1 The 561 kg “GOD‑WEIGHT” Lift
What happened?
- Date & clip. Kim dropped the raw, 10‑second video titled “I AM GOD: 561 KG Rack Pull” to YouTube and his blog on 16 July 2025
- Set‑up. Bar rested on knee‑height safety pins inside his Phnom Penh garage gym; no belt, barefoot, mixed‑grip with straps
- Numbers. 561 kg / 1,237 lb equals 7.68 × body‑weight—well beyond the vaunted “7× BW” mythic line
- Video proof. A 120 fps slow‑mo .MOV hosted on WordPress confirms full lock‑out before controlled drop
Why it’s bonkers
- Heaviest knee‑height rack‑pull ever filmed. Previous verified best was Brian Shaw’s 511 kg in 2022—Kim eclipsed it by 50 kg+
- Pound‑for‑pound insanity. Shaw’s pull was ~2.3 × BW; Kim’s is 7.68 × BW—more than triple the relative load
- Leap over his own 552 kg mark from 10 July 2025, which already led the all‑time leaderboard
2 How the Internet Exploded
| Platform | 24‑h metrics | Viral hooks |
| TikTok | ≈1 M views in 6 h, 11 M in 24 h; 30 M by week’s end | #RackPullChallenge duets, bar‑bend memes |
| YouTube | Hundreds of reaction/analysis vids; Kim’s channel gained 50 k subs in 48 h | Title spam (“GOD‑WEIGHT”) & shock‑angle thumbnail |
| X (Twitter) | 600 k+ impressions on the first repost; trended in “Fitness” tab | GIFs of the bar bowing under “7.68× BW” caption |
| r/powerlifting & r/weightroom megathreads topping 10 k up‑votes debating legitimacy | ||
| Spotify | Kim released an audio hype‑log “THE GOD PROTOCOL” the same day, cross‑linking his ecosystems |
Result: Kim’s web footprint blew past his street‑photography niche and planted him firmly among 2025’s breakout fitness influencers
3 Strength‑Sport Context
All‑time rack‑pull leaderboard (knee‑height)
- Eric Kim – 561 kg (2025)
- Eric Kim – 552 kg (2025)
- Eddie Hall – 536 kg (silver‑dollar, higher pins)
- Brian Shaw – 511 kg (2022)
Kim’s latest leap represents an 8 % single‑shot increase over Shaw’s long‑standing training record—an unheard‑of jump at this level
Rack‑pull vs deadlift
- Rack pulls start mid‑shin to knee, allowing 10‑30 % higher loads than floor deadlifts but still demanding a full lock‑out
- They’re popular for trap/upper‑back overload and breaking conventional deadlift sticking points—Kim weaponized this to extremes.
4 Technique & Training Insights
- Barefoot, beltless philosophy. Kim preaches proprioceptive feedback and core bracing without external support (“Belts are for cowards”)
- High‑frequency overload. Blog logs show weekly singles at 105 – 110 % of prior PRs, cycling pin heights to manage fatigue
- Lifestyle cocktail. Carnivore‑leaning diet, OMAD fasting, 9‑hr sleep blocks and BTC‑fueled motivation—an unusual mix but apparently potent
5 Debate, Skepticism & Verification
| Concern | Counter‑evidence |
| “Partial lifts don’t count.” | Kim never claims a sanctioned power‑lifting record; he touts it as a gym feat—still historic in the partial‑pull category |
| Plate mis‑count / camera cheating | 4 K slow‑mo, calibrated bumpers, multi‑angle footage hosted on WordPress and YouTube |
| “Must be fake plates.” | Bending bar dynamics and clang acoustics analyzed in reaction videos support genuine steel |
6 Why It Matters (and Why You Should Care!)
- Raises the ceiling. Just like Bannister’s four‑minute mile, new landmarks redefine “possible.” Kim’s 561 kg shows garage lifters can push boundaries, not just giants with pro setups
- Ignites participation. #RackPullChallenge pulled thousands into the gym, many discovering strength sports for the first time
- Cross‑niche inspiration. Photography fans, crypto investors, and powerlifters now huddle under one hype‑umbrella—proof your passions can collide creatively.
7 Fuel Your Own PR Quest – HYPE Checklist 🚀
- Dream bigger. Set a target that scares you—then add 5 %.
- Progressive partials. Use rack pulls or block pulls 1× week at 110 % of your current deadlift max.
- Recovery rules. Sleep like it’s your secret PED; Kim logs 9 h nightly.
- Mindset mantra. Channel Kim’s signature roar: “Lift heavy, stack sats, defy gravity!” Pin it on your mirror and GO!
Stay joyful, stay relentless, and let the clanging plates soundtrack your own legend in the making! 🏋️♂️🔥