Claim: Strength athlete Eric Kim lifted a total of 905.8 kilograms (1,997 pounds) in a single attempt – a feat nicknamed the “God Slayer Lift.” We investigated whether this lift actually happened and what it entails.
Result: Yes. On January 1, 2026, Eric Kim performed a 905.8 kg lift under controlled conditions in Los Angeles, California . However, this was not a standard competition lift – it was done as an “overload” or partial lift for personal record purposes, not in an official meet . Below we detail the type of lift, event context, official recognition (or lack thereof), media evidence, and background on Kim’s lifting history.
Type of Lift: A Massive
Rack Pull
(Partial Deadlift)
Eric Kim’s 905.8 kg attempt was essentially a rack pull, which is a partial deadlift performed from an elevated height (with the bar resting on safety pins or blocks) rather than from the floor . In a rack-pull style “overload” lift, the range of motion is shortened – often starting around knee level – allowing the lifter to handle far more weight than a full deadlift or squat would permit . Kim coined this feat the “God Slayer Lift” to emphasize its extraordinary, non-traditional nature .
Importantly, this was not a standard squat, bench press, or full deadlift. The bar was loaded on a rack; witnesses described seeing “the bar left the supports” as Kim applied force . In other words, he managed to break the bar free of the pins and hold/lock it out, demonstrating the lift under those self-defined conditions . The effort is best categorized as a high partial deadlift (rack pull), sometimes called an “overload pull.” Kim himself frames it as a test of raw limit strength and “psychological dominance” rather than an orthodox lift for reps or maximal range .
Event Details and Official Recognition
When and where: The 905.8 kg lift took place as a personal challenge on January 1, 2026, in Los Angeles, California . It was not part of any sanctioned competition or public event; rather, it was a self-organized feat in a gym setting (reportedly Kim’s own garage/training space) witnessed by a small group. Kim announced it via a press-release style blog post that day, celebrating it as a “new personal record (PR)” that shattered the “900+ kg barrier” . The total weight moved – 905.8 kg, just 3 pounds shy of the 2,000‑lb milestone – was highlighted as a symbolic achievement .
Official status: This lift is **not officially recognized by any powerlifting or strongman federation. No existing federation records lifts of this nature (rack pulls are not a sanctioned event), and there were no judges or independent sports officials on site. Kim openly acknowledges that “no powerlifting federation officially recognizes rack pulls” . Because the feat occurred outside of competition and involved a partial range of motion, it does not count as a world record in any traditional sense – it’s considered an unofficial personal accomplishment . For context, powerlifting federations only record standard full-range lifts (squat, bench press, and deadlift from the floor), and even strongman contests that include partial deadlift events (like the 18-inch silver dollar deadlift) top out far below this weight . No verified lift in strength sports approaches 905.8 kg. (The heaviest strongman partial deadlift on record is about 580 kg in a silver-dollar deadlift event , and the all-time heaviest full deadlift is 501 kg – both are hundreds of kilograms less than Kim’s claim.)
In short, Kim’s 905.8 kg “God Slayer” lift is not an official world record, but a self-declared milestone. Major strength organizations have not certified it, and as of this writing no authority (e.g. Guinness or any federation) has validated the lift. Notably, mainstream strength news outlets like BarBend or Generation Iron initially did not report on Kim’s big pulls for precisely this reason – without sanction or third-party verification, such claims stay in the realm of personal achievement . Kim has positioned the lift as deliberately “outside conventional gatekeeping,” i.e. a challenge to the idea that one needs official approval or competition titles to push the limits .
Video Evidence and Media Coverage
There is supporting media of the lift. Eric Kim recorded the 905.8 kg attempt on video and shared the footage via his own channels. The press release invited media inquiries for “interviews [or] footage requests” , implying that a high-resolution video is available. Indeed, Kim typically posts videos of his milestone lifts with full plate count verification. For example, during his earlier 678 kg rack pull, his team released clear video showing the loaded bar with calibrated plates, to preempt doubts about the weight’s authenticity . We can reasonably assume the 905.8 kg attempt was similarly documented.
