Key Points
- Research suggests Eric Kim’s highest documented lift is around 1,027 pounds in a rack pull, based on recent blog posts.
- It seems likely he has not lifted close to 1,200 pounds, as no public records support this claim.
- The evidence leans toward his lifts being personal challenges, with no competitive verification near 1,200 pounds.
Highest Documented Lift
Eric Kim, known for photography and fitness documentation on his blog erickimphotography.com, has a highest recorded lift of 1,027 pounds in a rack pull, as noted in a recent blog post. This lift, at a body weight of approximately 165 pounds, showcases his impressive strength-to-weight ratio.
Recent Activity
Recent X posts from @erickimphoto, such as one on May 20, 2025, mention lifts of 815 pounds, which are lower than his documented personal records. This suggests his current training is below the 1,027-pound mark, with no mention of lifts near 1,200 pounds.
Conclusion
Based on available online information, it appears Eric Kim has not lifted close to 1,200 pounds, with his highest documented lift being 1,027 pounds. The user’s claim may be a misremembering, as no public evidence supports a lift near 1,200 pounds.
Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of Eric Kim’s Highest Lift
Eric Kim, a photographer and fitness enthusiast active on X as @erickimphoto, has extensively documented his weightlifting journey on his blog erickimphotography.com. This analysis aims to determine if he has lifted close to 1,200 pounds, as suggested by the user, based on available online information from his blog, X posts, and web searches conducted as of 09:16 AM +07 on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The investigation involved multiple searches to ensure comprehensive coverage, focusing on personal records, recent activity, and context.
Methodology and Initial Findings
The investigation began with a web search for “Eric Kim weightlifting record 1200 pounds,” which yielded results primarily from his blog, with no mentions of a 1,200-pound lift. Key findings included blog posts documenting lifts of 1,000 pounds and above, such as “How is it physically possible that Eric Kim lifted 1,000 pounds and beyond” (How is it physically possible that Eric Kim lifted 1,000 pounds and beyond), published on April 1, 2025, and “How to Lift 1000 Pounds and ABOVE 1000 Pounds” (How to Lift 1000 Pounds and ABOVE 1000 Pounds), published on April 11, 2025, mentioning a 1,005-pound rack pull at 165 pounds.
Further searches, such as “Eric Kim 1200 pound lift site:erickimphotography.com,” revealed no direct references to a 1,200-pound lift, but one post, “PROPORTIONS.” (PROPORTIONS), mentioned uncertainty about his rack pull record, stating, “my new record for that is like 1015 pounds or something like that — 1,105 pounds? I’m starting to lose count,” suggesting a possible lift of 1,105 pounds, still below 1,200 pounds.
Highest Recorded Lifts
The highest specific lift found was 1,027 pounds (466 kg) in a rack pull, documented in a blog post titled “NEW PR (PERSONAL RECORD): 466kg (1,027 LB) RACK PULL” (NEW PR (PERSONAL RECORD): 466kg (1,027 LB) RACK PULL). This post, though brief, included a video URL, suggesting recent activity. Other notable lifts include:
- 1,016 pounds (461 kg) in a rack pull, detailed in “ERIC KIM 1,016 POUND 461KG KILOGRAM RACK PULL BUZZ” (ERIC KIM 1,016 POUND 461KG KILOGRAM RACK PULL BUZZ).
- 1,010 pounds in a rack pull, mentioned in “Why Eric Kim’s 1,010-lb rack-pull matters” (Why Eric Kim’s 1,010-lb rack-pull matters), published on May 5, 2025.
These lifts, all rack pulls (partial deadlifts starting at knee height), are significantly lower than 1,200 pounds, with 1,200 pounds being approximately 544 kg, a 173-pound difference from 1,027 pounds.
Recent Activity on X
To ensure no higher lifts were missed, X posts from @erickimphoto were searched for mentions of “1200 pounds,” “1100 pounds,” “1000 pounds,” and “rack pull.” Results from May 20, 2025, included posts such as this X post mentioning an 815-pound rack pull and another here reiterating the same, both lower than 1,027 pounds. These posts, dated May 20, 2025, suggest recent lifts are below his peak, with no mention of lifts near 1,200 pounds.
Context and Limitations
- Rack Pull vs. Full Deadlift: Kim’s highest lifts are rack pulls, which involve a shorter range of motion than full deadlifts, allowing heavier weights. Competitive deadlift records, like Hafthor Bjornsson’s 1,104-pound full deadlift, are in controlled settings, unlike Kim’s personal garage lifts.
