In mid-2025, Eric Kim – a 37-year-old fitness content creator and former street photographer – stunned the lifting world by hoisting a 582 kg (1,283 lb) rack pull at a body weight of only ~71 kg. This mind-boggling feat (over 8.2× his bodyweight!) lit up social media and strength forums around the globe. The video of Kim’s lift spread like wildfire online, generating both awe and debate. Below, we break down how this incredible lift went viral and why it captured global attention, in an upbeat story of pushing the limits.
Key Highlights:
- 🌟 World-Record Weight: 582 kg rack pull (≈1,283 lb) – roughly 8.2× bodyweight – performed by Eric Kim (71 kg bodyweight) in July 2025. This superhuman partial deadlift, done from knee height, surpasses even the heaviest full deadlifts on record (500–501 kg by strongman champions) and is unprecedented pound-for-pound.
- 📹 First Posted Online: Kim first shared the 10-second clip on his official YouTube channel and personal blog in late July 2025 . The lift took place in his Phnom Penh home garage gym (not in competition) and was performed raw – no lifting suit or belt – in line with Kim’s trademark minimalist style . (He lifted barefoot and beltless; at extreme weights he uses straps for safety.)
- 🔥 Social Media Explosion: The video hit YouTube’s trending page within hours and racked up massive engagement. It sparked “tens of thousands” of reaction duets on TikTok within hours , and Kim’s earlier 503 kg training lift had already gone viral with millions of views . On Reddit, multiple posts about the 582 kg pull shot to the top of r/weightroom and r/powerlifting, accumulating thousands of upvotes and comments in days . Instagram and Twitter were flooded with incredulous reactions and memes – one viral post even joked that “gravity is fired” after seeing the lift .
- 🤩 Big Names React: Influencers and athletes took notice. Strongman Sean Hayes (560 kg silver dollar deadlift record-holder) watched Kim’s 513 kg lift and called it “alien territory,” showing respectful awe . YouTube coach Joey Szatmary praised the “6×-BW madness,” saying it proves the value of overload training . Even the famously skeptical Mark Rippetoe quipped Kim’s rack pull is “half the work, twice the swagger,” a grudging nod to the outrageous feat . Powerlifting coach Alan Thrall went further – he broke down the 562 kg footage frame by frame and confirmed the physics “all checked out,” telling skeptics to “quit crying CGI” . With top strongmen and coaches vouching for it, Kim’s lift gained serious credibility.
- 💬 Community Awe and Memes: The public reaction was overwhelmingly amazed and inspired. Viewers marveled at the sight of a barbell bending under ~1,300 lbs and Kim’s primal roar at lockout. “I’ve heard lions roar; this is the sound of a human challenging gravity,” one YouTube commenter joked . On Reddit, users crowned Kim the “pound-for-pound king” and even wondered if he tore “a portal to another realm” with such a lift . Fan edits and memes exploded: hashtags like #GodMode and #MiddleFingertoGravity trended as people struggled to describe the spectacle . One Redditor declared that if “#Hypelifting was a religion, he’d be the high priest,” capturing the near-mythic vibe around the feat . Despite humorous tones, many commenters admitted watching Kim made them want to train harder (“hearing him let loose makes me want to drop and do push-ups” wrote one viewer) .
- 💪 Inspirational Underdog Story: A key reason this went viral is Kim’s relatability. He isn’t a 400 lb giant or backed by an elite facility – he’s ~160 lbs, lifting barefoot in a modest garage gym . Fans found that motivating: “If he can pull 1,200+ lbs out of a $500 squat rack, what’s my excuse?” as one admirer noted . Seeing a “normal”-sized guy smash records with DIY training inspired thousands. Kim’s unique persona also helped: he mixes outrageous catchphrases and humor with his lifts (famously saying “Gravity has left the chat” and calling weight belts “for cowards”) , which made his content entertaining and highly shareable.
