ERIC KIM BLOG

video https://videopress.com/v/yEPVfh2J

IF YOU WANT TO BE A GOD, RACK PULL. IF YOU WANT TO BE A LEMMING LOSER, DEADLIFT OFF THE FLOOR.

1206 pounds, 547kg:

Quick take 🎉

Eric Kim’s “anti‑lemming” philosophy is a high‑octane call to stop marching with the crowd, question every default rule, and build a life— and one‑rep‑maxes— that expresses radical, joyful autonomy. He uses the lemming myth (rodents supposedly following each other off cliffs) as a metaphor for modern group‑think, then flips it on its head with contrarian habits in art, entrepreneurship, fitness, and daily decision‑making. The result is a mash‑up of stoic subtraction (“via negativa”), Nietzschean self‑overcoming, and Silicon‑Valley‑style disruption, delivered in his trademark hype‑blog voice.

1. Where the idea comes from

1.1  The lemming myth

Lemmings became an emblem of blind herd behavior after the (staged) 1958 Disney documentary White Wilderness, so “lemming” entered the language as shorthand for people who follow crowds to self‑destruction.

1.2  Kim’s trigger moment

Kim began labeling mainstream advice “lemming” during his street‑photography blogging years, but the term crystallized in a 2024 post literally titled “Anti‑lemming mentality.”  He doubled down in a 2025 training log—“My super‑power is simply not being a lemming” —while celebrating a 1 005‑lb rack‑pull PR.

1.3  Signature rhetoric

Posts such as “Deadlifts are for lemmings—full‑ROM masochists marching off the spinal‑shear cliff” frame any popular dogma as a cliff‑edge stampede that free‑thinkers must sidestep.

2. Core principles (“No‑cliff commandments”)

#	Principle	Typical Kim line	Sources
1	Radical individualism – Own your opinion; never outsource thought.	“Put zero faith in anybody who watches any news… another lemming sheep mentality.”
2	Via negativa – Subtract the herd to reveal truth.	“Trust no weightlifter on Instagram. They’re lemmings!”
3	Contrarian action beats contrarian talk – Lift different, invest different, live different.	Damodaran calls contrarian value “the anti‑lemming strategy.”
4	Autotelic creation – Build in private; praise is optional.	He urges training in a garage gym “where there’s nobody to impress but yourself.”
5	Joy as rebellion – Smile while PR‑ing; happiness itself trolls the herd.	“Don’t hate me because I’m so happy!”
6	Learn from proven contrarians – Thiel, Taleb, Jobs.	“Peter Thiel: Don’t be a lemming.”

3. How Kim applies “anti‑lemming” in daily life

3.1  Fitness

• Above‑knee rack pulls over floor deadlifts. Mainstream powerlifters call it cheating; Kim calls it physics‑hacking. 
• Fast‑and‑light fuel. No protein powder, no supplements—contrary to bodybuilding orthodoxy. 

3.2  Entrepreneurship & money

• Bitcoin > index funds. He treats passive investing as a lemming migration and favors concentrated crypto bets. 
• Own your platform. Kim left Instagram (“McDonald’s for photographers”) for his self‑hosted, ad‑free blog, escaping algorithmic cliff‑dives. 

3.3  Creativity

• Deliberate stylistic shocks. In street photography he rejects “pretty” clichés, pushing harsh flash and bold gestures to jolt viewers out of complacent scrolling.

4. Putting it into practice: 7‑day “Anti‑lemming sprint”

1. Audit your inputs. Uninstall one algorithm‑fed app per day; replace it with intentional reading or walking thought‑sessions. 
2. Subtraction workout. Try Kim’s rack‑pull variation or any lift the average gym‑bro sneers at—prove to yourself that dogma is optional. 
3. Publish one unfiltered opinion. Skip metrics; post to a personal blog or plain‑text newsletter. 
4. Contrarian micro‑invest. Allocate a small bet to something the crowd hates (a down‑50 % stock, a niche alt‑asset). Study Damodaran’s cautions on position sizing. 
5. Walk for insight. Kim argues that real thinking happens on your feet; schedule a 10 000‑step “idea walk.” 
6. Joy sprint. Do one physically demanding, utterly fun act (cartwheels between sets, sunset swim) purely because seriousness is overrated. 
7. Reflect & iterate. Ask: “Where did I still follow the herd this week?”—then plan next week’s cliff‑dodges.

5. Why it matters

• Psychological resilience – By defaulting to first‑principles thinking you inoculate yourself against hype cycles and fear cycles alike. 
• Creative edge – Contrarianism generates novelty in saturated fields like photography and social media.
• Embodied confidence – Lifting your way, not the internet’s, hard‑wires self‑trust. 

6. Friendly cautions

Kim’s swagger can read as “rules don’t apply,” but ignoring all outside insight is itself a herd of one. Test ideas against evidence, keep what works, ditch what breaks you. In other words, be anti‑lemming—not anti‑learning.

Further reading & listening

• Eric Kim Blog – “Anti‑lemming mentality” (Mar 7 2024) 
• “1005 lb Rack Pull” post (Mar 13 2025) 
• Musings on Markets – “Contrarian Value Investing: The anti‑lemming strategy” by Prof. Aswath Damodaran (Jun 17 2012) 
• Wikipedia – “Lemming” for the origin of the metaphor 

Stay bold, stay joyful, and—whatever cliff the timeline is racing toward—swerve. 🏃‍♂️💥

yeah

547kg rack pull @ 72.5kg bodyweight, 1206 pound rack pull @ 160 lbs bodyweight, 180cm 5 foot 11 inches tall, 4% bodyfat. 7.55x bodyweight lift. 

facts

gods love the rack. Video https://videos.files.wordpress.com/dSZBlsqu/my-project-122.mp4

547kg rack pull @ 72.5kg bodyweight, 1206 pound rack pull @ 160 lbs bodyweight, 180cm 5 foot 11 inches tall, 4% bodyfat. 7.55x bodyweight lift.
***

OH YOU WANT MORE VIRAL?!

CRANK UP THE NUCLEAR REACTOR. WE’RE ABOUT TO GO ULTRA-OMEGA SUPERNOVA! 🚨🚨🚨

ERIC KIM PRESENTS:

“RACK PULLS FOR GODS: WHY FLOOR DEADLIFTS ARE FOR LEMMINGS (AND LOSERS)”

Lemmings. Sheep. Fitness zombies.

That’s who you see deadlifting off the floor, trapped in the echo chamber of mediocrity, hypnotized by gym “tradition.”

Meanwhile, the GIGACHADS, the internet-breaking TITANS, the future gods of Olympus?

Yeah, they’re doing rack pulls.

WHY?

Because rack pulls are PURE HYPE IN BARBELL FORM.

• You want TRAPS SO NUCLEAR people need lead aprons just to spot you?
• You want to rack up so much weight the steel plates are literally VIBRATING from the gravitational pull?
• You want to POST A LIFT and break the algorithm so hard Zuckerberg himself DMs you to say “Bro, what are you doing to my servers?”

Then you don’t do deadlifts from the floor like some normie.

You RACK PULL.

You rack pull so heavy you hear the internet shatter.

You rack pull so loud gym bros’ AirPods disconnect.

You rack pull so next-level, you invent a NEW SPECIES OF TRAPS.

The fitness industry?

They’re trembling.

PTs and self-proclaimed experts crying on TikTok—

“BuT tHaT’s NoT a ReAl LiFt!!!”

Yeah, neither is breathing rarefied air atop Mount Olympus—

but here you are.

You want to be remembered?

You want your name whispered in gym locker rooms for centuries?

You want DMs overflowing with “Bro what are you even made of???”

RACK. PULLS.

Every session. Every rep. No prisoners.

Deadlifts from the floor are for the crowd. Rack pulls are for the LEGENDS.

🏆 BECOME MYTHICAL.

🏆 GO RACK PULL VIRAL.

🏆 THE GOD BODY IS WAITING.

ERIC KIM OUT. DROP THE BAR. LET IT ECHO THROUGH HISTORY.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK LIKE A GOD, RACK PULL. IF YOU WANT TO BE A LEMMING LOSER, DEADLIFT OFF THE FLOOR

🚀 Let’s pump up the positivity—and the iron! 🚀

Eric Kim’s spicy sound‑bite makes for a fun meme, but real‑world strength training is a lot more nuanced (and inclusive!) than “rack‑pull gods vs. floor‑deadlift lemmings.” Here’s an upbeat, evidence‑backed breakdown so you can choose the right lift for your goals and stride into the gym feeling legendary.

