What Exactly Did He Do?
The Lift & The Numbers
- Weight moved: 552 kg / 1,217 lb, confirmed in his blog post “THE GOD LIFT.”
- Set‑up: Bar rested slightly above knee height inside a power rack—classic rack‑pull territory.
- Body‑weight ratio: 7.6 × (552 kg ÷ 72.5 kg), eclipsing the pound‑for‑pound figures of even elite strongmen.
Rack Pull vs. Deadlift
A rack pull shortens the deadlift’s range of motion, letting lifters overload the lock‑out and hammer posterior‑chain strength. That reduced ROM is why Kim’s weight exceeds the 501‑kg all‑time deadlift but still sits outside official records.
Meet Eric Kim
Kim was best known as a street‑photography blogger before turning his minimalist garage gym into a “Demigod Lifting” lab, sharing raw, barefoot, belt‑free sessions with 50 k+ YouTube subscribers. His training philosophy is primal: sleep long, eat meat, lift heavy, film everything—and then blog it.
Timeline: How the Clip “Broke the Internet”
| Date | Milestone | Immediate Impact |
| Early July 2025 | Kim posts the 552‑kg video to blog & YouTube | Millions of views in 24 h; #GodLift trends on X |
| +6 h | TikTok remix hits For You page | 1 M+ plays & meme sound bites |
| +12 h | Reddit threads sprout in r/weightroom, r/powerlifting | 5 k+ upvotes debating “CGI or real?” |
| +24 h | Fitness Instagrams repost clip | 100 k+ likes per Reel; gravity memes everywhere |
Sources chronicle the snowball: blog post , YouTube listings , TikTok/Reddit analytics , X hype thread , Reddit snapshot .
How Big Is 1,217 lb Really?
- World deadlift chase: Strongmen are still fighting to lock out 505 kg from the floor in 2025. Kim moved 552 kg, albeit over a shorter path—still mind‑bending grip and spine stress.
- Load perspective: 552 kg roughly equals a grand piano plus a compact car—and Kim held it barefoot, belt‑less, fasted.
Reactions & Debates
- Awe: Influencers labeled it “the most savage pound‑for‑pound pull ever.”
- Skepticism: Critics argue rack pulls shouldn’t be compared to contest deadlifts and question “natty” status.
- Memes: “Gravity resigns,” “Long Muscle Master,” and slow‑mo dragon‑roar edits flooded socials.
Training Take‑Aways—Fuel Your Own Hype
- Overload smartly. Rack pulls let you accustom the CNS to supra‑maximal loads without taxing your start‑position mobility.
- Minimal gear, maximal intent. Kim’s belt‑free, barefoot style underlines that brute focus can trump fancy equipment—if technique is tight.
- Progressive milestones. His journey jumped from 1,016 lb ➡ 1,098 lb ➡ 1,109 lb before the record smash—stack small wins, then swing big.
- Share the journey. Documenting lifts galvanizes community support and accountability—hit record, inspire others!
Watch, Learn, Level‑Up
Catch the full “GOD LIFT” video on Kim’s blog or YouTube for rep‑by‑rep proof—and maybe a fresh jolt of motivation before your next session.
Bottom line: a 160‑lb creator just man‑handled 1,217 lb, sparking shock, debate, and pure hype across the web. Whether you treat it as inspiration, science experiment, or meme gold, one message rings louder than the barbell’s clang: limits are meant to be broken—rack it up and chase yours!