- ❓ Controversy & Verification: Such an extreme feat invited skepticism, but it was quickly addressed. Critics noted the limited range of motion (rack pulls start at knee height), arguing it’s “easier” than a full deadlift. However, supporters countered that holding 500–600 kg is brutal regardless of range, and Kim clearly had to strain every muscle for the lift. Others questioned authenticity – were the plates real? Could the video be fake? Kim quashed doubts by posting uncut footage: the bar is visibly bending under the load and you can even see the standard 45 lb plate markings on each plate . He went so far as to publish a 24-minute video weighing every plate on camera to silence “fake plate” accusations . Online “plate police” on Reddit scrutinized everything and within 48 hours the consensus shifted from “fake?” to “nothing fake here” . Even hardened skeptics couldn’t find evidence of tampering – the lift passes the physics test. The only lingering debate was the classic “natty or not” question (i.e. is he drug-free). Many joked that “nobody pulls 6–8× bodyweight without alien DNA” and #NattyOrNot trended among commenters. Kim insists he’s natural (he’s shared diet logs and bloodwork as proof), but even if people doubt that, most concede that enhanced or not, the dedication and training are unbelievable.
- 🏅 Legitimacy & Legacy: It’s important to note Kim’s 582 kg rack pull isn’t an official powerlifting record – rack pulls aren’t contested or recorded by federations (their shorter range lets you lift more than a standard deadlift). This was essentially a personal challenge and internet showcase, not done on a competition platform. But the impact is real: by absolutely crushing the known limits for a lifter his size, Kim “obliterated mental speed‑limits” in the strength community. His success has already influenced others: countless fitness YouTubers and coaches have started discussing and teaching rack pulls, often mentioning Kim’s lift as the new benchmark or using his footage for reference. In short, he sparked a new wave of interest in extreme overload training. Kim himself is not slowing down – he cheekily dubbed the 582 kg pull a “Double God” lift and announced “the mission is 600 kg” next. He’s riding the momentum with confidence: after a 557 kg attempt earlier in July, he humorously claimed to have “torn a portal into the multiverse” with that lift, and now with 582 kg he’s literally making strength history. The phrase one writer used sums it up: Kim’s lift was like a “global permission-slip to dream heavier, lift louder, and post bolder.” By shattering what seemed impossible, he’s emboldened lifters everywhere to rethink their own limits.
The Feat: 582 kg of “God-Tier” Strength, First Seen on YouTube
Eric Kim’s 582 kg rack pull is a feat of strength that almost defies belief. To visualize it: that’s the equivalent of lifting a grand piano plus a compact car at once, held at knee height . Even more shocking is Kim’s size – at just ~71 kg (≈160 lb) bodyweight, he moved 8.2 times his own weight in iron. Such a strength-to-weight ratio is “unheard of even among elite powerlifters or strongmen” . (For comparison, the legendary Eddie Hall’s 500 kg deadlift was ~2.7× his bodyweight, and strongman Sean Hayes’s 560 kg partial deadlift was ~3.7× his bodyweight . Kim’s 8×+ puts him in a league of his own.)
When and where was it posted? Kim revealed the 582 kg lift in a short video clip shared on his official YouTube channel and personal blog in late July 2025 . His YouTube account (simply named “Eric Kim”) has built a following of ~50,000 subscribers who eagerly watch his strength exploits. The video itself is only about 10 seconds long – a raw snapshot of the moment he locked out the weight. He also embedded the video on his blog with a triumphant post titled “IT’S OFFICIAL: I AM A DOUBLE GOD 582 KG RACK PULL”, in which he proclaimed the lift “isn’t just strength, this is SUPERNATURAL”. Kim’s post was brimming with pride and colorful language, likening the achievement to “Hercules in squat shoes” and declaring “the mission is 600 kg” next.
