ERIC KIM ₿

Our goal:

Never stop climbing for higher heights … literally and metaphorically!

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In Praise of One Rep Maxing for Dumbbell Press

Safer, more fun, interesting and independent than one rep max bench pressing:

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What’s the difference between nature and man? Nature grows organically while man builds.

If we think about our cities, our malls and all our man made creations … it is all predicated on this notion of growth (via building!)

Towards what ends do we build? To continually build and grow the human spirit. No end!

This is often the problem:

We get suckered by what looks more sophisticated (silly exercise balls and “mobility” stuff at the gym) rather than what is more *effective* (one rep max deadlifts, squats, chinups, etc).

Why this bias? Marketing. It is easier to sell which seems more complex and “fancy” than what is simple.

To save money for the sake of saving money or refusing always to use money and resources is foolish and scrooge-like. What we gotta determine and figure out is this:

In which *contexts* is saving money good and in which contexts is *spending* more money better?

Some thoughts:

1. If you’re an internet entrepreneur, spending more money on a faster home wifi connection is wise. For example I’m sooooo much happier and more productive having insanely fast wifi at home (Verizon gigabit fiber optic internet speeds at home) for far faster upload speeds, which means I can produce and share more with less delay, less lag and less frustration! Morale: don’t cheap out when it comes to your home wifi connection.
2. I have zero qualms on spending a bunch of money on (cheap) cuts of meat. For example I can buy pork for only 99 cents a pound. So I’ll buy a shitload of meat for home, and eat as much as I desire when I break my fast for dinner!
3. If you’re cold at home during the winter, fuck it — just crank up the heat! And if you’re cold outdoors, wise to spend a lot of money on very good warm winter clothes (especially if you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors). Get a good down jacket, good merino wool socks, a good goretex jacket or good goretex boots.

What’s a poor use of money? My thoughts:

1. Expensive smartphones are a horrible life decision. Same goes with expensive cars.
2. Don’t waste money on expensive designer clothes which aren’t functional or warm. Best to think of clothing more as battle armor.
3. Don’t waste money on expensive sneakers. Best to just buy some very good Goretex shoes (Asolo, Salomon) instead.

Typically we have been taught and trained that the more energy, electricity and resources we save and don’t use, the better. But what if the opposite were true:

The MORE energy, resources and electricity gas and heat you use and produce, the better?

Towards a more “wasteful” mindset, ideated around prolificacy, expending *MORE* energy but also producing *MORE* energy. To generate a “net positive”. To use more resources in order to produce more resources?

The trillion dollar question:

We shoot all these photos. How do we know which photo or version is the best?

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Just watched the new episode of the Season 2 of Mandalorian and really didn’t enjoy it. Why? It became too “Disney-fied”. First season of Mandalorian as more dark, cruel, and “angsty”. But this is more interesting, and we can better relate to this “Mando” character.

But the new season of Mandalorian, the new episode (the town people and the sand people) get together and “work together” in some sort of happy go lucky (if we just saw past our differences and worked together … we would be so much happier). But real life is tragic and cruel and things often *don’t* work out well in the end. And perhaps this is what makes better art?

As a side note, I think first season of Mandalorian is perfect — a 10/10.

When Mando is more dark, cruel and mercurial — we love him more! Perhaps the reason why we like Batman and Bruce Wayne so much — we love his cruel anger?

An interesting and robust way to live your life.

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I love zen. For me, to have the calm and energetic and focused and sublime mindset of zen is supreme.

To just walk, observe, photograph … isn’t this one of the ultimate zen practices?

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Great trees, colors and vibes:

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Training for our photography; a metaphorical photo gym!

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This is what I believe drives us.

Almost all books (most modern) bore me. Far more interesting to focus on art, aesthetics and the body over “wisdom”.

Trees are phenomenal. Why?

1. Theory; being in trees, you get increased oxygen and other micr-pollens in the air, which are good to awaken and enliven you?
2. The joy of fractal patterns; The joy in looking at, witnessing fractal patterns which are intuitively enjoyful for us to look at?
3. Depth: Being able to exercise depth perception when looking in nature. Good to exercise our ability to see things really far.
4. There is something about all the great textures and growth patterns of trees which bring us joy and delight?
5. The sound of rustling of trees as very calming and zen for us?

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My desire:

To be in peak physical shape and fitness and strength … and utilize my peak fitness to supersede my (past) limits.

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Or how udderrly grateful I am for life:

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Thought:

The reason *WHY* I like to drive stick shift instead of automatic because it is more fun *BECAUSE* it requires me to exercise my skill!

For example, coasting on top of a hill at a stop sign with manual (moderate gas on pedal, moderate clutch). Also shifting through gears as more fun!

