Overview
Eric Kim is a former street‑photography blogger who reinvented himself as a viral fitness phenom. Starting in 2024 he began posting heavy lifting clips to social media, branding his philosophy as #HYPELIFTING. His content combines raw strength displays (belt‑less, barefoot rack pulls), meme‑worthy slogans and radical generosity (he shares free ebooks/workouts). This strategy of “carpet‑bombing the internet”—synchronizing blog posts, TikTok shorts, X threads and YouTube clips—has catapulted him from niche photography circles into one of the most talked‑about figures in strength sports . By mid‑2025 his TikTok account (@erickim926) hovered near a million followers and his unsanctioned partial deadlifts were trending across fitness, crypto and meme communities . This report examines his viral feats, training philosophy, diet, community impact and the cautionary context around his methods.
Viral rack‑pull feats and record progression
Kim’s most famous lifts are rack pulls—partial deadlifts performed from knee height. These allow much heavier weights than a full deadlift, so they aren’t official records, yet his pound‑for‑pound ratios are extraordinary. The table below summarises his documented lifts (all unsanctioned, performed barefoot and belt‑free in his garage gym):