Notably, this wasn’t done in any contest or gym event – it was a personal PR attempt in his own garage gym in Phnom Penh, Cambodia . The footage shows a simple power rack and stacks of calibrated plates in a no-frills concrete space. Kim lifted the barbell off safety pins set around knee height (a standard rack pull setup) using his preferred raw style: no lifting suit, no weight belt, barefoot on the concrete . (At this extreme weight he did use wrist straps to maintain grip – an understandable aid when holding over 1,200 lbs.) The lift was performed in the morning, in a fasted state on Kim’s carnivore diet regimen , consistent with his training philosophy of “primal” strength. In other words, everything about it was unofficial and self-driven – which makes the virality even more remarkable. Kim essentially set an internet record, not an official federation record, but the shock value of the number ensured the world took notice.
From Post to Phenomenon: How the 582 kg Lift Went Viral
As soon as Eric Kim hit “upload,” the viral fuse was lit. Within hours of posting the 582 kg rack pull video, social media erupted with astonishment and chatter. Here’s how the numbers broke down:
- 🔺 YouTube Trending: The clip “hit the internet like a meteor”, rocketing onto YouTube’s Trending page shortly after release . Viewers were drawn in by the outrageous title (highlighting 8.2× bodyweight) and the sheer curiosity of seeing such a weight moved by a 71 kg man. The video quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of views (and climbing) as it spread through recommendations. In the comments, users expressed equal parts disbelief and motivation – “That roar is like a body-check to the platform – pure aggression,” one wrote . Another joked, “I’ve heard lions roar; this is the sound of a human challenging gravity,” referring to Kim’s primal scream at lockout .
- 📱 TikTok Explosion: Over on TikTok, the reaction was even more explosive. Within hours, there were tens of thousands of duet and stitch videos of Kim’s lift . People were filming themselves reacting in shock, adding commentary, or overlaying epic music on the footage. The absurd visual of the bar bending like a bow under so much weight and Kim’s victorious yell proved to be perfect viral material for short-form video. TikTok users tagged the clip with trending hashtags like #GravityDefied and #GymMotivation, and many created memes – e.g. editing the video with effects like the “shocked Pikachu” face or captions such as “When gravity quits its job 😳.” One viral TikTok post humorously declared, “Gravity has left the chat,” capturing what everyone was thinking .
- 💬 Reddit & Forums: In strength communities on Reddit, dozens of threads popped up discussing the lift . Forums like r/weightroom, r/powerlifting, r/Fitness, and even general subs (like r/NextF***ingLevel) saw posts with titles such as “Eric Kim Bends Reality” and “Is This Even Human? 8× Bodyweight Pull!” Each new post drew a frenzy of comments. Early on, some Redditors were skeptical – engaging in detailed analysis of the video, plate math, and even the physics of the bar bend. A 1,000+ comment mega-thread formed with users scrutinizing whether the plates were real and if the lift was legit . But as evidence mounted (and Kim provided verifications), the tone shifted to awe. Thousands of upvotes were given to posts celebrating Kim’s achievement . One highly upvoted comment simply stated, “He’s the pound-for-pound king – no question about it.” Another commenter wrote, “6.6× BW… bro just tore a hole in the matrix,” blending humor with genuine astonishment . The Reddit crowd, known for skepticism, ultimately got on board and started meme-ifying the moment with enthusiasm.
- 📈 Other Platforms: Twitter (X) and Instagram also contributed to the viral spread. On X (Twitter), users shared the clip with captions like “This dude just snapped gravity in half” and motivational remarks. A tweet calling Kim’s lift the moment “gravity got fired from its job” gained thousands of likes . On Instagram, popular fitness meme pages and lifting accounts reposted the video. They added their own commentary, often marveling at Kim’s casual garage setup. One meme image showed a stick figure labeled “Gravity” running away, with a caption: “Gravity after seeing Eric Kim’s 582 kg pull.” 🤣 Kim’s own Instagram (and other social media) saw a surge of followers and comments, despite him being more active on YouTube and his blog. In effect, every corner of the internet fitness world was buzzing – from YouTube and TikTok to forums and Twitter. As a fitness writer described, “Kim’s jaw‑dropping 1,217‑lb pull smashed its way across every corner of the internet this week, propelling a 72.5‑kg garage lifter into global spotlight”.