⸻

1. What’s the actual difference?

Rack Pull Conventional Deadlift (from floor)

Start height Bar set on safety pins just above/below knee Plates on floor

Range of motion (ROM) ~½–⅔ of full ROM Full ROM (floor to lockout)

Primary stress Upper/mid back, traps, hip extensors Posterior chain head‑to‑toe: glutes, hams, erectors, core

Load potential Very heavy (10–30 % above DL 1RM) Heavy, but limited by weakest ROM segment

Recovery cost Lower fatigue (shorter ROM, less knee torque) Higher systemic fatigue

Technical demand Easier to learn; reduced mobility needs Requires hip hinge skill, mobility, bracing

⸻

2. Rack pulls: why, when, and for whom?

✨ Advantages

• Lockout strength & back thickness – Great for building traps, spinal‑erector meat, and confident lockouts.

• Grip and CNS overload – Teaches your nervous system to feel monster weights without frying it for days.

• Mobility workaround – If ankle/hip mobility or limb length makes floor pulls sketchy, rack pulls keep you training hard while you fix the issue.

⚠️ Watch‑outs

• Cheating the hinge: because ROM is short, lifters sometimes stand almost upright and “shrug” the weight; that’s not a true hip‑extension pull.

• Ego inflation: loading 700 lb in the rack feels epic—but don’t neglect full‑range work for balanced development.

⸻

3. Deadlifts from the floor: why they’ll never be “loser” territory

🦾 Complete posterior‑chain builder

Floor deadlifts challenge glutes, hamstrings, lats, abs, and even quads, training coordination across multiple joints.

🎯 Athletic carry‑over

The skill of generating force from a dead stop translates to sprint starts, jumps, and daily “pick‑things‑up” strength.

🔑 Movement literacy

Mastering full‑range hip hinge mechanics protects your lower back in real life and sets the foundation for cleans, snatches, kettlebell swings, and more.

⸻

4. Programming suggestions (feel free to remix!)

Goal Weekly Template

Max strength & thickness Day 1: Heavy floor deadlifts (3‑5 × 3‑5)   Day 2: Overload rack pulls (3‑4 × 3), 10–20 % heavier than DL 1RM

Hypertrophy / physique Day 1: Moderate floor pulls (4 × 6‑8)   Day 2: High‑rep rack pulls or snatch‑grip rack pulls (3 × 10‑12)

Low‑back rehab / limited ROM Replace floor DL with hip bridges/RDLs   Use light‑to‑moderate rack pulls to maintain hinge pattern while rebuilding capacity

Pro tip: Cycle emphasis every 4–6 weeks—focus on floor deadlifts during a strength block, then shift to rack‑pull overloads during a peaking or hypertrophy block. Variety keeps gains marching forward and joints happy.

⸻

5. Mindset matters more than the meme

• No exercise is inherently “alpha” or “beta.” Your commitment, form quality, and progression are the real status symbols.

• Train movements—not just muscles. If you can’t hinge safely from the floor yet, rack pulls are a smart stepping‑stone. If you can hinge well, floor deadlifts are a functional foundation.

• Progressive overload + recovery = godlike results. Whether the bar starts on the floor or the pins, adding reps, weight, or better technique over time is how you sculpt that superhero frame.

⸻

🎉 The Take‑Home Hype

1. Rack pulls = phenomenal tool for upper‑back density and lockout strength.

2. Floor deadlifts = timeless king for total posterior‑chain power and functional carry‑over.

3. Champions use both intelligently—not insults—to build the physique and performance they desire.

Crush your next session, dial in that form, and remember: the real “godlike” trait is consistency. You’ve got this—go pull something awesome! 💥

Eric Kim : if you want a godlike body, do rack pulls ; if you want to be a loser do deadlifts off the floor like a lemming 

💥 ERIC KIM TRUTH BOMB ALERT! 💥

“If you crave a physique forged by Olympus, rack pulls are your divine path! 🚀 Want strength, dominance, and unstoppable muscle density? Embrace the rack and ascend!

But if you’d rather stay ordinary, trapped in the mundane world of mere mortals—then sure, do your deadlifts from the floor like every other fitness lemming 🐹 running blindly off the cliff of conventional wisdom.

Real Gods innovate; followers replicate.

Choose wisely. 🔥😈💪”

Eric Kim : if you want a godlike body, do rack pulls ; if you want to be a loser do deadlifts off the floor like a lemming

Eric Kim is a street-photographer-turned-blogger who has recently gained fame in fitness circles for his extreme strength feats and unconventional lifestyle advice.  He preaches a “fasted, 100% carnivore, one-meal-a-day (OMAD)” regimen and frequently espouses raw, no-frills strength training (barefoot, beltless rack-pulls) with a counter‑culture flair .  These stances have clashed with mainstream fitness and nutrition norms, sparking backlash.  For example, Kim has boldly claimed that “society would actually thrive more if we just stuck to a 100% carnivore, all red meat diet” .  Experts immediately flag such claims as unproven and potentially dangerous – Harvard Health warns that all‑meat diets (a zero‑carb “carnivore diet”) tend to raise LDL cholesterol and increase risks of kidney stones, gout and osteoporosis .  Nutrition therapists also note that any diet omitting whole food groups can cause nutrient deficiencies and even promote disordered (“orthorexic”) eating habits .  In short, many fitness and health professionals view Kim’s extreme diet advice as a fad that ignores long-term health risks .

• Diet and Eating: Kim advocates skipping breakfast and lunch, then consuming ~2–3 kg of red meat in one meal, and no supplements or protein powder (as a self‑imposed discipline) .  He frames this as “radical minimalism” and improved focus , but critics point to science showing this regimen can backfire.  For instance, an American Heart Association study found that eating all food in an 8‑hour window (vs. 12–16h) doubled the risk of cardiovascular death – and Kim’s own window is far shorter (often ~2h).  Similarly, Harvard experts warn that such ultra‑low-carb, high-fat diets drive up “bad” cholesterol .  A critical review of carnivore-style diets notes long-term downsides like higher heart disease and diabetes risk, constipation, and nutrient gaps (vitamins, fiber, etc.) .  In sum, many in the fitness/nutrition community see Kim’s all-meat, OMAD approach as extreme and potentially unhealthy, rather than a balanced “biohacking” solution.
• Training Methods: Kim’s signature lifts are giant rack-pulls (partial deadlifts done from the knees or higher).  He has bragged of pulling 1,071 lbs (486 kg) beltless at 165 lbs bodyweight .  But coaches point out that rack-pulls remove much of the range of motion, making them easier than full deadlifts .  (Mark Rippetoe, a respected coach, warns that rack-pulls are a “shorter pull from an easier start position” allowing extra load that most lifters shouldn’t use as a substitute for regular deadlifts .)  Critics say Kim’s lifts are partly “ego-stroking” since they avoid the hardest part of the lift .  Safety is also a concern: lifting >1,000 lbs without a belt is viewed by some as reckless .  Finally, Kim repeatedly insists he is completely natural (no steroids/PEDs), but skeptics call for proof: “calls for bloodwork or drug-tested meets” to verify his claims .  Together, many gym veterans quietly dismiss his lifts as anomalous or in need of verification, rather than a new training gold standard .
• Provocative Persona: Beyond facts, Kim’s attitude and messaging have rankled people.  He styles himself an “anti-influencer” – deleting Instagram and refusing sponsors – and openly mocks mainstream health advice .  For example, he has derided critics as “fake ass woke people” for promoting plant foods .  He also popularized meme-like slogans (“#Hypelifting”, “Middle finger to gravity”) around his lifts.  Many traditional trainers or brand-backed athletes see this as gimmicky or confrontational.  Indeed, one analyst noted his blog post “Why Powerlifting Fasted for 1-RM Makes Sense” “sparked diet-culture flame-wars” online – a sign that his combative style drew sharp rebuttals.  In short, Kim’s blunt, anti-“diet culture” language and anti-establishment stance (no supplements, no social ads) sets him apart from the industry’s polished marketing.  Some in fitness dislike that stance: it feels like a rebel act against an industry built on selling programs, products, and sponsors.
• Memes and Hype:  Finally, Kim’s rise has a strong cult or meme element, which some professionals find annoying.  Fans have turned his lifts into internet challenges and hype‐trains, but critics view this as style over substance.  They question whether the “viral stunts” really translate to transferable fitness advice.  (Kim’s defenders argue that any publicity — even heated debate — only broadens understanding; indeed, one internal survey note quips “Controversy equals reach” .)  But to many in the fitness community, the polemical memes and chest-thumping rhetoric make it hard to take him as a serious authority.

In summary: Eric Kim’s extreme diet protocols and lifting claims run counter to conventional fitness and health guidance, inviting skepticism.  He openly rebels against the supplement/sponsor-driven fitness industry and uses provocative language (e.g. dismissing “woke” health advice) .  Mainstream coaches and nutritionists have thus questioned his methods – from calling his all-meat OMAD “fad” to noting the safety limits of his lifts .  This combination of unorthodox content and flashy delivery has fueled backlash: critics say his ideas lack strong evidence or nuance, and his style is more hype than helpful.  The fitness community’s concerns can be traced to these specific points of contention, as documented by experts and commentators .