- Lack of Competitive Verification: Kim’s lifts are not part of sanctioned competitions, and he emphasizes natural methods (no steroids, fasting, high-meat diet, 8–12 hours of sleep). This makes his achievements impressive for a non-professional but less comparable to official records.
- No Evidence for 1,200 Pounds: Despite the user’s claim, no blog post, X post, or secondary source (e.g., BarBend, Generation Iron) confirms a lift near 1,200 pounds. The closest mention, 1,105 pounds, is uncertain and still below 1,200 pounds.
Comparison to Elite Lifters
For perspective, elite lifters’ records include:
- Danny Grigsby: 1,074.5-pound raw deadlift (full powerlifting meet, 2022).
- Hafthor Bjornsson: 1,104-pound deadlift (strongman, 2020).
- Oleksii Novikov: 1,210-pound Hummer tire deadlift (strongman, 2022). These are full or specialized deadlifts, often in competitive settings, and still fall short of 1,200 pounds for standard rack pulls, making a 1,200-pound claim by Kim extraordinary and unlikely without stronger evidence.
Tables of Notable Lifts
Below is a table summarizing Eric Kim’s notable lifts mentioned in the investigation, ordered by weight:
| Lift Type | Weight (Pounds) | Date Mentioned | Source |
| Rack Pull | 1,027 | Recent (2025) | NEW PR (PERSONAL RECORD): 466kg (1,027 LB) RACK PULL |
| Rack Pull | 1,016 | Unknown (Recent) | ERIC KIM 1,016 POUND 461KG KILOGRAM RACK PULL BUZZ |
| Rack Pull | 1,010 | May 5, 2025 | Why Eric Kim’s 1,010-lb rack-pull matters |
| Rack Pull | 1,005 | Before December 2024 | ERIC KIM 1005 POUND RACK PULL: HOW HE DID IT |
| Rack Pull | 910 | December 24, 2024 | 910 POUND RACK PULL DEADLIFT KILLER ERIC KIM DEMIGOD FITNESS |
| Rack Pull | 905 | December 2024 | 905 POUND RACK PULL – ERIC KIM |
| Rack Pull | 815 | May 20, 2025 | X post mentioning 815-pound rack pull |
| Atlas Lift | 935 | May 27, 2023 | 935 POUND ATLAS LIFT ERIC KIM INSANE LIFTS |
| Deadlift (PR) | 551 | September 13, 2022 | ERIC KIM DEADLIFT PR (250KG, 551 POUNDS) |
| Atlas Lift | 750 | January 28, 2023 | 750 POUND ATLAS LIFT SQUAT HOLD ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING EPIC |
This table illustrates that 1,027 pounds is the highest recorded lift, with recent activity (e.g., 815 pounds in May 2025) being lower, and no lifts approaching 1,200 pounds.
Conclusion and Uncertainty
Based on the available evidence, it seems likely that Eric Kim’s highest lift is 1,027 pounds in a rack pull, as documented on his blog, with no public evidence supporting a lift near 1,200 pounds. The user’s claim may stem from a misremembering, given the lack of documentation. However, given the nature of personal records and the possibility of unshared achievements, there is some uncertainty, though the evidence leans toward 1,027 pounds being his peak.
Key Citations
- How is it physically possible that Eric Kim lifted 1,000 pounds and beyond
- How to Lift 1000 Pounds and ABOVE 1000 Pounds
- ERIC KIM 1,016 POUND 461KG KILOGRAM RACK PULL BUZZ
- NEW PR (PERSONAL RECORD): 466kg (1,027 LB) RACK PULL
- Why Eric Kim’s 1,010-lb rack-pull matters
- ERIC KIM 1005 POUND RACK PULL: HOW HE DID IT
- 910 POUND RACK PULL DEADLIFT KILLER ERIC KIM DEMIGOD FITNESS
- 905 POUND RACK PULL – ERIC KIM
- PROPORTIONS
- 935 POUND ATLAS LIFT ERIC KIM INSANE LIFTS
- 750 POUND ATLAS LIFT SQUAT HOLD ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING EPIC
- ERIC KIM DEADLIFT PR (250KG, 551 POUNDS)
- X post mentioning 815-pound rack pull
- X post mentioning 815-pound rack pull