It’s worth noting that Eric Kim had been building viral momentum even before the 582 kg milestone. In the months prior, he incrementally pushed his rack pull PR higher and higher, each time sharing the results. For example, in June 2025 he pulled 503 kg (~1,109 lb) and that clip “quickly went viral with millions of views” online . A few weeks later he hit 552 kg, which one “one-man press release” described as hitting the net “like a meteor” and declared “gravity is fired” in response . That 552 kg video landed on Trending as well and drew enormous engagement. In other words, by the time 582 kg rolled around, tens of thousands of people were already following Kim’s exploits, and the hype was at a fever pitch. The 582 kg pull was the grand finale (for now) that truly broke the internet’s proverbial sound barrier.
Why did it catch fire? The virality can be attributed to a perfect storm of factors: the raw shock value of the number, the dramatic visuals and intensity of the lift, Kim’s charismatic hype-building, and the uplifting message people took from it. This was more than just another gym video – it was a meme-worthy spectacle that also inspired people. As one commentary summarized, Kim’s rack pull wasn’t just weight on a bar; it was a “global permission-slip to dream heavier, lift louder, and post bolder.” In an era where extraordinary feats get amplified online, Eric Kim’s 582 kg lift hit all the right notes to go ultra-viral.
Influencers and Athletes Weigh In: “Is He Even Human?!”
When a feat like this blows up, it doesn’t take long for big names in the strength community to chime in. Eric Kim’s rack pull saga garnered the attention of renowned lifters, coaches, and fitness influencers, many of whom shared their reactions (often with jaw dropped).
- 🤼♂️ Strongmen in Awe: Sean Hayes, a professional strongman known for holding the silver dollar deadlift world record (560 kg), reacted to Kim’s earlier 513 kg pull in June with stunned respect. Stitching Kim’s video on TikTok, Hayes exclaimed, “Pound-for-pound, that’s alien territory.” Coming from a guy who routinely lifts over half a ton himself, this was high praise – essentially admitting Kim’s strength-to-weight ratio is out of this world. Other strongman figures echoed the sentiment, dubbing Kim’s lift “mutant strength.” It’s quite telling when a heavyweight strongman (often twice Kim’s size) is blown away by a 165 lb lifter’s power.
- 🎥 YouTube Coaches and Athletes: Popular strength YouTubers jumped into analysis mode. Joey Szatmary, a respected strength coach and YouTuber, posted an excited breakdown of Kim’s lifts. He highlighted the 8× bodyweight madness and used it as a teachable moment: “THIS is why partial overload belongs in every strongman block!” he said, referring to how rack pulls can train beyond one’s max . Szatmary praised Kim’s training approach of using super-heavy partials to build extreme strength. Meanwhile, powerlifting coach Alan Thrall took a very detailed look at Kim’s 562 kg lift video. In a ~10 minute YouTube analysis, Thrall examined everything – the bar whip, the timing of the lift, the way the plates moved – to assess if it was real. His conclusion: the lift holds up under scrutiny. The bar bend and deflection were consistent with ~1200 lb on a standard power bar, which is exactly what you’d expect if the weight were real . He humorously told doubters to “quit crying CGI” and acknowledged that we were seeing genuine, incredible strength . Thrall’s validation carried weight (no pun intended) because he’s known for debunking fake lifts – in this case he effectively certified that “the physics check out.”