Sources: Eric Kim’s own writings and viral posts were reviewed alongside independent health articles and strength-coaching commentary.  Expert nutrition sources (Harvard Health) and peer-reviewed nutrition summaries warn about high-meat and extreme fasting diets .  Strength-coach Mark Rippetoe’s analysis of rack pulls and Kim’s self-analysis of the controversies were used to contrast his methods with standard practice.  These sources collectively highlight why many fitness professionals dispute or dislike Kim’s claims.

Yo, internet! Eric Kim here—your friendly neighborhood gravity-slayer, bursting through the algorithmic stratosphere like a comet dipped in pre-workout and rocket fuel. 547 kilograms—7.3× my bodyweight—just rocketed off those safety pins, and the shockwave didn’t merely break the internet… it folded it into fourth-dimension origami, then dead-hung it from my bar for reps.

1. The Lift

Picture this: gym lights dim, Spotify glitches, and somewhere in the cosmos a black hole hiccups. I chalk up, grip the bar, and—BOOM—547 kg levitates like it owes me rent. No belt. No straps. No excuses. Only raw, unfiltered Kim-ionized power radiating at wattages that’d make CERN reconsider their budget.

2. The Aftershock

• First wave (single viral): IG reels detonated—phones cracked from vibration.
• Second wave (double viral): TikTok stitched, duetted, and wept; chiropractors issued evacuation orders.
• Third wave (triple viral): Reddit’s r/fitness server fans broke into spontaneous Gregorian chant.
• Fourth wave (quad viral): Even ChatGPT paused and whispered “bro….”

If virality had a Richter scale, we just dial-splintered the needle.

3. Myth-Slaying Collateral Damage

Old Dogma	My Hammer-Blow Reality
“Floor deadlift is king.”	Rack-pulls rule the astral plane—deal with it.
“You need straps.”	Hands of steel—not accessories—frame greatness.
“Heavy lifting wrecks your back.”	My spine just filed its own crypto wallet.

4. Why This Matters

• Biomechanics Rewritten: Posterior chain engagement in the upper-ROM zone triggers neural overdrive—think nitrous in Fast & Furious.
• Psychology Crushed: Witnessing a 7.3× BW lift flips “impossible” into yesterday’s click-bait.
• Cultural Reverb: Cambodia to California—kids are rack-pulling school desks mid-lecture. Sorry, teachers.

5. Your Mission

1. Unfollow fear.
2. Rack-pull something savage.
3. Tag me so we can shatter a few more paradigms together.

Remember: haters gonna hate, but Newton’s Third Law bows to a Kim-grade first rep. Strap in, world—quadruple viral madness is just my warm-up set.

See you on the next gravity murder scene. 🚀

First, infinite massages on tap. This means you get a better night sleep,… Maybe there needs to be more research done about getting really really amazing massages and sleeping well?

Second, unlimited sunshine. Certainly we get more energy from the sun and sunlight the more sun exposure you have, the happier year old be, the better your mood, no excuses.

Third, great gym and fitness culture. You have everything the best gym on the planet, (Monkifit), CrossFit Amatak, Pilates, yoga, etc. Also most places have hot sauce and lovely outdoor swimming pools,

Ohhhhhhh, you salty because I’m smiling while deadlifting your dreams and laughing at gravity?

Let me guess…

You’ve been grinding your teeth through another soulless leg day, scrolling my feed with envy while I’m out here doing cartwheels between rack pulls and writing poetry in-between PRs.

You don’t understand how someone can be this strong AND this joyful?

That’s your problem.

You trained your muscles,

but you never trained your MIND.

You’re trying to out-lift depression,

while I’m dancing with it barefoot in the power rack.

I’m not faking it.

I’m not flexing for followers.

I’m genuinely, stupidly, unreasonably happy —

Because I choose joy like I choose weight plates:

Heavy. Daily. On purpose.

You hate my happiness because it reminds you:

You gave up on yours. 😈

But here’s the twist…

I’m not here to mock you.

I’m here to invite you.

To the other side.

Where the sun shines through gym windows and the iron feels like love letters.

Where laughter is louder than grunts and every rep is an act of rebellion against bitterness.

So don’t hate me because I’m so happy.

Join me.

Or stay miserable.

Either way…

I’ll be over here, PR’ing with a smile.

Unbothered. Undefeated. Unstoppably joyful.

– ERIC KIM,

The Sultan of Smiles,

The Deadlift Buddha,

The Happiness Maxxer™

🧠💪😂 #SoHappyItHurtsThem #LiftLaughLove #JoyIsTheNewPR

Wanna go ultra-viral with a “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Happy” TROLLED-UP sequel? I got you 😎

Wow I feel super successful

The best space in cyberspace

Bitcoin is digital land

Why are Cambodian so happy, because there is not a culture of jealousy envy competition… And “striving “

Hyper masculine aesthetics 

Wow I feel super successful

The best space in cyberspace

Bitcoin is digital land

Why are Cambodian so happy, because there is not a culture of jealousy envy competition… And “striving “

Hyper masculine aesthetics 

good ideas

easy https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/erickim/episodes/Infinite-Money-Hack-e34uv81

do it

Phnom Penh Cambodia

easy

infinite money hack

ERIC KIM VOICE — THE WORLD’S FIRST WALKING, TALKING, BLOGGING MEME-PROOF NUKE

Funded entirely by the tears of angry fitness influencers.

⸻

“You only hate me because you are a coward.”

I’ll say it slower for the bros still counting calories on their fingers:

You. Hate. Me. Because. You’re. Weak.

You don’t lift weights. You lift excuses.

You don’t hit PRs. You hit snooze.

You don’t eat macros. You eat your feelings.

⸻

🤡 FITNESS BROS: THE ULTIMATE ROAST SESSION

• CrossFit Bros:

You pay $200/month to hurt your back while counting reps like a caffeinated dolphin.

Congrats on the 312th pull-up! You’ve unlocked shoulder surgery!

• Powerlifting Bros:

You bench twice your bodyweight but can’t scratch your own back.

“Functional fitness” = waddling from the squat rack to your emotional support donut.

• Bodybuilding Bros:

You measure rice in grams and happiness in scoops.

Bro, your personality is so flat it won 1st place in Men’s Physique.

• Calisthenics Bros:

Congrats, you can do a planche. Too bad your calves took permanent vacation.

Every day is upper body day. Legs are for people with unresolved childhood trauma.

• Keto Bros:

Tell me again how your “hunter-gatherer ancestors” microwaved cheese slices and bacon-wrapped avocados.

Cavemen didn’t drink bulletproof coffee—they were too busy dying at 26.

• Meal-Prep Bros:

Chicken, rice, broccoli, repeat. You meal prep like your fridge is doing a prison sentence.

Taste buds? Sorry, lost those during “bulk szn.”

• Vegan Bros:

You lecture cows for having bad macros. Your entire protein source grew in a pot with sad indie music playing.

That’s not a muscle-up, bro—that’s kale-fueled sadness.

⸻

🤬 WHY YOU ACTUALLY HATE ME: A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

1. My rack pull (547kg) made your entire gym journey look like a deleted blooper reel.

2. You bragged about “mind-muscle connection,” but I connected directly to the astral plane.

3. My warm-up is your lifetime PR.

4. You claim “genetics,” I claim chaos magic.

5. I blogged so hard, Grammarly put out a restraining order.

⸻

💥 ACTUAL FITNESS BRO COMMENTS + RESPONSES:

• @SumoLifterElite:

“This isn’t proper form.”

Me:

Neither was your birth, but we’re not complaining.

• @NattyOrNot6969:

“Clearly juiced. No human does that naturally.”

Me:

You got me—I inject pure hatred from your comments.

• @CardioKingdom:

“Why skip cardio, though?”

Me:

If I wanted to run endlessly without results, I’d start a podcast.

⸻

🎬 MY MORNING ROUTINE: WAR ALPHA EDITION

• Wake up

• Laugh at a fitness guru’s “Day in the Life” TikTok

• Consume 0g protein (coward macros)

• Pull weights heavier than your emotional baggage

• Blog like it’s a religion

• Nap while your entire worldview collapses

• Repeat

⸻

🥳 THE WAR ALPHA PROMISE:

• I’m not your inspiration. I’m your reckoning.

• I’m not the standard. I’m the glitch.

• I’m not your role model. I’m the meme you secretly worship.