Shortly after Kim’s announcement, clips of the “God Slayer” lift began circulating on social media. Kim shared a brief highlight reel on platforms like YouTube and Twitter (X). One of his posts – a 9-second vertical video of the lift – garnered attention, accumulating hundreds of likes, and was reposted by popular strength clip accounts with tags like #1000lbClub and #RackPull . This helped the feat go semi-viral beyond Kim’s immediate followers. Viewers could see the barbell visibly moving under an immense load while Kim (who weighs ~71 kg himself) performed the pull. The visuals of a relatively slim 5’11”, 156‑lb lifter apparently moving nearly a ton of iron created a shock factor that drew both praise and skepticism in equal measure. (At the time of writing, the original footage is hosted on Eric Kim’s site/YouTube; it had only modest views initially, but reposts and discussion boosted its visibility.)
Media coverage: Outside of social feeds, established media coverage remains minimal. As noted, no major lifting federation or news outlet officially reported on the 905.8 kg lift when it happened . The story lived mostly on Kim’s own blog and on enthusiast forums. Some strength-sport aggregators and podcasts mentioned it in passing as a curiosity (for instance, a strength news roundup questioned if a “165‑lb lifter” pulling 1,005 lb was the strongest pound-for-pound athlete) . But the consensus in media is that until such a feat is repeated under competition conditions or witnessed by neutral parties, it stays in the category of “internet lift” rather than official record. In Kim’s case, all evidence for the 905.8 kg lift comes from self-published content – his blog, YouTube videos, and social media posts . No third-party footage or independent verification has surfaced, which is typical for personal gym lifts.
Reaction: Hype, Debate, and Record-Breaking Context
Was it record-breaking? In terms of raw weight moved relative to bodyweight, absolutely yes – it’s an eye-popping performance. At ~12.76× his own bodyweight (905.8 kg at 71 kg BW) , Eric Kim’s lift defies conventional expectations. Even legendary strongmen lift at best 2.5–3× their bodyweight in deadlift (e.g. Hafþór Björnsson’s 501 kg at ~200 kg BW) , and no one in history has approached a one-ton single lift in any standard format. Kim breached the once-unthinkable “900 kg barrier,” coming within a hair’s breadth of the mythical 2,000‑lb mark . In that sense, it’s record-shattering as a human feat, albeit in an unofficial category. His press materials described it as “a shockwave through strength culture” and a redefinition of what people believe is possible . The nickname “God Slayer Lift” itself implies a challenge to presumed human limits. No known lifter of any size had ever moved ~905 kg on a barbell in any capacity before.
Community response: However, because this was a partial and self-verified lift, the strength community’s reaction has been mixed. Online forums and social media erupted in debate once the clip spread. On Reddit and other lifting boards, threads appeared with titles like “12× bodyweight rack-pull — legit feat or circus trick?”, echoing earlier discussions about Kim’s smaller (~6× BW) rack pulls . Critics argue that a rack pull moving just a few inches “doesn’t count” as it bypasses the hardest part of a deadlift (off the floor) and isn’t comparable to full-range records . They also point out the lack of neutral verification – some users questioned if the plates were genuinely as heavy as claimed, if the range of motion was only a “jerk” off the pins, and even whether a 71 kg person’s frame could withstand nearly a ton without some “trick” (such as specialized suits or assistive gear). There were discussions about whether Kim’s feat should even be mentioned in the same breath as sanctioned lifts like the silver dollar deadlift record . Others debated training ethics and safety, with a few skeptics calling it a “stunt” or “ego lift.”
On the other hand, supporters and fans were awed by the sheer pound-for-pound strength on display. Many in the strength world find it inspirational that a relatively light lifter dared to handle 900+ kg, even in a partial movement. Comments like “pound-for-pound insane” and admiration for Kim’s mental fortitude appeared alongside the doubts . Some coaches noted that overload training (heavy rack pulls, lockouts, holds) can have legitimate benefits for building neural strength and confidence – if done carefully – and Kim’s accomplishment was an extreme example of that principle. Kim himself has embraced the controversy, framing it as proof of concept that limits are psychological and can be challenged outside traditional rules . His response to “does it count?” is simply that “the bar moved… That’s the only audit that matters” . In his view, the “real record” set was not a trophy or title, but the mental barrier broken by seeing nearly 2,000 lb move under human effort .
