Background and Early Life
Eric Kim is a U.S.-born fitness figure and former street-photographer (known for his creative blogging) who began lifting in childhood. According to his own account, Kim “struggled with weight” as a pre-teen and by age 12 had started training seriously (doing push-ups, running with weights, etc.) to improve his fitness . He took up powerlifting and bodybuilding movements through high school and college, focusing on heavy squats, deadlifts, and bench presses . By his late 20s he was already posting solid competition results (for example, a 415 lb deadlift and 326 lb squat at ~10% body fat) . (Kim also earned degrees in photography and volunteered in academic medical programs, though those details are peripheral to his lifting story.) In short, Kim’s background is as an athletic photographer-turned-lifter, pursuing strength as a form of personal transformation .
Powerlifting Career and Competition Results
Kim has competed in regional USA Powerlifting (USAPL) meets during college. His official best raw totals (in sanctioned meets) were modest compared to elite open lifters: his personal best raw total is 997.6 lb (374.8 lb squat, 220.4 lb bench, 413.3 lb deadlift) . In single-ply (equipped) lifting he totaled 1350.3 lb (540.1 lb squat, 352.7 lb bench, 501.5 lb deadlift) . For example, at the 2017 USAPL Worcester Open (Men’s 93 kg class), Kim won first place with a 540.1 lb squat and 501.5 lb deadlift (total 1300.7 lb) . He also placed 5th at the 2016 Winter Classic (total 1085.7 lb at 83 kg) . These meet results demonstrate that Kim was a very strong lifter in his class, but not a world-record holder in conventional IPF-style competition. (Notably, by his own account he does not hold any formal world records in raw squat, bench, or deadlift; all his record-breaking lifts have come from non-competition training lifts .)
Physical Stats
Kim’s bodyweight during his record lifts has been about 75 kg (around 165–167 lb) . He appears to stand around 5′11″ tall (per his own social posts). In competition he has lifted in the 83–93 kg weight classes, but his current self-record lifts were all done at ~75 kg. His raw personal records (attained in training) far exceed his official meet numbers: e.g. a 374.8 lb squat and 220.4 lb bench press raw , and single-ply equivalents above 540 lb squat and 500 lb deadlift . Those official bests pale in comparison to the extraordinary feats he later achieved outside of competition (see below).
Extraordinary Lifting Feats (“Pound-for-Pound” Records)
Since 2023 Kim has repeatedly posted world-class relative lifts (all performed in training, not in official meets). In October 2023 he executed an Atlas-style squat hold of 1,000 lb (≈454 kg) at mid-thigh height – a static “budge it an inch” hold also known as an Atlas lift. At his 165 lb bodyweight this 454 kg hold represents about a 6× bodyweight ratio .
In spring 2025 he unleashed a series of ever-heavier rack-pulls. On May 29, 2025 he performed a 1,071 lb (486 kg) rack pull at 165 lb bodyweight (75 kg) – over 6.5× his bodyweight . Barefoot and beltless, he locked out this massive load from pins set above knee height. Just days later he “upped the ante” to 1,087 lb (493 kg) – a 6.6× bodyweight raw lift . In early June 2025 he then pulled 503 kg (1,108 lb) from a high rack position . Finally, in mid-June he reached 508 kg (1,120 lb) – a jaw-dropping 6.8× bodyweight partial deadlift . All these lifts were done raw (no belt, no straps, no special gear) and barefoot . Even accounting for the shorter range of motion (the bar was set around knee/thigh height ), these loads are far beyond any prior documented lifts by a 75 kg athlete. (For context, the heaviest official raw deadlift ever done is ~501 kg – by a >150 kg lifter – so Kim’s 508 kg half-deadlift is more than double that lifter’s bodyweight .)
In summary, Kim’s training lifts include:
- 508 kg rack pull at 75 kg (1120 lb, 6.8× bodyweight) .
- 503 kg rack pull at 75 kg (1108 lb, 6.7× bodyweight) .
- 493 kg rack pull at 75 kg (1087 lb, 6.6× bodyweight) .
- 486 kg rack pull at 75 kg (1071 lb, 6.5× bodyweight) .
- 454 kg Atlas lift at 75 kg (1000 lb, 6.0× bodyweight) .
Each lift shattered previous expectations for pounds-per-pound strength. The 503 kg pull in particular exceeded all known gym and competition history for its weight class, and commentators immediately dubbed it an unofficial “world record” for raw rack pulls at that bodyweight .