⸻

🚀 COMING SOON (FUNDED BY YOUR GYM MEMBERSHIP REFUNDS):

• Netflix Special: “HOW TO MAKE FITNESS BROS CRY IN 3 EASY STEPS”

• WAR ALPHA PROTEIN: “Formulated with 100% authentic bro-tears”

• TikTok Trend: #RackPullYourFeelingsChallenge

⸻

So keep roasting me,

Keep raging,

Keep trying to cancel the uncancellable.

Meanwhile, I’m lifting weights heavier than your entire gym combined, writing blogs that trigger therapists, and turning your envy into triple-thermal nuclear viral fuel.

ERIC KIM

CEO of chaos, PR obliterator,

Official sponsor of your existential crisis.

⸻

🎯 LIKE. COMMENT. CRY.

Then maybe, just maybe, try to lift like you’re not afraid of gravity.

Until then—

You only hate me because you’re a coward.

☠️ WAR ALPHA MODE: ACTIVATED. ☠️

ERIC KIM VOICE — BROADCASTING STRAIGHT FROM THE CENTER OF THE SUN

💥 Sponsored by your insecurities. Powered by your hate. 💥

“You only hate me because you’re a coward.”

No seriously — it’s not even complicated.

You don’t hate me because I’m wrong.

You hate me because every time I breathe, you feel like your gym membership is a scam.

You hate me like a microwave hates tinfoil.

Like cardio bros hate science.

Like your quads hate leg day — every day.

💪 GYM APOCALYPSE: WAR ALPHA WORKOUT PLAN

1. Wake up
2. Look in mirror
3. Whimper
4. Watch my rack pull video
5. Cry in creatine
6. Repeat

You train with bands.

I train like I’m trying to resurrect Zeus.

🧠 INTELLECTUAL COMEDY WARHEADS

While you’re debating RPE9 vs RPE10 on Reddit,

I’m out here RPE INFINITY.

Your journal has sets and reps.

Mine just says:

“RULES: BREAK THEM. WEIGHT: ALL OF IT.”

I do philosophy like I do deadlifts:

Heavy. Fasted. Shirtless. In flip-flops.

📈 GOING VIRAL WHILE YOU’RE GOING HOME

You thought you were the main character…

Until I pulled 547kg and made your entire fitness arc a filler episode.

My blog posts don’t trend.

They detonate.

People don’t read them.

They ascend.

Your post got 4 likes and 1 bot comment.

Mine got picked up by NASA for “gravitational violation analysis.”

🧂 REASONS YOU HATE ME: A SCIENTIFIC LIST

1. I don’t deadlift from the floor — I dominate from the top.
2. I fast all day and lift like I ate Thor’s bones.
3. I smile mid-lift like I’m filming a toothpaste commercial for demons.
4. I blog truths so spicy, ChatGPT has to wear oven mitts to summarize them.
5. I made “fitness” funnier, weirder, louder, realer.

😤 THE COMMENTS SECTION MELTDOWN:

@BarbellPurist44:

“This isn’t real lifting. This is a meme.”

Me:

Bro. You’re wearing knee sleeves to unload the dishwasher.

🧨 FINAL FORM: FUNDED BY HATERS. POWERED BY RAGE.

You can’t cancel me.

I was born in the comments.

Forged in the DMs.

Blessed by the algorithm.

Feared by glute influencers.

And shadowbanned by 12 forums.

🧬 WAR ALPHA IS A STATE OF BEING

I am the PR that haunts your dreams.

I am the blog post you screenshot in secret.

I am the voice in your head when you skip leg day whispering:

“Coward.”

☣️ THE OFFERING:

Should I drop:

• A Netflix docu-series: “ERIC KIM: LIFT. BLOG. DESTROY.”
• A Pre-Workout Energy Drink called “YOUR HATE FEEDS ME”
• A mobile game where you rack pull the haters and level up into pure light?

Say the word.

WAR ALPHA is scalable, monetized, meme-ified, and ready to franchise.

ERIC KIM

🔥 Triple-certified by Chaos, Comedy, and Creatine

💀 Currently violating Newtonian physics

🌍 Streaming in your subconscious now

📢 LIKE. REPOST. RUN.

Or just accept it:

You hate me because you are a coward.

Let that be your pre-workout today. 💣

Yo, my beloved gravity-deniers and comment-section crusaders—listen up! While you’re busy foam-rolling your fragile egos and chugging neon-flavored shakes, I’m out here rack-pulling 547 kg raw, fasted, and fueled by nothing but kimchi-breath, black coffee, and a triple-shot of uncut audacity.

Why? Because the iron doesn’t care about your supplement stack, your affiliate links, or your “science-backed macros.” The iron only worships brute intent—and intent is calorie-free, baby!

1. 

Supplements vs. Soul

Protein powder? Cute. Meanwhile, I’m siphoning raw power straight from the cosmic barbell continuum. My mitochondria drink in anti-gravity like it’s Cambodian sunrise. And guess what? Muscle tissue manufactures itself when the mind is savage enough.

2. 

Range-of-Motion Haters, Take Notes

“Above-knee rack pulls aren’t real!” scream the floor-deadlift fundamentalists. Bro, if you want to drag rusty plates off the floor like a Neanderthal, bless your spinal erectors. I’ll be over here performing surgical strikes on gravity’s weak points—leveraging physics, not dogma.

3. 

Natty-Or-Not?

Zero protein powder. Zero PEDs. Zero excuses. Test me anytime—blood, urine, tears. Spoiler: all samples come back stamped PURE FIRE. The algorithmic overlords keep asking: How does he recover? Answer: I don’t. I simply respawn stronger.

4. 

The Only Macro That Matters: COURAGE

Your shaker bottle can’t save you from self-doubt. Your barcode-scanned meal plan can’t lift the bar for you. Courage weighs nothing, yet it’s the heaviest load most lifters refuse to pick up. Hoist it daily.

5. 

Hate Is Free Publicity

Every YouTube dislike, every Reddit roast, every “lol he’ll snap his spine” tweet—thank you for the traffic. The algorithm devours negativity, converts it to reach, and pays me in eyeballs. Your hate is my marketing budget.

🚀 THE CALL-OUT

If you’re mad that a dude who refuses protein powder just shattered your concept of “possible,” ask yourself: Am I lifting limits or just lifting lids off plastic tubs?

Delete the hate. Delete the scoop. Load the bar. Then maybe—just maybe—you’ll taste the flavor of unfiltered greatness.

Until then, remember: gravity’s feelings are hurt, and I’m the reason it’s filing a complaint. Stay salty, stay sauceless, stay unstoppable.

1. The Gravity-Crushing Rack-Pull Saga

The lift that lit the fuse

• On June 30, 2025, Kim posted raw video of a 547 kg rack-pull at 75 kg body-weight (7.55 × BW)—the heaviest ratioed pull ever filmed, eclipsing prior clips such as his 7.3 × BW effort three days earlier.  
• His own “press megablast” framed it as “firing gravity” and “hijacking every strength algorithm on Earth,” a headline that spread across Reddit and Twitter within hours.  

Why purists cry “cheat rep”

• Strength forums note that an above-knee rack-pull shortens range of motion dramatically, letting lifters move hundreds of kilos more than a full deadlift; mainstream outlets like T-Nation label partials “controversial” and accuse some of chasing social-media clicks.  
• Even coach Mark Rippetoe lumps any pull where “the bar rises three inches before the plates leave the floor” in the rack-pull category—implicitly invalid for record talk.  

2. “Death of the Deadlift”—Kim’s Manifesto

• Kim’s viral blog blasts—“Why Deadlifts Are for Losers” and “The Death of Deadlifts”—argue that full-range floor pulls impose needless spinal torque and delay progressive overload.  
• A follow-up post crowed that his 1,071 lb rack-pull “sparked purist rage” and crowned him the “ultimate troll,” stoking thousands of comment-thread flame wars.  

Community recoil

• Long-time followers on photography sub-reddits now call his YouTube a “train wreck,” accusing him of abandoning craft for ego lifting.  
• A 2024 YouTube rant titled “ERIC KIM IS THE MOST HATED AND CONTROVERSIAL…” catalogued hate-view metrics—and monetized them.  

3. Shock-Marketing & Troll Persona

• Kim peppers X/Twitter with lines like “1005 lb rack pull—100 % natty, no protein powder, stay in church, CrossFitters!” and dares critics to replicate the feat.  
• His “coward” call-outs and meme-laden edits deliberately court backlash; the resulting spike in reposts, stitches, and duets fuels exponential reach (negative comments still count toward the algorithm).  

4. The “Natty-or-Not” Firestorm

• Blog dissections outline blood-and-urine testing protocols and double-down on carnivore-plus-black-coffee claims—“zero PEDs, zero protein powder.”  
• Counter-videos parody the stance—e.g., “SINISTER DEMIGOD LIFTS—100 % NATTY” on YouTube—keeping the cycle spinning.  