Even though I’m rich, I prefer to own cheap stuff. Why? Simple reasons:

1. Less anxiety associated with ownership. For example when I’m at the gym and I need to go to the bathroom real quick, I can just leave my $150 Android smartphone and keys in my spot (to mark it) with zero anxiety with someone stealing it. Even if they stole it, it ain’t a big deal.
2. No fear of scratching, breaking or scuffing things: For example I put my keys and random things in all one pocket, and I can care less if my phone screen gets scratched or breaks. Same goes for my $800 Subaru Outback (2003 5 speed)– I can beat the shit out of it with no fear someone is gonna jack (steal) my car or fuck with it. If I owned a Lamborghini, always the annoying fear that some asshole kid would scratch (key) a penis into the side or paint.

In praise of thunder thighs:

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Who or what is a philosopher? An individual who sets values … who says:

This and that is worthy and of high value and worth your energy, life and pursuit.

And also, more importantly what is *NOT* worth our time, effort, money and pursuit!

A great idea for maximizing the potential of our human physiology, growth, muscles, recovery:

In the morning, icy cold showers to get you going.

Then at the evening, insanely hot baths to rest, relax and recover your muscles, and when washing off finishing off insanely cold and icy.

Barbell theory:

Perhaps for our optimal health, to barbell heat *and* cold is best.

Or even if you have the option, combining hot sauna and icy cold showers. Or regularly expose yourself to cold weather (walk around the cold outdoors in just a T-shirt during the winter time), but make sure you’re warm at home (bundle up at home) or just blast the heat at home?

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MANDALORIAN
Jump in the Dolorean
Fast forward back to the future
Know that you’re future is already here
No need to clear your mind, or drive blind or stay divine
Stay direct, stay straight, stay great

No need to placate the haters, or erase the light headed macers
What you gotta do is stay laser focused on your own life path
No need to worry about shattering; you’re anti-fragile, break the glass!

ERIC

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What do we want and desire? To live the best, most beautiful, most blessed life and experience known to man. And to innovate and discover:

How to live better.

To discover new modes of living better which have yet been discovered!

In order to train your mind, train your body.

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On one rep maxes:

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One of my greatest joys in life:

Going grocery shopping, shooting photos and videos, cooking food (especially greens and meat), and then eating and feasting!

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A lot of people tend to be critics of the touch-bar on the new MacBook Pro, but I love it!

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A beautiful zen calm feeling of snow— hyper white, outline, great clarity, great purity and great joy!

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You don’t need a data plan for iPhone. Perhaps it is *superior* to have as a pure creativity tool (iPhone can be thought of a more portable iPad).

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A fun addition to the prior Zen Brush 2:

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Really grateful for the Apple App Store team for recommending this app as the app of the day. Very good, creative, thoughtful, fun and interesting camera app. Super fun and highly recommended!

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The goal:

To be seized with creative rapture, and you never stop creating!

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For me, it is the only way to live. If I don’t produce, make things, and imagine … I feel like I’m degrading.

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Or in other words why I hate “running” or “jogging” and would prefer powerlifting (one rep max), or a combination of walking and sprinting.

One of the best ways to live:

Focus on your own self-development.

Now how do we do it?

Some thoughts:

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The best type of determination to have in life:

To have the power to determine your own future, your own fate, your own future!

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1. I got a car (2003 Subaru Outback, 5 speed). Bought for only $800 USD on Craigslist!!!
2. I got an abode, and have zero interest in owning a home or purchasing a home (anti home ownership, anti mortgage)
3. I got my food and meat and coffee
4. I got my wifi, laptop, and camera.

What else do I need?

Thought:

One of the most robust and independently interesting ways to live your life is this: to just focus on your own self development.

Self development as continually augmenting your knowledge, understanding, wisdom, body (physiology, muscles, muscle mass, one rep max strength), to keep making new art, innovating and discovering and creating more things!

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What is street photography? Social photography.

To be an anti social street photographer seems like a contradiction. We street photographers love people, society, and the public!

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New creations via the new Zen Brush 3 app. I made this on my iPad (just my finger, no silly Apple Pencil which I am very anti).

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A thought:

Many individuals end up becoming enslaved to their homes (repair, mortgage, desire to continually remodel and decorate their homes unto no end).

But this seems like a poor way to live. Why? It prevents you from really living. The best life is outdoors, in the streets, traveling, living nomadically or just being out and about in the town. Living ain’t staying home!

Very interesting idea:

When I make a slide show of my photos and upload it to YouTube, YouTube (Google) always gives you 3 suggestions for the ‘best’ thumbnail (most likely to get clicked).

Contrary to popular technique, I do not create ‘customized’ thumbnails for YouTube. 99% of the time I just use the default suggested thumbnail that YouTube suggests for me.

Why? My theory:

1. YouTube (Google and Google Images) processes quadrillions of images a day, and their vision algorithms are probably sophisticated enough to somehow know which images often get most clicked on. Thus perhaps this can be a good guide and signal to helping us better select our most outstanding photos?
2. Then what seems to be an interesting hack and workaround: Make an iMovie slide show of your best photos, and then upload it to YouTube and see what YouTube (Google) thinks is best, and cross-reference it with your own gut feeling.
3. Idea: How could we use Google’s Vision API to perhaps create some sort of photo selection and editing tool which can help us quickly go through all our photos and identify our best images?