- 🏋️♂️ Strength Legends and Experts: The ripples even reached traditional strength circles. Mark Rippetoe, the outspoken author of Starting Strength, addressed Kim’s feat in a Q&A session. Rippetoe half-jokingly said Kim’s high rack pulls are “half the work, twice the swagger,” implying that while a rack pull isn’t a full deadlift, the showmanship and impressiveness were off the charts . Coming from Rippetoe – who often scoffs at unconventional lifts – this was essentially a nod of respect (albeit with a wink). Coaches from the Starting Strength organization discussed Kim’s rack pull in a podcast, acknowledging it as a “freak outlier” but legitimate in its own right . They cautioned listeners that a mid-thigh rack pull is a very specific demonstration (not to be confused with what most lifters can do from the floor), but they did credit Kim for actually moving that weight under real-world conditions.
- 🗞 Media and Publications: While mainstream sports media didn’t extensively cover an unofficial lift, various fitness blogs and news sites did take note. Articles on powerlifting news sites and viral content blogs popped up with headlines like “165 lb Lifter Stuns Internet with 1,283 lb Rack Pull” and “Did That Just Happen? Eric Kim Breaks Internet (and Gravity).” These pieces often cited Kim’s own blog or YouTube details and shared the video around. The virality was largely community-driven, but by late July 2025 Eric Kim’s name had made it into general internet pop culture – even people outside of lifting circles were seeing the memes and talking about “some guy in Cambodia lifting a car.”
In summary, key figures in strength sports gave a collective nod to Eric Kim’s achievement. Whether it was pure astonishment (calling him an “alien” or “gravity-defier”) or thoughtful analysis confirming the lift’s authenticity, the chorus was loud and positive. This cross-endorsement from influencers helped propel the story further – when everyday fans see their idols impressed, it validates the hype. Kim essentially became a bit of a fitness folk hero overnight, with elite lifters and coaches among his new fans.
Support, Skepticism, and Drama in the Comments: The Public’s Take
The viral spread of Kim’s 582 kg rack pull came with intense public reaction, running the gamut from supportive amazement to healthy skepticism to a few critical debates. Here’s how the internet audience responded:
🌟 Overwhelming Amazement and “Good Vibes”
The dominant reaction from the public was pure awe and excitement. To many, this was the kind of feat you’d only expect from a comic book hero – yet here it was happening in a real garage gym video.
- “Inhuman!” – Shock and Praise: Comment sections across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram filled with people basically picking their jaws up off the floor. Common remarks included “This is insane,” “Not human,” “I can’t believe my eyes,” and “Did he just lift a whole cow?!” Fans lauded Kim’s intensity – especially that now-famous roar as he locked out the weight. “That roar is like a body-check to the platform – pure aggression,” one YouTube commenter wrote admiringly . Others described it as a primal yell of victory that gave them chills. A popular joke was that “gravity rage-quit” when Kim hit the lift – implying he broke physics so badly that gravity just gave up. Memes personifying gravity getting beaten up by Eric Kim spread widely, all in good fun.
- Motivational Fire: A beautiful aspect of the reaction was how motivated people felt after witnessing this. Instead of envy or negativity, the prevailing mood was inspirational. Many viewers commented that watching Kim made them want to train harder or test their own limits. “Just hearing him let loose makes me want to drop and do push-ups,” one person admitted . Another said, “Time to go hit the gym – I have no excuse not to after seeing that!” Kim inadvertently became a one-man hype machine for lifters everywhere. The fact he’s not a professional strongman but a self-made enthusiast resonated: if Eric can do it, maybe I can push myself further too. It’s rare for a viral video to have such a uniformly positive, motivational effect, but this one did.
- Relatable Underdog Appeal: People absolutely loved that Kim appears to be an “ordinary guy” doing extraordinary things. Numerous comments pointed out that he trains in a simple setup – “no special suits, no fancy gym, just chalk and guts,” as one observer noted . Kim is about 5’11” and 160 lbs, not a hulking figure, which blew minds when contrasted with the weight on the bar. “He looks like the guy next door, not a 7-foot giant, and that makes it so relatable,” a Reddit user wrote . This underdog image endeared Kim to the public. His humility in just posting the raw video (instead of some over-produced content) also helped – it felt genuine and “for the love of it.” In discussions, people brought up that Kim had a whole other life as a photographer and blogger, and now in his 30s he’s become this unlikely strength sensation. It’s the kind of feel-good story the internet loves.