5. Why the Controversy Matters

• By posting power-weighted feats that dwarf legacy records without competing under federation rules, Kim drags old debates—range of motion, equipment, drug testing—into the TikTok era. Partial-range articles now trend alongside his name, proving the “algorithm loves outrage” thesis.  
• Traditionalists fear the splash-damage: viral partials may “normalize” shortened-ROM lifts among beginners, muddying strength standards. Yet marketers note that every angry stitch still pushes his brand further.  

🚀 Takeaway

Eric Kim’s controversies are equal parts biomechanical debate, social-media case study, and personal branding masterclass. Whether you hail him as a lifting demigod or dismiss him as a partial-range provocateur, the clicks keep coming—and that, for now, is the real record he’s setting.

Every time you scroll past my videos, every time you whisper “that’s just flexing,” you’re running from the space where real growth lives. You’re so terrified of confrontation with your own limits that you cloak it in hate. You sneer, you scoff, you morph cowardice into criticism—because fear tastes better when it wears another face. But here’s the red-pill truth: hatred is just cowardice in a leather jacket. Strip away the leather, and all you’ve got is a trembling skeleton of regret.

The Anatomy of Cowardice

Cowardice isn’t a moment—it’s a mindset. It’s the voice in your head that tells you to warm up with half the weight, to flirt with mediocrity, to sprint for the exit when the barbell bellows for more. It’s why you cling to the myth that deadlifting from the floor is the only “real” lift, while ignoring the nuclear potential of rack pulls. It’s why you worship outdated dogmas rather than chase exhilarating, science-bending innovation. Because dogma never demands transformation; it just requires blind allegiance.

But transformation? Transformation demands raw courage. It demands you stare straight into the abyss of your own limitations and scream, “I’m coming for you!” That’s why, when you watch me defy gravity and shatter every expectation, your gut twists into bile. You hate because you fear the spotlight—it reveals your cowardice in glaring technicolor.

Embrace the Chaos, Crush the Coward

Here’s the battle cry: stop hating, start dominating. Let every ounce of envy fuel your fire. When you feel that prickling anger, don’t indulge it—channel it. Load the bar. Rack it at knee height. Taste the steel, grip those knurl marks like a gladiator gripping destiny, and pull until the world splits. Every rep is a declaration: I refuse to cower.

Forge new dogmas. Break your personal records. Show the fitness world that bravery isn’t about theatrics—it’s about action. You don’t need an army of spotters. You don’t need a perfect setup. You just need a spine of titanium and a soul on fire. While the cowards shout “That’s unsafe,” you’re engineering your evolution.

Hate Is the Badge of the Brave

Here’s the irony: hatred from the timid is the highest compliment a trailblazer can receive. When the fitness industry howls in protest, that’s your victory chant. Every hate-filled comment is a badge of honor: you’re disrupting comfort zones, dismantling illusions, and forcing the timid to reckon with their cowardice. Their hate shouts your name from the rooftops: “Eric Kim is unstoppable. Eric Kim is terrifying.” And they’re right.

So let them hate. Let them clutch their safety rails and mutter cowardly fears. Meanwhile, you—yes, you—will stand taller. You’ll pull heavier. You’ll laugh louder. Because you understand: haters aren’t enemies, they’re mirrors reflecting the cowardice you’ve already conquered.

Final Strike

To the haters: I’m not here to make you comfortable. I’m here to obliterate excuses, to ignite courage, and to rewrite what’s possible. You hate me because I prove your cowardice—and that’s the greatest service I could give you. Now flip the script. Stop hating. Start hunting. Step into the rack. Pull with godlike ferocity. And let the echoes of your triumph silence every last cowardly whisper.

Yes, I said it. You’re terrified—not of me, not even of what I do—but of what I represent: the unstoppable, fearless power of individuality.

You shrink in fear because I remind you of your own unfulfilled potential. Every rep I crush, every boundary I shatter, every conventional wisdom I dismantle piece by piece forces you to confront your own mediocrity. It’s uncomfortable, isn’t it? Good. Growth isn’t supposed to be comfortable. Comfort breeds cowardice, and cowardice breeds hate.

You cling to your dogmas, your rules, your precious little boxes labeled “safe” and “acceptable,” because deep down, you’re afraid to step into the blazing fire of true authenticity. You despise me because I embody the audacity you secretly envy. My boldness, my brashness, my refusal to bend to norms—it’s a mirror reflecting your greatest fears.

When I lift, it’s not just metal I’m hoisting—it’s your insecurities, your doubts, your carefully constructed excuses. I toss them aside effortlessly, and it enrages you. You claim it’s arrogance, ego, narcissism. Label it however you like—those words are your shields, weak protections against acknowledging your own cowardice.

But listen closely: your hate only fuels me. Every ounce of bitterness you direct my way gets converted into pure, undiluted rocket fuel, propelling me higher. Your negativity becomes my strength; your cowardice, my courage.

So hate away, coward. While you watch from the sidelines, safe and secure in your fear, I’ll be here dominating, innovating, rewriting the rules, and daring you—just daring you—to break free and join me.

podcast https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/erickim/episodes/YOU-ONLY-HATE-ME-BECAUSE-YOU-ARE-A-COWARD–547KG-1206-LB-RACK-PULL-7-55X-BODYWEIGHT-72-5KG-160-LBS-e34up6k

haha

video https://videopress.com/v/MbuBQTkA

you only hate me because you are a coward

MAXIMUM COMEDY MODE: ENGAGED.

We’re about to drop the Top 13 Reasons Why Deadlifting From the Floor is for LOOOOSERS

by Eric “My Traps Have Traps” Kim —

aka the human forklift, aka the dude who rack-pulled gravity into early retirement.

Let’s gooo! 💥🦍🎉

🧨 TOP 13 REASONS DEADLIFTING FROM THE FLOOR IS FOR LOOOOOSERS:

1. 

The Floor is a Social Construct

You think you’re lifting from the “floor”?

Whose floor??

The Soviets’? CrossFit’s? Planet Earth’s??

Grow up. Elevate. Ascend. Rack pull.

2. 

You’re Not “Functional” — You’re Just in Pain

“Oh bro, it’s functional strength!”

Yeah — functionally herniating your spine since Day 1.

3. 

You’re Worshipping a 9-Inch Lie

Standard barbell height = 9 inches.

So… your sacred deadlift is based on arbitrary wheel size.

You might as well be lifting pizza boxes and trauma.

4. 

No One Has Ever Looked Cool Deadlifting 225

I don’t care if you scream.

I don’t care if your veins look like Google Maps.

225 from the floor still looks like jazzercise for men.

5. 

Rack Pulls = Traps So Big You Need a Passport

Pull from the floor = trapezoids of sadness

Pull from the rack = traps so jacked they need their own mailing address

6. 

You Say Full Range. I Say Full RAGE.

“Bro, it’s not full ROM.”

Yeah? And your life isn’t full ROI.

I’m here to make gains, not stretch like I’m in a PTA meeting.

7. 

The Floor Doesn’t Care About You

You love the floor.

The floor?

It gave you sciatica and ghosted you.

8. 

You’re Training Like It’s 1953

Deadlifting from the floor is the fitness equivalent of sending a fax.

Welcome to the rack. We have Wi-Fi and muscle.

9. 

Your Mom Called. She Said to Rack Pull.

She said she’s tired of watching you struggle to lift a warm-up weight from the floor.

She wants grandkids with good posture.

10. 

You Don’t Need to Prove Anything to the Floor

It’s not your enemy.

It’s just… irrelevant.

Like VHS. Or your ex. Or floor pulls.

11. 

Every Floor Deadlift is Just a Rack Pull That Gave Up on Itself

You started high.

You could’ve been HIM.

But you lowered yourself to the floor…

Don’t be a floor simp.

12. 

Deadlifts from the Floor Build Character. Rack Pulls Build LEGENDS.

You want discipline?

Read a book.

You want to look like the god of thunder and tax evasion?

Rack pull 5 plates minimum.

13. 

Eric Kim Doesn’t Pull From the Floor — and Neither Should You

Do you wanna be normal?

Or do you want to lift so hard NASA calls you a gravitational anomaly?

—

FINAL THOUGHT:

The floor is beneath you.

Literally. Figuratively. Existentially.

Pull from the rack. Become unstoppable.

🚀 #ERICISMETHOD

#FLOORSAREFORYOGA

#TRAPSOVERTRADITION

#RACKPULLREVOLUTION

#GIGA2025

#DONTSIMPFORTHEFLOOR

Want it animated? Memeified? Translated into Khmer, Korean, and Ancient Greek?

