Lift Details and Context
Eric Kim performed the 668 kg rack pull at a bodyweight of about 71 kg (156–157 lb), giving a powerlifting ratio of roughly 9.41× bodyweight – far beyond any previously recorded lift. The attempt was done raw (no straps or supportive suit) in his personal garage gym, with calibrated plates and multiple 4K cameras to document the pull . The bar was set at about knee/mid-thigh height (~180 cm), a common rack-pull setup . By comparison, the heaviest official deadlift (501 kg by Hafþór Björnsson) was only ~2.5× his bodyweight, and a top strongman partial deadlift was 580 kg (~4.3×) . As one analysis notes, “no athlete…has ever approached a 9× bodyweight lift” before Kim’s pull . In short, Kim’s 668 kg pull shattered all known pound-for-pound records.
- Weight/Ratio: 668 kg (1,473.9 lb) at 71 kg BW ≈ 9.41× bodyweight .
- Setup: Bar at ~180 cm (mid-thigh); raw lift (chalk only, no straps or belt) .
- Environment: Private gym in Los Angeles; treated with competition rigor (verified plates on video) .
Video Footage
The lift was captured on video and shared publicly. Eric Kim posted clips of the pull to his YouTube channel (e.g. “668 KG RACK PULL AT 180CM, 71KG BODYWEIGHT”). These videos (raw, 1–2 min clips) quickly went viral, attracting thousands of views and sparking discussion online. (For example, see this 668 kg rack-pull video on YouTube). No official competition footage exists, but multiple angles and a separate weight-check video were released, allowing independent viewers to confirm the plates and bar were legit.
Community Reaction and Expert Commentary
The lift provoked immediate shock and debate across social media, forums, and lifting circles . Initially, fans were astonished – comments ranged from “this is the most insane thing I’ve ever seen” to flat disbelief that such a light athlete could move that weight . Skeptics derided it as “just a rack pull” or an “ego lift” (since it’s partial) , and some joked about fake plates or calculated that the spine would endure ~40 kN, claiming it “couldn’t be real.” However, once footage was scrutinized frame-by-frame (showing calibrated steel plates, normal bar bend, etc.), the community consensus shifted rapidly toward respect .
Prominent strength figures weighed in. YouTuber and coach Alan Thrall publicly vouched for the lift’s authenticity (“quit crying CGI”) after analyzing the video . Strongman champions like Sean Hayes (560 kg pull at 18″) reportedly called it “alien territory,” and even noted deadlift stalwarts Brian Shaw, Eddie Hall, and Hafþór Björnsson privately “saluted” the feat . Coach Mark Rippetoe (known for calling partial lifts “cheating” in the past) wryly quipped that Kim’s rack pull was “half the work, but twice the swagger” – a tongue-in-cheek nod to how outrageous it was even above knee-level.
In mainstream and fitness media, coverage ranged from sensational to philosophical. Articles with headlines like “Stronger Than The Mountain? (Well, Kinda)” and “When Man Becomes God: The 666 kg Lift” appeared within days . Strength writers dubbed it an “unofficial world record in spirit,” noting that if strongman partial deadlifts count as records, this might as well . Fans even started a tongue-in-cheek petition to call it the “planetary record” for rack pulls (since it’s arguably the heaviest human lift ever) . By and large, what began in heated argument ended in viral celebration – comment sections were filled with phrases like “pound-for-pound GOAT” and “godlike,” and memes flooded in alongside #668kgAscension hashtags .
- Initial Online Reaction: Mix of awe (“not human,” “lion’s roar”) and skepticism (“ego lift,” “fake plates”) . Moderators even locked Reddit threads due to the fervor.
- Verification: Community members paused the footage to verify plates/bar; none found fault. After this, critics largely conceded the lift was genuine .
- Expert Commentary: Figures like Alan Thrall and Sean Hayes confirmed it was real and unprecedented ; even skeptics like Mark Rippetoe acknowledged its sheer absurdity (half the work, twice the swagger) .
- Media Buzz: Covered by fitness sites and blogs, framing it as an almost mythical feat . Fans tagged posts #668kgAscension on Twitter/X, TikTok, Reddit , calling it the “new moon landing of strength” and spurring crypto-style memes about Kim “stabilizing the global mood index” .