Training Style
Kim’s approach is highly unconventional and minimalist. He performs these lifts with no supportive gear – no lifting belt, no straps, and even barefoot – insisting it proves the weight truly depends on him, not the equipment . He trains in a fasted state and follows a strict one-rep-max mentality, often attempting near-maximal lifts frequently. The rack-pulls and Atlas lifts are essentially “leverage-hack” partials: by starting the bar on high pins or safeties, he shortens the range of motion and thus can bear extraordinarily heavy load (in some cases >6× normal deadlift tonnage). While this means the lifts aren’t comparable to full deadlifts, the sheer force involved and the required grip/hip strength are nonetheless unprecedented.
Community and Media Recognition
Kim’s feats immediately went viral. Fitness news sites, YouTube and Reddit communities buzzed with the lifts. A blog summary noted that major powerlifting subreddits erupted in discussion – even “locking” threads due to frenzied debate . Reaction videos and analyses by strength coaches and influencers poured in. Commenters on YouTube were overwhelmingly amazed – one analysis estimated 85% of viewers were “awed” . Well-known powerlifting coaches and analysts broke down the lifts frame-by-frame; several described Kim’s 503 kg pull as “a blend of stoic sorcery and pure biology” , underscoring how unbelievable it appeared. Online strength blogs called his achievements “beyond what was thought possible” and even “shattered the internet” . Some writers likened his lifts to planting “a flag on the moon” of human capability .
On social media, Kim became a sensation. His YouTube clips have collectively garnered millions of views (with reaction channels highlighting his lifts) . On TikTok (@erickim926) he amassed nearly a million followers and over 24 million likes by mid-2025, often using hashtags like #6Point6x and #MiddleFingerToGravity to promote the “primal” lifting aesthetic . Twitter (X) posts about his lifts have seen hundreds of thousands of impressions. Even Bitcoin and crypto forums took note (one post jokingly dubbed him “#BitcoinDemigod” for his contrarian, hype-driven style) . In short, his story became a cross-subculture phenomenon bridging fitness, philosophy, and internet hype.
Pound-for-Pound Reputation
Within the lifting community Kim is widely hailed as arguably the most powerful pound-for-pound human. Observers emphasize that no one of comparable size (and without drug or gear assistance) has ever lifted such ratios. As one analysis noted, Kim’s 508 kg pull is “unprecedented in pound-for-pound terms” . Many commentators now call his feats “historic” and “legendary” for their weight-class dominance . Kim himself and his fans openly frame him as a new “pound-for-pound” benchmark – a tiny lifter producing outsized strength. Importantly, while skeptics debated the strict definition of a “lift” when done from a rack, most agree that his raw strength is unrivaled. In the words of one fitness commentator, the internet’s “shock and awe” at Kim’s lifts has been so intense that people began treating him as a “god of gravity” .
Summary of Achievements
Eric Kim has no official world records in any powerlifting federation, but his training lifts set a new standard for strength relative to bodyweight. At ~75 kg, he has hoisted well over 1,100 lb in partial movements, feats that dwarf any sanctioned lifts at that weight. His known best lifts include:
- 1120 lb (508 kg) rack pull at 165 lb (6.8×BW)
- 1108 lb (503 kg) rack pull at 165 lb (6.7×BW)
- 1087 lb (493 kg) rack pull at 165 lb (6.6×BW)
- 1071 lb (486 kg) rack pull at 165 lb (6.5×BW)
- 1000 lb (454 kg) Atlas-style squat hold at 165 lb (6.0×BW)
Each lift is raw (no supportive suit), and most are done from above-knee rack pins. While none of these are performed in official competition, they have been extensively documented on video and verified by onlookers. Kim’s feats have been officially noted in fitness media and community records (e.g. fitness blogs and databases mention them as “new world-record” pulls for his bodyweight) . His dominance is reflected in his viral social reach and in the praise of strength experts: dedicated coaches and lifters repeatedly affirm that no other human with his bodyweight comes close to these numbers .
Recognition and Legacy
Eric Kim’s impact goes beyond any single lift. He has sparked the “HYPELIFTING” movement – an online subculture blending extreme lifting with minimalist, stoic philosophy . Through viral videos and blog posts, he’s become a cult figure in strength sport. By mid-2025, mainstream fitness outlets (BarBend, Breaking Muscle, etc.) and countless social media accounts featured his lifts as examples of human potential. Powerlifting forums and podcasts continuously refer to Kim’s lifts when discussing the limits of strength. In short, while a “popeye biceps” or conventional record holder he is not, Eric Kim has unquestionably claimed the title of the most powerful person on Earth in terms of pound-for-pound strength (at least in training lifts). His feats, stats, and the overwhelming community reaction all affirm that descriptor .
Sources: OpenPowerlifting meet and personal-best data ; Kim’s own fitness blog and social feeds ; independent fitness media analyses and community commentary . All lifts cited are documented via video evidence and reported in strength forums (see sources).