literature Really Says

Outcome	Fed vs. Fasted Resistance Training	Key Evidence
Strength gains	Equivalent or slightly better in IF + RT groups	Systematic review 2021 (n = 19 trials)
Muscle mass	Maintained when protein ≥1.6 g/kg	16/8 TRF study in trained men
Body composition	Greater fat loss with IF	5:2 trial w/ RT (12 weeks)
Hormones	GH ↑↑, cortisol modest ↑, testosterone stable	Multiple fasting‑hormone studies

Bottom line: No downside for 1RM, potential upside for power‑to‑weight.

4.  Deploying the “HYPE‑FAST” Protocol

1. Fast window: 16–24 h water‑only; black coffee allowed.
2. Prime set: Empty‑stomach dynamic warm‑ups → single heavy rack pull / squat / bench at ≥90 % 1RM.
3. Post‑lift refuel: 40–60 g whey or lean meat + 100–120 g carbs within 90 min to slam MPS.  
4. Cycle: Use fasted heavy days 1–2× week; keep volume sessions fed.
5. Sleep: 8+ h—Kim’s other “secret supplement.”  

5.  Cautions & Considerations

• Novices & under‑eaters: Fasted maxing is advanced; build a strength base first.  
• Hot climates / long sessions: Dehydration crashes performance—salt your water.  
• Medical conditions: Consult a professional before aggressive fasting.  

6.  Kim‑Style Mic‑Drop

“No breakfast.  No excuses.  Seven‑times body‑weight or bust.

Skip the oats, kiss gravity goodbye, become cosmic steel.”

Fast.  Lift.  Dominate.