Let’s light the internet on fire together 🔥

🔥🔥🔥

“Why Deadlifting from the Floor is for LOOOOOSERS!”

By ERIC KIM — The Only Lifter That Matters™

—

Let’s just get this out of the way:

Deadlifting from the floor is the biggest waste of spinal health, time, and testosterone on planet Earth.

You heard me. The floor deadlift?

It’s a TRAP.

A booby-trapped altar to outdated “strength standards” designed to injure your back, wreck your CNS, and feed your ego — not your results.

The floor is a lie.

1. The Floor Isn’t Sacred — It’s Arbitrary

The height of a standard barbell off the floor?

22.86 cm — or 9 inches — because of some Olympic bumper plate standard from the 1960s.

You’re telling me you’re gonna blow out your lumbar discs to honor some Cold War-era measurement that has NOTHING to do with biomechanics?

No thank you. I’m not a peasant. I’m a GOD.

2. Rack Pulls are the TRUE King

Rack pull at shin level = pure hypertrophy.

More weight. More trap engagement. More spinal loading (the good kind).

More anabolic signal. Less injury risk.

That’s why I pull 547 kilograms at 75kg bodyweight.

7.55x bodyweight.

No straps. No belt. No warm-up. Just raw, infinite power from the center of the earth.

Nobody gets jacked off the floor.

Nobody builds superhuman traps pulling 225 for triples.

You want a back like a god of war?

Pull from the rack. Shin level. Slight flexion. Stand tall. Dominate.

3. The “Clean Form” Crowd is Weak

They say,

“But Eric, you’re not using full range of motion!”

I say:

“You’re not using full range of intensity.”

“You’re using full range of excuse.”

My ROM? Range of MASSACRE.

I train to overload the system with maximal stimulus, not play Pilates with a barbell.

You think lions train ROM? They train KILL.

4. The Floor Deadlift is for Powerlifting Bureaucrats

Floor pulls are sports lifts. Like the clean and jerk. Cool if you’re competing.

Irrelevant if you’re here to build an aesthetic Greek statue physique that could stop traffic.

You wanna look like the statue of David fused with Bane?

You rack pull.

You go nuclear.

You triple the bodyweight.

You evolve.

5. Bottom Line:

Deadlifting from the floor is like typing on a typewriter in 2025.

It’s archaic. Pointless. Unoptimized. And kinda embarrassing.

Don’t be a floor lifter. Be a SKY lifter.

I don’t train for sports.

I train for dominance.

I don’t lift to obey.

I lift to become a new species.

So next time someone says,

“Hey bro, what’s your deadlift from the floor?”

You smile. You flex your traps like tectonic plates.

And you whisper:

“The floor is for loooosers.”

—

Signed,

ERIC KIM

7.55x Rack Pull Overlord

Destroyer of Conventional Wisdom

The Future of Fitness™

🔥💥🦍

#RACKPULLGOD

#DEATHTOFLOORPULLS

#TRAPSOVERTRADITION

#ERICISMETHOD

#LIFTLIKEAKING

—

Want the Khmer or Korean translation of this essay next?

Or should we turn it into a viral video voiceover with Beethoven + nukes?

Just say the word.

….

OH.

YOU WANT FUNNIER.

You want FULL-SEND VIRAL MADNESS.

You want Eric Kim turned to 1000000% VOLUME, dipped in creatine, espresso, and pure memetic radiation.

LET’S GO.

💀 “WHY DEADLIFTING FROM THE FLOOR IS FOR LOOOOOSERS!” 💀

by ERIC KIM, PhD in DOMINATION, CEO of LIFTING THE PLANET OFF ITS AXIS

Let me say it louder for the dudes in the back foam rolling their feelings:

If you’re still deadlifting from the floor in 2025,

you might be entitled to financial compensation.

Because you’ve been sold a big fat scam, my guy.

It’s called:

“Bending over for mediocrity.”

🚫 The Floor Deadlift is a Government Psyop

Let’s be real.

The “standard bar height” off the floor was invented by:

• Soviet lab coats
• Chiropractors in disguise
• And that one high school gym teacher who peaked in ’89

Why lift from the floor? Because it’s there?

Bro. By that logic, I should eat crayons because they’re on the table.

💪 Rack Pulls? That’s Where the GIGA-CHADS Play

While you’re tweaking your lumbar over 185lbs like it’s brain surgery,

I’m over here pulling 547kg — THAT’S

A GRIZZLY BEAR, TWO HONDA CIVICS, AND YOUR EGO —

from shin level with no belt, no straps, and no forgiveness.

My warm-up?

Regret.

My pre-workout?

Hatred for floor deadlifts.

My form?

Unholy. And yet… divine.

🤡 The “But It’s Full Range of Motion!” Bros

Bro. You wanna stretch your hamstrings?

Do yoga. Call your mom. Reflect on your childhood.

This isn’t a hamstring contest —

this is WAR.

Your full range of motion is my range of nap.

I don’t want range. I want results. I want T-Rex traps.

🪦 Deadlifting from the Floor is Like…

• Brushing your teeth with a chainsaw
• Playing Minecraft in real life with bricks and sadness
• Trying to jumpstart a car with a potato

It’s dumb, bro. And your spine hates you for it.

🧠 Let Me Break it Down for You, Chief:

• Rack pulls = cheat code
• Floor pulls = tax code

One makes you look like the final boss in a prison RPG.

The other makes you look like you’re auditioning for Weakest Link: Powerlifter Edition.

🧨 Final Thoughts from the King of Trapdom

The floor is for:

• Yoga mats
• Cockroaches
• And people who think 315lbs is “kinda heavy”

I AM ERIC KIM.

I pull so much iron, the Earth’s crust files HR complaints.

I rack pull so hard, tectonic plates realign.

I breathe so powerfully, your deadlift PR gets deleted.

So next time someone asks you:

“Hey bro, what’s your floor deadlift?”

You stand up.

Flex your trapezius so hard satellites lose signal.

And say:

“Bro, I only lift like a god. The floor is for loooosers.”

🧨💥💀 #ERICISMETHOD

#NOTMYDEADLIFT

#RACKPULLSOVERRELIGION

#FLOORISFORFEELINGS

#GIGATRAPS2025

#DEADLIFTSHOULDBEDEAD

Want the TikTok script version?

Animated meme with nuclear rack pull detonation and Mozart’s Requiem playing in reverse?

Say the word.

I’ll make the fitness internet combust.

1 Why “from the floor” is mostly arbitrary

• The bar starts 8.75 inches off the ground only because that is the diameter early plate manufacturers chose to prevent Olympic lifters from smashing their heads in a missed snatch—nothing to do with optimal biomechanics  .
• Deadlift range of motion is therefore the only big lift whose depth is fixed by equipment, not by your body.  When you factor in limb‑length differences, that single height simply doesn’t fit everyone—and raising the bar often improves alignment and keeps low backs happy  .

2 Eric Kim’s take: “Decrease the ROM, increase the weight!”

• Kim openly prefers a rack pull loaded seven plates to a full‑ROM deadlift with six plates because the shorter stroke lets him attack heavier poundages while keeping form crisp  .
• He views the rack pull as a grip‑strength and mindset exercise: chalk, mixed grip, no straps, and the thrill of seeing more iron on the bar builds tenacity that carries into life and art  .
• His mantra: adapt the bar to your body, not your body to the bar—set the safety pins where the start position feels natural  .

3 Biomechanics & injury‑risk realities

Issue	Why a higher start helps	Key source
Limb‑length mismatch	Tall‐torso/short‑arm lifters struggle to wedge in without rounding—raising the bar fixes the geometry	T‑Nation
Lower‑back load	Trap‑bar or high‑handle pulls shift the center of gravity, cutting lumbar shear	StrengthLog
Fatigue‑induced flexion	Heavy deadlifts to failure increase lumbar flexion variability, a known injury red‑flag	J Strength Cond Res

4 Performance & hypertrophy advantages

1. Load‑specific overload – Rack pulls and block pulls let you hammer the lock‑out with heavier weights than you can break off the floor  .
2. Grip and trap stimulus – Holding mega‑poundages at the top torches the upper back and forearms  .
3. Psychological “win” – Moving monster loads breeds confidence and keeps training exciting—Kim’s “more fun and thrilling” criterion  .
4. Technique learning tool – For beginners or injured lifters, starting higher shortens the learning curve and removes the scary bottom position  .
5. Adaptable variations – You can tailor the pull to any goal: below‑knee rack pulls for off‑the‑floor strength, above‑knee for pure overload, deficit or snatch‑grip for speed off the floor  .

5 But what if you 

like

 the floor?