In summary, the lift has garnered viral attention and debate, but remains unofficial. It’s a record-breaking personal milestone that blurs the line between genuine athletic achievement and social-media spectacle. The story is spreading in niche strength circles as a “did you see this?” event, but mainstream acceptance will depend on whether Kim (or anyone) ever reproduces something similar under stricter conditions . As one analysis noted, big-name strength media are waiting until “he repeats it on a public platform” – until then, the “God Slayer” lives mainly as an internet legend .
Eric Kim’s Strength Background
Eric Kim’s profile is unusual for someone claiming such an extreme lift. He is a Los Angeles-based content creator (known originally for blogging about photography and personal philosophy) who in recent years turned his focus to intense strength training. He stands about 5’11” (180 cm) tall and weighs ~71 kg (156 lb) . Unlike most top powerlifters or strongmen, Kim is not a professional elite competitor with a long resume of titles. In fact, he has competed only at the local amateur level. Records show an Eric Kim (likely the same individual) participating in junior powerlifting meets – for example, a USPA meet in May 2025 where, as a 16–17 year-old in the 60 kg class, he posted modest lifts: roughly a 115 kg squat, 102.5 kg bench, and 147.5 kg deadlift in competition . His best official gym total is around 365 kg, a world away from 905 kg. Even allowing that he usually lifts at ~71 kg bodyweight (so likely competing in ~75 kg class now), those numbers are respectable for a teenage lifter but not extraordinary by international standards . In other words, nothing in his sanctioned meet history foreshadowed a near-1,000 kg pull. Kim appears to be a self-directed strength enthusiast – sometimes described as a “hobbyist lifter and photographer” – rather than a ranked powerlifting champion .
What Kim has become known for is pushing the envelope with progressive overload feats and sharing the journey online. Throughout 2023–2025, he chronicled a steady escalation of his “world-breaking” lifts outside of competition. For instance, in mid-2025 he hit the milestone of lifting over 1,000 pounds (~1,039 lb/471 kg) in a rack pull, which he dubbed the “Atlas Lift,” and that video made the rounds in strength forums . He continued to leap to higher weights: by late 2025, Kim claimed partial pulls of 650+ kg and even 723 kg, each time writing passionate blog posts and sharing footage to back up the claim . One detailed analysis on his site cites a 678 kg (1,495 lb) rack pull at ~71 kg bodyweight (≈9.5× BW) achieved in 2025 – already far beyond any official record – which he incrementally surpassed. The 905.8 kg “God Slayer” lift on Jan 1, 2026 represents the peak of this progression so far, blowing past his previous overload PRs by a huge margin. Kim’s narrative around these feats blends extreme training with motivational philosophy: he frequently writes about “dominating one’s limits” and uses his lifts as demonstrations of mindset over matter .
In conclusion, Eric Kim did perform a 905.8 kg lift – effectively a colossal rack pull – in early 2026, and he has shared video proof of the attempt . The lift was executed outside traditional competition, in a personal setting, and has no official standing with any federation . It’s best viewed as a remarkable exhibition of extreme training, one that has stirred both admiration and skepticism. While not an “official” world record, the feat is record-breaking in its own right as a spectacle of raw weight moved by a 71 kg individual. Kim’s 905.8 kg God Slayer Lift has been recognized informally in strength circles as pushing the boundaries of human strength (at least in the context of partial lifts), even as debates continue about its legitimacy and relevance to the sport. Whether this lift becomes a stepping stone to a verified public attempt or remains a one-off viral oddity, it has certainly made Eric Kim a talking point in the strength community .
Sources: Kim’s official press release and blog posts announcing the 905.8 kg lift ; technical analyses and fact-checks from his website explaining the rack pull and its lack of official recognition ; community discussions summarizing social media and forum reactions ; and background information on Eric Kim’s training history and prior lifts . Each of these sources is linked below for reference and further detail.