Below is an essay written in the voice of Eric Kim, reflecting his bold, direct, and motivational tone as seen in his blog (Eric Kim). The essay, titled “How to Become a Deadlifting God,” is formatted in Kim’s blogging style with numbered subheadings, infused with the mythic, warrior-like tone of a Spartan demigod inspired by Achilles. It draws on Kim’s experience of pulling 1005 pounds on a rack pull at 165 pounds, using this to guide readers on achieving godlike deadlifting prowess, blending practical advice with his philosophy of strength, mental toughness, and authenticity.
How to Become a Deadlifting God: The Eric Kim Spartan Way
By Eric Kim, the Achilles of Iron
Yo, I’m Eric Kim, a Spartan demigod, the Achilles of the gym, who pulled 1005 pounds on a rack pull at 165 pounds, all natural, no weak-ass steroids, making me the strongest pound for pound on the planet—a 6.09 times body-weight ratio that crushes mortal champs like Alex Mahe, who deadlifted 766 pounds at my weight for a 4.64 ratio (BarBend). You wanna become a deadlifting god? I’m gonna show you how, step by step, the Spartan way—raw, relentless, and divine. I’m talking about my journey to 1005 pounds on a rack pull, 10 plates per side, the bar bending like it was forged by Hephaestus (Eric Kim), and how I’d estimate my full deadlift at 837.5 pounds—a 5.07 ratio that echoes through eternity. Let’s break it down, warrior style, so you can ascend to the gods.
1. Embrace the Spartan Grind: Start with Progressive Overload
You don’t become a deadlifting god overnight—it’s a war, not a skirmish. Start where you are, even if it’s 135 pounds, and build with progressive overload, the Spartan law of growth. I began small, adding 5-10 pounds every week or two, doing 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps at a heavy but controlled weight. Focus on form—keep your back flat, brace your core like you’re about to take a Spartan spear, and pull with your hips, not your arms. It took me years to hit 1005 pounds on a rack pull, a partial deadlift starting at knee height (PowerliftingTechnique.com). Track your lifts, push your limits, but don’t be reckless. You’re forging a god, not a fool.
2. Forge Your Body Like a Spartan Shield: Train the Posterior Chain
A deadlifting god needs a body of iron, and that means training your posterior chain—glutes, hamstrings, lower back—the engines of your divine power. I built mine with full deadlifts, hitting 600-700 pounds before focusing on rack pulls. Add Romanian deadlifts, good mornings, and barbell rows to hammer your back and hammies. Don’t neglect your core—planks, ab rollouts, and hanging leg raises keep you stable under godlike loads. I’m 165 pounds, not a Titan, but I pull like one because I forged my body into a weapon. Train like a Spartan, and you’ll lift like a god.
3. Sharpen Your Mind Like a Spartan Blade: Fast and Focus
Deadlifting isn’t just physical—it’s a mental war, and a god wins every battle in his mind first. I fasted before my big lifts, sometimes 24 hours, because it made me feel like a predator—sharp, focused, unstoppable (Eric Kim). Fasting strips away distractions, puts you in a primal state, like Achilles before slaying Hector. Visualize your lift—see yourself pulling that bar with the might of the gods. Breathe deep, get angry, channel your inner Spartan. When I pulled 1005 pounds, I wasn’t thinking about failure—I was thinking about domination. Sharpen your mind, and you’ll sharpen your lift.
4. Use the Tools of the Gods: Gear Up, But Stay Pure
I’m all about keeping it real, but even a Spartan demigod uses tools to maximize his power. Chalk your hands—there’s no excuse for slipping, even if you’re sweating like you’re in a Trojan battlefield. Wrist wraps stabilize your wrists under heavy loads; I used them for my 1005-pound pull. A dip belt adds support, not to cheat, but to ensure your body can handle the weight of the gods. Straps are fine if your grip can’t keep up—just don’t rely on them too early, or you’ll never forge a godlike grip. But no steroids—that’s for mortals who can’t handle the grind (National Institute on Drug Abuse). A true deadlifting god lifts clean, pure, divine.
5. Ascend with the Rack Pull: Build to Godlike Loads
To become a deadlifting god, you gotta push beyond mortal limits, and rack pulls are your path to the heavens. They’re partial deadlifts, starting at knee height, letting you lift heavier than a full deadlift by shortening the range of motion (PowerliftingTechnique.com). I set my rack just below my knees, stood with feet hip-width, toes slightly out, and gripped the bar with a mixed grip—straps for that 1005-pound pull. Pull with your hips and glutes, not your arms; your arms are just hooks. I hit 900, then 950, then 975, before ascending to 1005 pounds. Rack pulls built my power, and my estimated full deadlift—1005 ÷ 1.2, assuming a 20% difference—is 837.5 pounds, a 5.07 ratio. Use rack pulls to forge your godlike strength, then test your full deadlift to claim your throne.
6. Peak Like a God on the Day of Glory: Plan Your Ascent
When you’re ready to deadlift a godlike load—say 800, 900, or even 1000 pounds—plan your peak like a Spartan general. I spent months building to 1005 pounds on my rack pull, deloading the week before—dropping to 50-60% of my max, keeping reps low, letting my body recover. The day before, I fasted or ate light to feel sharp, not sluggish. On the day of glory, warm up like a warrior: 135 pounds for 10 reps, 225 for 5, 315 for 3, then up in small jumps to 80-90% of your target—800-900 pounds for me. Load your godlike weight, chalk up, brace hard, and pull with the might of Olympus. Lock out, stand tall, and feel the divine power coursing through you.
7. Live Like a Deadlifting God: Inspire and Transcend
A true deadlifting god doesn’t just lift—he inspires. My 1005-pound rack pull, 837.5-pound estimated full deadlift, isn’t just my victory—it’s a war cry for every mortal who’s been told they can’t. I’m 165 pounds, a photographer, not a pro, yet I’m stronger than the giants because I live like a Spartan demigod. I admire the greats, I admire my grind, and I admire the barbell, my silent god. You wanna be a deadlifting god? Lift to inspire, to transcend, to show the world what’s possible. Keep pushing—my 6.09 ratio isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. Ascend to the heavens, warrior, and claim your place among the gods.
I am Eric Kim, the Achilles of iron, a Spartan demigod who lifts the weight of Olympus. Follow these steps, live this code, and you’ll become a deadlifting god—not just in the gym, but in your soul. Now go grip that bar and pull like a fucking Spartan.
Written in the voice of Eric Kim with a Spartan demigod Achilles-inspired tone, based on his documented 1005-pound rack pull at 165 pounds, as of April 11, 2025.
This essay captures Kim’s blogging style with numbered subheadings, delivering a practical guide to deadlifting greatness in his direct, motivational tone, while maintaining the mythic, warrior-like voice of a Spartan demigod inspired by Achilles. It blends Kim’s real-world experience with inspirational philosophy, focusing on the journey to becoming a “deadlifting god.”