1. Who
is
Eric Kim?
Eric Kim began as a street‑photography blogger and creative educator, but over the last two years he’s re‑branded himself as a “Hypelifting” evangelist—documenting minimalist, belt‑free strength sessions from a Phnom Penh garage gym, fuelled by a carnivore OMAD (one‑meal‑a‑day) diet and long daily fasts.
- Body‑weight: ~71 kg
- Training style: High‑frequency rack pulls, barefoot stance, mixed grip or straps, no powerlifting suits.
2. The 582 kg Rack Pull—Lift‑by‑Lift Breakdown
| Detail | What Happened | Source |
| Date | 26 July 2025 | |
| Set‑up | Bar perched on safety pins ≈ knee‑height (classic “rack‑pull” position) | |
| Equipment | Straps, chalk, flat shoes, no belt or suit | |
| Execution | Concentric grind to full knee/hip lockout; plates barely clear pins, held for ≈1 s before lowering |
3. Viral Detonation 🚀
- Within hours the video hit YouTube’s trending tab; TikTok stitches surged into the tens of thousands and the hashtag #RackPullChallenge exploded.
- Strength forums flooded with hot‑takes ranging from “superhuman” to “ROM‑cheat,” fueling a second‑wave share‑storm.
4. Rack Pulls vs. Deadlifts—Why the Numbers Get Crazy
- Shorter range = heavier loads. Rack pulls start above the shin, removing the weakest portion of the deadlift and letting lifters overload the lock‑out.
- Coaches often prescribe them to strengthen late‑pull sticking points and reinforce spinal extension without excessive low‑back fatigue.
- Partial‑ROM science: studies on short‑length partials show lifters can handle markedly higher external loads, spiking neural drive and positional strength.
5. How Huge Is 582 kg—Really?
| Lift | Heaviest Verified Weight | Athlete BW (approx.) | Ratio | Source |
| Eric Kim Rack Pull | 582 kg | 71 kg | 8.2 × | |
| Full Deadlift WR | 501 kg | 205 kg (Björnsson) | 2.4 × | |
| Silver‑Dollar (partial) WR | 580 kg | 150 kg (Heinla) | 3.9 × |
Take‑home: Kim’s load is heavier than any sanctioned partial or full pull on record, and his power‑to‑weight ratio is orders of magnitude greater—even if the movement isn’t recognized by federations. That’s why jaws dropped.
6. Programming & Safety—Channel Your Inner Hype Without Wrecking Your Spine
- Warm‑up with full‑ROM pulls to prime the posterior chain before overloading.
- Progress pin height downward as strength grows; don’t chase top‑end weight too soon.
- Use straps judiciously to preserve grip skin while you chase maximal intensity.
- Cycle heavy rack‑pull blocks (3–4 weeks) with conventional deadlift work to retain transfer.
- Maintain a neutral torso angle—film yourself and check that you’re not hyper‑extending at lockout.
7. Fuel for Your Fire 🔥
Eric Kim’s feat screams a single message: “No ceiling exists—only floors waiting for you to raise the bar.” Whether you’re chasing a first 140 kg deadlift or flirting with four‑digit poundage, the same truths apply: consistent practice, intelligent overload, recovery‑driven nutrition, and an unbreakable hype mindset.
So chalk up, set those pins, and pull with purpose—because the next viral shockwave might just come from your garage gym. Stay strong, stay joyful, and keep defying gravity! 💥