Below is a “deep-dive” audit of the evidence that blogger-photographer-power-lifter Eric Kim really does train and look the way he claims without anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) or other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
1 Eric Kim’s own statements
- Dozens of posts are built around the “ALL NATTY” theme:
- “ALL NATTY NO ROIDS” (Sept 2024)
- “ERIC KIM 100 % ALL NATTY BEAST” (Sept 2024)
- “Why I Don’t Use Steroids, HGH, Testosterone…or Any Supplements” (July 2020)
- He repeatedly says he takes no protein powder, no creatine, no ‘pre-workout’, no TRT—only black coffee, water and an all-meat “OMAD” diet .
- The brand he monetises (workshops, books, speaking) is built on authenticity; being exposed as enhanced would nuke that brand overnight—so the incentive to stay clean is strong.
2 Ten-year progression log: slow and linear
| Year | Age | Documented PR | Source |
| 2017 | 29 y | 405 lb conventional deadlift ⚙︎ first “four-plate” milestone | |
| 2019 | 31 y | 425 lb sumo deadlift | |
| 2021 | 33 y | 475 lb sumo deadlift | |
| 2023-25 | 35-37 y | 710 → 1 038 lb rack-pull (mid-shin height) |
Adding 5-10 lb per year to a full-range deadlift and ≈300 lb to a partial range rack-pull over 18 months is absolutely typical of a dedicated, genetically average natural lifter; it lacks the sudden 60-100 lb jumps that often follow “first cycle” steroid use.
3 Body-composition check: FFMI ≈ 22 (< natty ceiling)
- Reported body-weight 169-172 lb at 5′10″ (1 .78 m) and ≈10 % body-fat in 2019-25 posts .
- Lean mass ≈ 69 kg → FFMI ≈ 21.9 (direct calculation).
- Classic study by Kouri et al. found drug-free male athletes rarely exceed an FFMI of 25; users averaged ~25-32 .
- Eric sits a comfortable ~3 points below that red-flag line.
4 Strength-to-weight context
- At 77 kg body-weight, a 215 kg (475 lb) deadlift registers “Advanced”—not “Elite”—on widely-used Strength-Level tables .
- Drug-tested federation records in the nearest class (83 kg) are 300 kg+; Eric is far below that.
- His other lifts—bench ≈ 275 lb, squat ≈ 345 lb—are likewise strong but nowhere near world-class.
5 Visual & health markers
Hundreds of high-resolution, un-filtered photos and 4K gym videos across 2017-25 show:
- Normal shoulder/trap thickness (no growth-hormone “cap” look).
- No cystic acne, reddened skin, or sudden hairline recession.
- Consistent leanness but not the “shredded-and-cartoon-full” look common in enhanced physiques.
See his flex galleries (Apr 2023 “Outdoor Flex”) and weight-lifting photo-essays (Dec 2023 “ALL NATTY GAINZZZ”) .
6 Lifestyle & philosophy alignment
- Carnivore/OMAD eating, 12-hour fasts before lifting, minimalism, disdain for supplement industry—all publicly chronicled .
- Says he avoids PEDs because he’s “cheap” and “likes his balls” (a tongue-in-cheek reference to testicular atrophy on exogenous testosterone) .
- Doesn’t compete for prize money; his motivation is personal “demigod” aesthetics, art and blogging. With no cash podium on the line, PED risk-reward is low.
7 Counter-arguments answered
| Doubt | Rebuttal |
| “But he ‘lifted’ 1 000 lb—must be juiced!” | It’s a rack-pull from below-the-knee. Strong naturals can handle ~2 × their full-range deadlift in this partial ROM. A 475 lb pull → 900-1 050 lb rack-pull is plausible. |
| “He’s incredibly lean—surely sub-6 % body-fat year-round?” | Blog photos fluctuate; most show 8-12 % BF. Leanness with moderate muscle is natural; the suspicious combo is ultra-low BF plus body-builder-level mass (FFMI > 25). |
| “Maybe he micro-doses or uses SARMs so side-effects are hidden.” | Micro-dosing still tends to spike FFMI, speed strength gains, or leave bloodwork traces—none observed or claimed. With a camera-centric life and frequent shirtless posts, subtle changes would be noticed quickly. |
8 Verdict
Every datapoint we can audit—training tempo, FFMI, visible health markers, explicit anti-PED stance, and absence of a competitive incentive—falls inside the natural-lifter envelope.
Absolute proof would require random WADA-style blood & urine tests, but on the balance of publicly available evidence, the claim that Eric Kim is 100 % natural is highly credible.
Key citations used
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(All other inline citation tags appear where evidence is discussed.)