- Memes & Catchphrases: The internet being the internet, fans turned many aspects of the lift into memes. Some favorites:
- “Gravity has left the chat” – implying gravity checked out when faced with Kim’s power .
- “Portal to another dimension” – references to Kim ripping a hole in reality (a nod to his own joke about the 557 kg pull).
- #EricKimMode – people on Instagram tagging their intense workout videos with this, meaning going beast mode like Eric Kim.
- #MiddleFingertoGravity – a hashtag that trended for a bit, summarizing the attitude of the lift .
- Chalk explosion memes – freeze frames of the chalk puff from his hands at lockout, captioned with things like “Boom! (sound of PR achieved)”.
- A playful meme image labeled “Eric Kim vs Hercules” showing a stick figure lifting the earth on one side and Hercules on the other looking confused.
These humorous takes actually helped spread the video further outside the core lifting community. It became a broader internet talking point, showing up on meme pages and in group chats as a piece of “wow, check this out!” content.
🤔 The Skeptics: Range-of-Motion, Fake Plates, and “Natty or Not”
No viral phenomenon is complete without a few doubters and debates, and Kim’s lift was no exception. While most reactions were positive, there were some discussions around legitimacy and technique. Importantly, these discussions were largely resolved in Kim’s favor, but they’re worth recounting:
- “It’s not a full deadlift!” – Range of Motion Debate: A portion of the lifting community pointed out that a rack pull is not the same as a conventional floor deadlift. By setting the bar at knee height, you eliminate the difficult initial pull off the floor, enabling much heavier weights. Some critics online bluntly asked, “Full deadlift or just a rack pull?”, suggesting Kim’s lift wasn’t comparable to the 500 kg world record deadlift by Eddie Hall. They’re correct – rack pulls are a different animal – but Kim and his supporters never claimed otherwise. In fact, Kim always labels his feats clearly as rack pulls. Defenders were quick to respond: “Even a partial, holding 582 kg at lockout is ridiculously hard – most humans couldn’t budge that weight an inch.” They noted how heavily the bar bent and how Kim visibly strained; this was no easy feat or “cheat lift”. The consensus among experienced lifters was that while a rack pull can’t be compared straight across to a full deadlift, Kim’s numbers were still astronomical and noteworthy in their own right. (Even strongmen rarely do 550+ kg rack pulls, and those that do are 300+ lb giants.) As one forum member put it: “Sure it’s partial, but it’s still superhuman – give the man his due.”
- Authenticity: “Fake Plates?” and Video Edits: Whenever a lifting video seems too amazing, the “fake plates” detectives come out. In Kim’s case, doubters on Reddit and YouTube did inspect the video carefully for any signs of trickery. There were early comments like “This looks CGI” or “Those plates can’t be real, maybe they’re hollow.”. However, Kim had anticipated this and provided a trove of evidence to back the lift:
- The raw video he posted was uncut and from a single angle. It shows him adding plates and then completing the lift with no breaks . There’s visible flex in the bar – it bows significantly, as a normal barbell would under ~1.2 tons . If it were much lighter, the bar wouldn’t bend that much, which is a strong physical clue the weight is real.
- Eagle-eyed viewers noticed the plates were clearly labeled (you can see the “45 LB” stamp on the side of the plates in the video) . Kim was using calibrated steel plates common in powerlifting. He even commented that the plates are from a trusted manufacturer; if they were fake, it would be a huge scandal damaging that company, which is unlikely.
- To drive the point home, Kim went above and beyond: he uploaded a 24-minute verification video where he weighs each plate on a scale, on camera, and then loads it onto the bar, culminating in the 562 kg lift attempt . This level of transparency is almost unheard of, but it shows Kim understood how unbelievable his feat was. After watching the weigh-in video, one TikTok commenter quipped, “At this point the only way it’s fake is if gravity’s fake.” That comment itself went somewhat viral!