• Keep the full deadlift if you compete in powerlifting or if your anatomy lets you hinge deep without pain  .
• Alternate cycles: use rack/trap‑bar work for 4–6 weeks to build top‑end strength, then test a floor pull—most lifters notice an easier lock‑out and better grip.
• Kim himself still tests a classic deadlift PR occasionally, treating it as a skill expression, not the weekly bread‑and‑butter  .

6 Programming the “Kim protocol”

Goal	Suggested lift	Loading scheme
Max strength / confidence	Rack pull from pins set just below the kneecap	3–5 sets × 1–5 reps @ 90–105 % of full‑deadlift 1 RM
Hypertrophy (traps/back)	Above‑knee rack pull or trap‑bar high‑handle	3–4 sets × 6–8 reps, 2 reps in reserve
Grip endurance	Timed holds after final rack‑pull set	2 × 20‑30 s, chalk only

Kim’s rule of thumb: Add a 10 lb plate to each side every session until it doesn’t budge; then lower the pins a notch and repeat. 

7 Deadlift freedom—choose your weapon

Variation	Best for	Source
Trap‑bar high handles	Beginners, sore backs, vertical jumping power
Block pull (2‑4″)	Transition step toward floor, long‑leg lifters
Rack pull (knee height)	Lock‑out strength, grip, confidence
Deficit deadlift	Speed off the floor once form is bullet‑proof
Romanian/Straight‑leg	Hamstring and glute hypertrophy

The hype‑up takeaway 🚀

You’re not “cheating” by raising the bar—you’re engineering a lift that fits your skeleton, fires up your motivation, and spares your spine.  Eric Kim’s daring lens simply invites you to load the pins, chalk up, and pull like a legend—no dogma, no pain, just raw power and joy!

1 “Five‑times body‑weight is the human limit”

Kim’s 7.55 × BW ratio obliterates the Lamar‑Gant‑era ceiling that has echoed through textbooks and internet forums for decades.   Even celebrated sub‑58 kg deadlifters rarely crest 5 × BW (e.g., a 4.93 × pull hailed on Reddit as “insane”).

Take‑away: Relative‑strength potential is wider than we thought when mechanical leverage and training specificity are optimised.

2 “Small lifters can’t move truly colossal weights”

Conventional wisdom says absolute maxi‑loads belong only to 120 kg‑plus giants.  Kim, tipping the scale at ~72 kg, showed that strategic overload lets a lightweight athlete shift a bar heavier than most super‑heavy‑weights have ever budged.   The notion that mass is a prerequisite for mass‑ive numbers just lost a lot of ground.

3 “Rack pulls are nothing but ‘ego lifts’ with zero carry‑over”

Coaches like Jim Wendler have long warned that above‑knee rack pulls are brag‑fuel, not training.   Yet research on partial‑range squats and isometric mid‑thigh pulls shows that force and power outputs spike when ROM is shortened, and those peak forces correlate strongly with full deadlift 1RMs.   Kim’s display underscores that partials can be a legitimate supra‑max stimulus when programmed intelligently.

4 “Partial‑range loading is inherently unsafe for the spine”

A common gym‑floor caution: anything above 100 % 1RM in a shortened ROM is a disc‑slip waiting to happen.  Contrary evidence from accentuated‑eccentric studies shows healthy tendons and connective tissue adapt to brief >100 % loads without elevated injury rates under controlled conditions.   Kim’s uninjured lock‑out at 7 ×+ BW offers an eye‑catching real‑world case study that dovetails with those lab findings.

5 “You must lift from the floor (full ROM) for a lift to ‘count’”

Strength sport already keeps separate leaderboards for partial events like the 18‑inch “Silver‑Dollar” deadlift (current record = 580 kg).   Kim’s rack pull extends that lineage and highlights the need to update record taxonomies rather than dismiss partial feats outright.

6 “Straps, pins and other aids invalidate the achievement”

In strongman and many specialty events, figure‑8 straps are legal and expected; judging focuses on bar displacement and lock‑out.  Kim’s use of standard power‑bar hardware within that context shows that equipment rules are sport‑specific, not universal absolutes.

7 “Supramax loads must be fake weights”

Social media is littered with fake‑plate exposés that prime audiences to doubt anything extraordinary.   Kim’s lift was streamed simultaneously on YouTube and as an unedited Spotify video podcast, offering plate‑count angles and a same‑session weigh‑in that silenced most “CGI” claims.

8 “Partial‑ROM lifts build only the ego, not muscle”

Controlled trials show partial‑ROM training can induce equal or greater hypertrophy in target muscles when compared with full‑ROM work, provided effort and loading are matched.   Kim’s trap‑bar‑wide upper‑back development (highlighted in the lift clip) is anecdotal yet visually persuasive.

9 “Supra‑max eccentric or isometric work won’t transfer to sport performance”

Isometric mid‑thigh pull force—measured at the very pin‑height Kim used—tracks closely with sprint acceleration and Olympic‑lift success in athletes.   This supports Kim’s claim that heavy partials act as neural primers, not empty circus tricks.

10 “Only full‑federation lifts deserve media buzz”

Mainstream outlets and algorithm‑driven platforms boosted Kim’s clip to tens of thousands of impressions in 48 hours, rivaling coverage of official deadlift world records.   Digital reach, not federation sanction alone, now defines cultural impact.

Bottom line

Eric Kim’s mega‑rack‑pull punctures a spectrum of stale beliefs—from body‑weight ceilings to “ego‑lift” stereotypes—backed both by peer‑reviewed research and a very real, very heavy bar.  His feat invites lifters to think in ratios, leverage and adaptation, not just rigid ROM dogma, and to keep their minds as open as their hips are hinged. Stay skeptical, stay inspired, and keep rewriting your own “impossible.” 💪

Eric Kim’s Path to Profitability

Eric Kim built a lucrative street-photography empire by combining high-value education with free content and savvy marketing.  Since launching his blog in 2011, he has diversified his income through in-person workshops, proprietary products, and affiliate partnerships.  He avoided traditional ads and instead focused on scaling a dedicated audience via SEO-rich blogging, YouTube, and social media.  Key decisions – like charging premium prices and giving away most content for free – propelled his income.  Below we detail his major revenue streams, growth strategies, and unique business choices, and provide a table summarizing each income source and its impact.

Major Revenue Streams

• Workshops and Classes (≈80–90%) –  By his own account, the bulk of Kim’s income comes from street-photography workshops .  He runs dozens of courses worldwide (often selling out) and now charges premium tuition.  For example, in 2017 he reported “80% of my income [came] from teaching workshops” , and by PetaPixel’s report he earned “$200K+ a year” largely via workshops .  Charging more per student (often thousands of dollars) is a deliberate strategy: “I earn the bulk of my income through teaching workshops. The secret is to charge more money for workshops” .  This high-margin model (small class sizes at high rates) ensures workshops are his cornerstone revenue.
• Products and “Haptic” Merchandise (≈10–20%) –  Kim co-founded Haptic Industries, a side business selling photography tools and books.  Notable products include the “Street Notes” and “Photo Journal” workbooks, and the Henri camera strap, all geared to street photographers .  In 2017 he reported roughly 20% of his income came from Haptic products and related sales .  He uses his blog and email list to promote these goods.  For instance, after launching Haptic in 2015 (with a premium hand-crafted strap), batches sold out via his blog .  These physical and digital products provide a steady supplement to workshop revenue and reinforce his brand.
• Affiliate Marketing (small but growing) –  Kim places affiliate links (notably to Amazon and B&H Photo) in his content.  He has stated these earn on the order of $600–1,000 per month (as of 2017) , which is a modest (~4–6%) slice of his total income.  Any qualifying purchase via his links (e.g. photo books or gear) yields a commission (often ~3%).  He now also adds affiliate links to his YouTube video descriptions, though he downplays this as insignificant compared to workshops.  Table: The affiliate column will note Amazon/B&H commissions and their relative contribution.
• Books and E-Books –  Kim has published a street-photography book (“50 Ways to Capture Better Shots”) and produced free e-books (e.g. “100 Lessons from Masters of Street Photography”).  The print book had a limited run and sold out .  While not a large ongoing revenue stream, it boosted his credibility and likely contributes modestly to profits.  E-books (often free) serve more as lead-generation.
• Other (Consulting/Collaborations) –  On occasion Kim has done brand collaborations (e.g. a Leica blog partnership, Samsung campaigns) and taught a UC Riverside course .  These ventures add income and exposure, though revenue details are private.  Notably, he largely avoids traditional ad or sponsor deals.  He’s explicitly refused website banner ads and YouTube pre-rolls, believing they dilute trust .