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My street and photo and personal life integration:

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A thought and reflection on photography and art:

There are no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ ways to approach photography or art.

Then perhaps our greatest contribution to others can be:

Just share how *YOU* do it, and let others ‘take it or leave it’!

In other words, anti-artistic tyranny. Every one can do photography and art however *they* desire to do so.

All teaching is just suggestions and guidance!

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When I look at my photos (often when I photograph the same scene in both monochrome *AND* color, the monochrome photos seem so much more artistic. Why is this the case?

Theory:

Color looks like ‘real life’ and we disdain ‘real life’. Perhaps we prefer the *false* reality of monochrome?

Then perhaps this is what art is:

Art is contra-reality?

A quick guide and primer on doing a floor bench press (not using standard bench press).

Why do it on the floor instead of using a bench? Some thoughts:

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No right or wrong way to do things. The goal: create a new bespoke mould for yourself!

Or why I prefer heavy dumbbell press over benchpress:

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I only ever feel like I ever got a good “workout” if I push myself to my one rep max, and either fail (while almost succeeding) or from suceeding.

Morale:

To skate and dance around and push yourself towards the proximity of your limits is pure bliss!

More interesting to come up with interesting questions than need to come up with the answers (and all the answers are subjective anyways!)

As someone who has been sponsored in the past, got free stuff, got paid, got special gigs and treatment etc I’d say brand sponsorships and endorsements (while they sound sexy) is mostly a trap. Why?

Well first of all, you lose your true opinion. For example as I was getting free cameras from Fujifilm I learned:

I would actually never spend my own and real money on a Fujifilm camera (and even before I got sponsored, I never purchased one with my own money).

Same when I got free phones from Samsung. Truth be told, I’d never actually buy a Samsung smartphone for myself in cash.

So as a consequence, it is great having free stuff but the downside is that I don’t use the stuff I really want to be using, and also I don’t know what my true preferences are. I’m not saying 100% undiluted what I *really* think and believe, in the low-key fear I might stop receiving free stuff in the future. So in this way, you become trapped.

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My goal and my personal pursuit:

Discovering how we can maximize human potential … using my self and my life as a guinea pig!

Thought 1:

Variety of social spaces throughout the day. Not just staying home all day.

We get joy from looking at the photos of others (National Geographic, the old masters of photography, photo books, etc). But a thought:

Isn’t it better that we get more inspiration from looking at our own (old) photos than the photos of others?

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First snow in Providence Rhode Island today.

A lot of East Coasters and Middle-Coasters often think California is the best. In my opinion, I think California is sooooo overrated.

Life with snow is more fun, interesting and dynamic!

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Simple ideas:

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Generation Iron 4 (Natty 4 Life) is a great film. Highly recommend it. Some quick thoughts:

1. What does it mean to be ‘health-conscious’? Why be health-conscious?
2. What role does ‘epigenetics’ play in bodybuilding?
3. Why does everyone want to get more attention, and get more influence?
4. Thoughts on longevity vs consistency in body building.
5. Does it matter how ‘hard’ you work, and why?
6. What makes a ‘beautiful’ vs ‘ugly’ physique?
7. ‘Steal Syndrome’: Steroids steal energy away from other organs to increase muscle tissue
8. Steroids feels like euphoria; but *why* feel euphoria?
9. Why do men lift weights?
10. On looking beautiful (all the time) vs looking beautiful ‘for a split second’ (Mike O Hearn?)
11. Why destroy your hormones just to look good?
12. Excellence, dedication, spirit, loyalty, integrity (motto of Natural Body Building)
13. Focusing on what you can control vs what you cannot control.
14. Body building as self development and self mastery
15. What is the ‘art form’ of body building?
16. What makes for beautiful proportions in the human body?
17. Body building vs Body ‘destroying’
18. Why grow?
19. Why do we desire to look like freaks?
20. What is our natural (physiological) potential?

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The problem in today’s world:

Too many sheep, not enough personalities and true leaders.

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Just watched Generation Iron 4 (Natty 4 Life) and really enjoyed it. The thought which came to me:

In body building, the ‘natural’ body building scene is more ‘legitimate’ or more ‘wholesome’, whereas 1000x less popular than the ‘freak show’ of traditional body building (with steroids).

Then this makes me think and wonder:

Why strive towards mainstream success? Perhaps mainstream success is positively bad; low-key success (in your small field, according to your own ethics and beliefs) is superior.

Even more deep:

*WHY* compete in the first place?

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Snow as insanely beautiful:

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The goal:

To never stop advancing in photography.

How to do this? Some thoughts:

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Why be consistent? And how to become more consistent? My thoughts:

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When it comes to lifting and powerlifting, I say this is the hierarchy:

1. Deadlifts
2. Squats
3. Everything else…

Typically speaking, I encourage you to first strengthen your legs (strong legs as the more masculine thing) and to make your leg strength your priority. Typically if you get a 4 plate deadlift (405 pounds+) or a 3 plate squat (315 pounds) your upper body will also naturally become very strong and buff (you must shoulder that weight, or lift it).

Anyways, here are some of my thoughts on squatting:

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