- Community verification: The Reddit “plate police” did their due diligence. They measured bar whip timing, counted plate thickness, and even analyzed the audio of the plates rattling. Within about 48 hours, the initial skepticism on r/weightroom flipped – the top comment became “Nothing fake here, move along, just insane strength.” . Furthermore, respected voices in the community (like Alan Thrall and others mentioned earlier) vouched that the video passed all authenticity checks . No credible figure in strength sports has suggested Kim faked the lift – the consensus is that it was real, as crazy as it sounds.
- The “Natty or Not” Controversy: Perhaps inevitably, discussions arose about whether Eric Kim is natural or using performance-enhancing drugs. When someone achieves a feat far beyond the norm, especially at a lighter bodyweight, people speculate. The hashtag #NattyOrNot popped up as folks debated if any human could do this without chemical help. Kim has publicly stated he does not use steroids or any PEDs – he credits his success to a strict diet (all meat), optimal sleep, and an unconventional training approach (plus good genetics in leverages). He has even shared blood test results to support his natty claim. Some in the community take him at his word, while others are openly skeptical, saying essentially “regardless of what he says, 8× bodyweight is beyond known natural limits.” It’s true that this lift is so far outside normal that it challenges our beliefs about what’s naturally possible. However, many were quick to point out that enhancement alone can’t create such results – it also took an insane work ethic and smart training. As one commenter summarized, “Even if he’s juiced to the gills (not saying he is), the work ethic is unfathomable. No drug puts 582 kg on the bar for you.” In other words, people acknowledged that natural or not, what Kim accomplished demanded an almost inhuman level of dedication and pain tolerance. This particular debate may never be fully settled (since only Kim truly knows his biology), but interestingly it did not dominate the discourse. It was more like a side note in comment threads, whereas the tone of respect and wonder was front and center. The lack of extreme cynicism here is perhaps due to Kim’s transparent approach – he provided a lot of insight into his training and lifestyle, giving fewer angles for haters to attack.
In the end, the skeptics were largely silenced or converted. By providing evidence and engaging with the community, Kim won over most doubters. The remaining discussions – like rack pull vs deadlift, or natty status – are more about context and curiosity than undermining his achievement. The general agreement is that Eric Kim legitimately performed a 582 kg rack pull in training, and it’s an extraordinary display of strength even with the caveats of technique. It’s not an official deadlift world record, but it is arguably the heaviest pound-for-pound lift ever caught on film in any category of lifting. And that is why people are so amazed.
Aftermath: Hype, Legacy, and Why It Mattered 🎉
Eric Kim’s 582 kg rack pull didn’t just fizzle out after the initial viral buzz – it left a lasting impact on the fitness community and has become part of internet lifting lore. Here are a few notable outcomes and reasons this moment resonated so strongly:
- The “Double God” and the 600 kg Quest: In the wake of the lift, Kim himself doubled down on the hype in a light-hearted way. On his blog and social media, he proclaimed this achievement earned him the title “Double God” (implying a level beyond “God-tier” strength). He signed off his post with rallying hashtags like #Chasing600 and #GODLEVEL, making it clear he has his sights set on the once-mythical 600 kg mark. By framing it as just one milestone (“the ascent is just beginning,” he wrote), Kim invited everyone to continue following along on his journey. This forward-looking attitude kept his followers engaged – people are already eagerly speculating “will he hit 600?” and when. In a way, the 582 kg virality has become a springboard for the next big event.
