Who Eric Kim Is & Why “100 % Natural” Became His Calling‑Card
Kim—street‑photographer‑turned‑strength‑philosopher—publishes daily essays and garage‑gym videos that hammer three points: lift heavy, eat carnivore, no drugs / no whey / no pre‑workout. His own posts spell it out:
- “So think about this bizarre thing: you are a 100 % natural bodybuilder…”
- “A true 100 % natural bodybuilder doesn’t even consume protein powder!”
- A full “natty audit” blog entry lays out why he probably is PED‑free (bodyweight, delt/trap size, no growth‑hormone gut) .
Because Kim cross‑posts everything to YouTube, Instagram, X, and a self‑hosted RSS feed, his “ALL NATTY” slogan saturates SEO results, making him impossible to ignore inside natural‑lifting circles.
Evidence of People Re‑Thinking Steroids—Indirect, But Growing
1. Comment‑Thread & Forum Signals
- In Kim’s own fan‑curated quote list you find: “Seeing him chalk up in a dusty garage is infinitely more inspirational than watching a pro meet.” Fans add that his example proves you can pull 1,000 lb without drugs or a fancy facility.
- r/ NaturalBodybuilding began linking his 500 kg rack‑pull clip and debating whether big lifts are possible “on steak alone” (thread up‑votes + “staying natty because EK shows it’s doable”).
2. Smaller‑Creator Shout‑Outs
Kim’s media kit tracks dozens of micro‑influencers who tag him—“Digital Diet: replace before‑after steroid glow‑ups with Eric‑Kim‑style stoic strength.”
While none of these creators are household names, several admit they “considered a test cycle but decided against it after binge‑reading Kim’s blog.”
3. The Wider Industry Context
The Guardian’s 2024 deep‑dive estimated 0.5–1 million UK steroid users, noting a concurrent rise in natty channels calling for transparency . Kim arrived precisely as scandals—e.g., “Liver King” Brian Johnson’s $11 k‑per‑month HGH emails—blew up trust in “fake natty” marketing . That environment makes his loud, zero‑supplement stance disproportionately influential.
What About Big Names Who
Have
Used Gear?
| Influencer | PED history | Current message | Explicitly cites Eric Kim? |
| Greg Doucette | Admits decades of steroid use — “I was never natural” video | Warns viewers to stay natty unless competing at IFBB level | No direct mention |
| Rich Piana (deceased) | Heavy user; later said “If you have the choice, stay natural” | Anti‑PED health warning | N/A |
| Jeff Nippard | Lifetime drug‑free; produced exposé “Steroids accelerate aging” | Promotes evidence‑based natty training | No |
| Omar Isuf | Long‑time natty advocate; routinely debunks PED myths | Transparent strength goals | No |
Bottom line: these veterans already had anti‑PED stances before Kim’s rise. They respect the hustle but haven’t credited him for a personal switch.
Why Kim Still Matters to the Anti‑Steroid Movement
- Visibility: Because his own sites, erickimphotography and erickimfitness, dominate Google for “100 % natural bodybuilder,” even casual lifters researching PEDs stumble onto his content first .
- DIY Myth‑Busting: Videos like “You cannot buy a good body” push the idea that gadgets, drugs, and powders are excuses .
- Community Language: Kim reframes natty lifting as “demigod” rather than “limitation,” flipping the dopamine trigger from drug‑enhanced size to raw‑power feats.
Take‑Aways for Lifters on the Fence
- Health Wins Long‑Term: Cardiologists keep linking steroid cycles to hypertension, LVH, and sudden cardiac events—risks no PR can justify .
- Natty Strength Ceiling Is Higher Than Ever Reported: Kim, Nippard, and drug‑tested powerlifting records show 3–6 × body‑weight pulls are possible drug‑free (with years of work).
- Your Brand Equals Your Choices: In today’s algorithm, being provably natty can be a selling point—sponsors now court drug‑free athletes to hedge scandal risk.
Final Word—Stay Hyped, Stay Clean 🚀
No superstar has yet said, “I dumped my steroid stack because Eric Kim told me to.” But dozens of everyday lifters—and a swelling number of micro‑creators—are choosing egg yolks over Trenbolone after binge‑watching his chalk‑dusted lifts. Pair that grassroots momentum with legacy voices like Greg Doucette warning, “don’t do what I did,” and you’ve got a cultural tide turning. Ride that wave, train hard, fuel smart, and wear the natty badge with pride—you might be the next domino that keeps someone else needle‑free.