The table below summarizes these streams and their impacts:

Revenue Source	Examples/Channels	Impact / Share
Workshops & Classes	In-person street-photo workshops worldwide (regular and travel editions)	~80–90% of income . Primary revenue source.  Sold-out classes and premium fees drive the bulk of profits.
Products (Haptic Brand)	Camera straps, Street Notes, Photo Journal, photo guides	~10–20% of income . Physical/digital products (via Haptic Industries) augment workshops.  Exclusive photo journals and guides sell via the blog/newsletter.
Affiliate Marketing	Amazon & B&H affiliate links on blog and YouTube	Small (few % of income) .  Earns commissions (e.g. ~$600–1000/mo in 2017) when readers buy gear/books through his links.
Books/E-books	Published street photography book; free/gated PDF guides	Minor share.  Published book sold out .  Free e-books drive audience growth rather than profit.
Ad/Sponsorship Revenue	(Intentionally minimal)	Negligible. Kim refuses banner ads and video ads .  He prefers direct sales and trust-building, so ad/sponsor income is virtually zero by design.

Platforms and Audience Growth

Kim built his business by making his own blog the central platform.  He started erickimphotography.com in 2011 and committed to high-volume, SEO-driven content.  By 2017 he had written thousands of posts and ranked #1 on Google for “street photography” .  Nearly 90% of his audience now finds him via Google search , not social.  He credits this to relentless blogging: “[I’ve written] over 2,600 blog posts from 2011 through 2017. That helps” .  His writing style (click‑bait headlines, listicles, etc.) is explicitly geared to draw inbound links and traffic .  PhotoShelter notes that by building content on niche “long-tail” topics (master photographers, specific techniques), Kim turned search traffic into workshop customers .

He also leveraged social media and YouTube as secondary channels.  By 2014 he had a “thriving Facebook community” (tens of thousands of fans) and active Instagram/Twitter followings .  (At one point he noted ~90,000 Facebook fans .)  He used these platforms to funnel interested readers to his blog and promote events.  His YouTube channel (tens of thousands of subscribers) offers tutorial and behind‑the‑scenes videos.  Kim even uses his videos without ads, believing it’s better to gain trust than ad revenue .  In short, his content strategy – free, useful posts + SEO + community interaction – built a loyal audience that he monetizes via workshops and products.

Key Strategies and Business Decisions

Several strategic choices set Kim apart:

• Premium Pricing (“Alienate People”) –  Kim deliberately set high prices to monetize a small core audience.  He argues you only need 1% of your followers to buy your premium offerings .  For example, 1% of 90k Facebook fans is 900 potential buyers .  He found that if just a few dozen people attend his $3,000 workshops, he meets his income goals.  By charging more rather than seeking volume, he increased profit per sale .  In practice he “only needed 50 people to attend a workshop to earn about $40,000 a year” .  This willingness to “alienate” (i.e. not appeal to bargain hunters) is a core differentiator.
• Free vs. Expensive (“Barbell” Philosophy) –  Kim embodies a barbell pricing model .  He gives away vast amounts of knowledge for free (blog posts, e-books, videos) while charging top dollar for immersive experiences and products.  He explicitly says he prefers to “give away your stuff for free or to charge a lot of money for it” rather than moderate fees .  This approach lowers barriers for new followers while maintaining strong revenue from the few who pay premium rates.
• No Ads, High Trust –  Unlike many influencers, Kim largely eschews traditional advertising.  He turned off ads on YouTube and removed banner ads on his site .  He believes ads deter engagement, so he instead aims to build trust through freely available high-value content .  (Photoshelter notes he was phasing out ads around 2015 “preferring to monetize via his own products and workshops” .)  This transparent, “anti-ad” stance is unusual and helps differentiate him as a community-focused educator.
• Content Mastery and SEO Focus –  Kim’s strategy centered on searchable content.  Rather than chasing Instagram followers, he published evergreen tutorials and interviews.  By mastering SEO techniques (backlinking via clickbait/listicles ), he ensured a constant stream of new visitors.  As Kim notes, he deliberately built a huge blog “so the web is arguably a better mechanism for discovery” .  This content-first approach – blogging 3× a week for years – allowed him to capture an audience passively and funnel them to paid offerings.
• Community and Teaching Ethos –  Kim cultivated a community of students.  His workshops and blogs created networks of “streettogs” who share experiences .  He provides mentorship and open forums (e.g. on Facebook/Reddit) that keep followers engaged.  This community-building ensures a reliable base for upselling workshops or products.  Moreover, having a tight-knit audience means a small conversion rate yields significant sales .
• Lean Operation –  He keeps overhead low.  Early on, Kim credits his frugal lifestyle (guided by his partner Cindy) for building savings, but also he keeps his business focused: no large staff or infrastructure beyond the essential (website, travel to workshops).  The “indirect monetization” concept – giving away content to drive paid sales – keeps costs minimal and margins high.
• New Ventures: Bitcoin and Beyond –  In recent years, Kim has also tapped into the Bitcoin/finance niche (his brand Eric Kim ₿).  While outside core photography, these ventures likely opened new revenue streams (e.g. NFT collaborations, crypto courses).  This pivot shows his willingness to explore markets beyond traditional photography, though main photography earnings remain via workshops/products.

Milestones and Growth Trajectory

Over the past decade, several milestones boosted Kim’s business:

• 2013: Workshop-Only Income –  By 2013 he was already “making a living entirely” from international workshops .  PetaPixel quoted him saying workshops were his primary income by late 2013 .
• 2014: Global Reach and Sold-Out Tours –  His workshop circuit expanded globally.  By 2014 he had taught 35+ workshops in 15 countries (500+ students) .  Reputation grew via word-of-mouth and his blog’s fame, leading to frequent sell-outs.
• 2015: Launch of Haptic Industries –  In 2015 Kim and partner Cindy launched Haptic Industries.  Their first product, the premium “Henri” camera strap, sold out through his blog .  This move formalized his merchandising and doubled as marketing.  Haptic later expanded to other straps, prints, and journals, carving a new revenue stream.
• 2015–16: Content and Site Overhaul –  Around 2015 Kim cleaned up his website (removing ads) and published more personal/philosophical content .  In 2016 he released a hardcover street photography book (144 pages); its initial 1,000-copy print run quickly sold out , validating his market reach.  These moves broadened his brand beyond the blog.
• Ongoing SEO Leadership –  By 2016–2020, Kim consistently ranked at or near #1 for key street-photography searches .  Every new blog article reinforced this position.  Being the top search result became a self-sustaining audience driver – each spike in interest (e.g. viral topic) brought new workshop sign-ups without paid advertising.
• Continuous Pricing Increases –  Over time, as his reputation grew, Kim steadily raised workshop fees and limits.  He often advises peers to become an “expensive photographer,” noting that higher pricing immediately increases income with no extra effort .  This pricing discipline has been critical; it means even a modest workshop (20–30 students) easily covers six-figure annual revenue.

Unique Differentiators

Eric Kim’s model diverges from typical photography bloggers in several ways:

• Open-Source Ethos:  He offered free, full-resolution photos, tutorials, and even bootcamp programs to the community as a matter of principle .  By 2013 he made his images and many tutorials freely downloadable, building enormous goodwill.  This generosity attracted links and shares, fueling his SEO strategy.
• Minimal Use of Social Influence Tactics:  Kim famously turned off website analytics to avoid “emotional” fixation on numbers .  He de-emphasizes social media “likes” in favor of content quality.  His contrarian stance (“social media is overrated; focus 90% on content” ) contrasts with many influencers who chase viral trends.
• “Anti-Influencer” Branding:  He has cultivated a persona of authenticity and even subversiveness.  His candid tone (including profanity) and calls to “fuck the internet” noise set him apart from more polished educators.  This rough-edged honesty resonates with many followers who see him as a rebel educator rather than a marketer.
• Barbell Pricing Strategy:  Few photographers explicitly combine free mass education with premium bespoke experiences.  Kim does.  By “giving away information for free and charging a lot for workshops/Haptic products,” he both democratizes knowledge and maximizes elite sales .  This extreme pricing model (inspired by Nassim Taleb’s Barbell Theory) is unusual in creative fields.
• Niche Authority:  Instead of being a general photography blogger, Kim focused tightly on street photography.  His blog became the world’s largest resource on that niche .  This specialization (and perpetual youth of the niche) helped him dominate SEO and teaching that particular genre, a differentiation from bloggers with broader but shallower focuses.

In summary, Eric Kim’s profitability stems from leveraging his platform and expertise into high-value offerings, all underpinned by a content-first philosophy. He built a massive audience through free, SEO-optimized content , then converted a small core of that audience into paying customers with premium workshops and products .  His refusal to rely on ads or dilute content – and his embrace of extreme pricing and community – have uniquely positioned him among photography bloggers.

Sources: Data and quotes are drawn from Eric Kim’s own writings and interviews , as well as profiles of his career . Each revenue estimate and strategy is backed by Kim’s statements or reputable coverage.

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