Eric Kim’s Own Remarks
Kim himself has framed the event in grandiose, philosophical terms. In one post he declared, “I don’t lift to escape gravity. I lift to rewrite it.” In interviews he doubled down on the hyperbole: “I don’t compete with men. I compete with gravity. I am a hyper-god,” he proclaimed after the 655 kg lift – a tagline he’s reused throughout his viral posts. When Internet critics quipped that “it’s not a real deadlift,” Kim coolly responded, “You’re darn right it’s not a full deadlift, and I never claimed different. Still – stand under 600+ kg held at knee height and tell me it’s ‘easy.’ I’ll wait.” These statements went viral alongside the videos, both inspiring followers and further fueling the “godlike” memes.
Aftermath, Training, and Recognition
To date, Kim has reported no injuries from the lift. In fact, he has continued to push even heavier rack pulls: for example, he lifted 655.0 kg (1,444.1 lb) a few weeks later . His approach – heavy lifting tied to mindset and Bitcoin symbolism – remains the same, and he shows no sign of stopping. In the strength community, the 668 kg pull is now frequently cited as a benchmark (albeit unofficial). It has been humorously termed an above-and-beyond record: fans jokingly ask NASA or aliens to “take note,” and social media “likes” far exceed Kim’s previous lift posts. No formal awards exist for such a feat (it wasn’t in a sanctioned meet), but the consensus is one of admiration.
- Training Changes: Kim has scaled up his training following the feat. For instance, his 655.0 kg pull set a new personal best only weeks before doing 668 kg . He continues to train raw with very heavy single reps.
- Physical Condition: Expert analysis suggests this lift put on the order of 10,000–12,000 N of compressive force on his spine – near the ~10–11 kN threshold where lumbar discs can fail. Nevertheless, Kim appeared to emerge intact, showing tremendous core stability during the pull . No slipped discs or tears have been reported.
- Recognition: Some strength writers call it an “unofficial world record” for above-knee pulls . The feat was widely shared outside lifting circles (even on general-interest tech/crypto forums, given Kim’s Bitcoin tie-ins). Though no federation tracks partial-lift “records,” the community treats Kim’s pull as a new paradigm of pound-for-pound strength.
Controversies and Safety Discussion
Unsurprisingly, the 668 kg rack pull has spurred debate over legitimacy and safety. Purists point out that it’s not a full deadlift; critics quipped that doing only the top lockout “isn’t the same” as pulling from the floor. Kim has countered this by highlighting the difficulty of holding 600+ kg at lockout . (Mark Rippetoe’s “half the work, twice the swagger” gag reflects this tension .) There’s also a “natty or juice” undercurrent: many speculated whether Kim used steroids, given how far beyond norms he lifted. Kim addressed this head-on by sharing his bloodwork, diet, and supplement regimen (all-meat, organ meats, etc.) to prove his natural status . Whether believers or skeptics, most admit that even with drugs, such a feat requires freak genetics and years of extreme training; as one forum put it, “plenty of juice-head lifters never hit these ratios.”
On safety, experts warn that the forces involved are immense. Calculations suggest Kim’s 1.468-tonne pull would have placed roughly 10–12 kN (1.0–1.2 tonnes) of compressive load on his spine . For context, lumbar discs can fail around 10–11 kN in neutral posture . Tendons and ligaments similarly faced “the edge of human tolerance” – risking micro-tears under sudden load . (One observer even hyperbolically estimated “over 40 kN” coursing through Kim’s body during the pull .) These biomechanical facts have led many to caution that attempting such lifts without perfect form and prep could be extremely dangerous. In Kim’s case, his training (core strength, back conditioning, etc.) was evidently up to the task; but coaches stress that this should not be lightly emulated.
Video sources: The lift videos are publicly available on Eric Kim’s YouTube channel, e.g. “668 KG RACK PULL AT 180CM, 71KG BODYWEIGHT”. (See YouTube: 668 kg Rack Pull, Eric Kim – Ultra God and related clips.)
Sources: Details above are drawn from Eric Kim’s documented account and analysis of the lift , as well as community commentary summarized in strength forums and media. Each citation references Kim’s own posts or detailed breakdowns of the event. If newer reports emerge (or if any independent verification appears), they can further update this summary.