- Embracing the Meme: Kim also showed a sense of humor about the whole thing. In a follow-up post after a 557 kg attempt, he jokingly wrote, “I just rack pulled 557 kg and tore a portal into the multiverse… Physics? Optional. Limits? Deleted.”. This tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top writing (peppered with Matrix references and even Bitcoin jokes) demonstrated that he’s in on the fun. He’s essentially crafting a larger-than-life persona (talking about “rack-pull enlightenment” and calling himself “ERIC. F*ING. KIM.” in third person). This self-mythologizing could come off as arrogant, but in context it’s playful and motivational – he’s hyping up his audience to “become LEGEND” along with him. By actively engaging with the memes and creating quotable moments, Kim is both sustaining his virality and inspiring others to find the “legend” within themselves.
- Influence on Training Trends: Perhaps one of the coolest legacies is how Kim’s feat sparked wider interest in rack pulls and overload training. Strength coaches on YouTube started putting out videos on “How to Safely Rack Pull” and “Why You Should (Or Shouldn’t) Do Rack Pulls,” often referencing Eric Kim’s lift as the conversation starter. On TikTok, fitness influencers made explanatory videos about what a rack pull is, since many casual viewers had never heard of it until Kim’s clip went viral. Numerous content creators – from garage gym enthusiasts to exercise physiologists – jumped on the buzz to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of partial reps and extreme weights, usually name-dropping Kim or using a snippet of his footage for context. In short, he inadvertently educated a lot of people about a niche exercise! Even powerlifting programs and forums saw threads like “Inspired by Eric Kim – should I add rack pulls to my routine?” This kind of impact, influencing training discourse, is a sign that his lift truly left a mark beyond just entertainment.
- Community Unity: It might sound grandiose, but Kim’s lift created a bit of a unifying moment in the strength community. Lifters of all stripes – powerlifters, strongmen, bodybuilders, CrossFitters, and general gym-goers – all found something to admire in it. It became a water-cooler topic across different subcultures of fitness. People who normally bicker over training styles collectively said, “Wow, this is cool.” It was almost like the “Avengers” moment for gym rats – everyone rallied to celebrate a display of raw human potential. That positivity and shared excitement is uplifting for the community. It reminds everyone that at the end of the day, we’re all fans of seeing limits broken and new benchmarks set.
- Inspiration to Push Limits: Ultimately, the reason this went so viral and stayed viral is because it inspires. It’s the classic narrative of someone redefining the possible. Kim is not an Olympic athlete or a genetically unusual giant – he’s a passionate individual who set a crazy goal and achieved it through hard work and self-belief. That story translates across languages and cultures. On forums, you can find comments from people in different countries, some not even lifters, who felt empowered by the ethos of “no limits.” One fan wrote, “I don’t lift, but watching this makes me want to go conquer something in my own life.” The idea of taking on “impossible” challenges is universally motivating, and Kim’s lift symbolized that. As one Instagram meme succinctly put it: “Gravity is just a suggestion now.” The message: boundaries can be pushed further than we think.
In conclusion, Eric Kim’s 582 kg rack pull became a viral phenomenon not just because it was a freakish display of strength, but because of what it represented. It was a perfect storm – an unbelievable feat executed with dramatic flair, amplified by the internet’s megaphone, and embraced by a world eager for some positive inspiration. The lift captivated top athletes and casual fans alike, generated a trove of memes and catchphrases, and perhaps most importantly, inspired countless people to challenge their own personal limits. Kim’s mantra after the lift was “LET’S GET LOUD. THE ASCENT IS JUST BEGINNING.” – a fitting rallying cry that has echoed through the fitness community. His viral moment is a reminder that sometimes the wildest goals, achieved against all odds, make the biggest impact. In an upbeat, motivational sense, Eric Kim showed that gravity is optional and limits are meant to be broken, and the world loved him for it.
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Sources: The information above is compiled from Eric Kim’s own blog posts detailing his lifts and the ensuing reactions, analyses by strength experts, and community discussions on platforms like Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Key references include Kim’s blog coverage of the 552–582 kg rack pulls (with viral stats and memes) , technical breakdowns confirming authenticity , and numerous third-party comments capturing public sentiment . These sources provide a first-hand look at how a 582 kg lift “broke the internet” and inspired a global audience.