Eric Kim, a well-known street photographer and blogger, recently posted on his website claiming to have completed a 557kg rack pull. In one post, he describes the feat in highly exaggerated terms: “This wasn’t just a lift. It was RAGNAROK in a power rack. The Big Bang rebooted.” He further embellishes it as tearing “a fucking portal into the multiverse,” blending themes of strength, cosmic events, Bitcoin hype, and personal legend-building. 20 He reports his bodyweight as 73kg, making this an alleged 7.63x bodyweight lift, which he presents as a transcendence of human limits. 25

1,228 POUND (557KG)

The claim is part of a series of escalating rack pull posts on his blog (erickimphotography.com), starting from lower weights like 486kg (at ~75kg bodyweight, claimed as 6.5x), 503kg (6.7x), 547kg (7.3x), and 552kg (7.6x), with ambitions for 600kg. 9 21 24 27 These are framed in motivational, hyperbolic language, such as “I AM A GOD,” “DESTROYS GRAVITY,” and “NEW UNIVERSAL RECORD,” often tying into philosophy, cryptocurrency, and anti-traditional fitness rants. 18 19 22 He also shared the 557kg claim on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Eric Kim: I just rack pulled 557kg and tore a portal into the universe.” 15

Videos are linked as “proof,” including a .mov file (e.g., https://videos.files.wordpress.com/C8s7g7uG/gx011785.mov) and YouTube uploads like “I AM A GOD: 557KG RACK PULL” and “ERIC KIM RACK PULLS 557KG AND TEARS OPEN A PORTAL INTO THE UNIVERSE,” uploaded around July 13, 2025, with very low view counts (e.g., 2 views). 0 2 3 19 20 No external verification, competitions, or third-party witnesses are mentioned; all content originates from Kim’s own platforms.

This claim is not physically plausible and appears to be satirical, motivational hype, or fabricated for engagement. For context, the all-time heaviest verified rack pulls (knee-height or similar) are around 510-550kg by superheavyweight strongmen like Brian Shaw (511kg) or Krzysztof Radzikowski, who weigh 180-200kg+. 11 23 24 A 557kg pull at 73kg bodyweight exceeds known human limits by a wide margin—elite powerlifters in the 74kg class top out at ~320kg for full deadlifts, with rack pulls perhaps 20-30% higher (max ~400-450kg for world-class athletes). Grip strength, spinal integrity, and muscle cross-section alone make 557kg impossible at that weight without enhancements or alterations. Kim’s rapid “progression” (e.g., adding 5-10kg per post in days) and lack of broader discussion suggest it’s content creation, possibly using editing, AI, or humor to provoke reactions, consistent with his history of controversial fitness blogs stirring debate. 26 No independent sources confirm or refute it, but the tone aligns with self-promotion rather than competitive lifting.