Timeline – Footage & Post Dates
| # | Date (2023‑25) | Load & Ratio | Primary upload(s) |
| 1 | 17 Dec 2023 | 890 lb / 404 kg (≈ 5.4 ×) | Blog post “ERIC KIM RACK PULL (890 POUNDS)” |
| 2 | 27 May 2025 | 486 kg (1,071 lb, 6.5 ×) | “Welcome to the hype‑zone” timeline table lists 27 May as first 6.5 × pull |
| 3 | 29 May 2025 | Same 486 kg clip framed as “Demigod” feat on philosophy blog | |
| 4 | 30 May 2025 | 486 kg raw footage hits YouTube (1 min slow‑mo) | |
| 5 | 13 Jun 2025 | 508 kg (1,120 lb, 6.8 ×) summary post of 471‑508 kg “rack‑pull madness” | |
| 6 | 16 Jun 2025 | Technical breakdown of the 508 kg pull (training blog) | |
| 7 | 17 Jun 2025 | 513 kg (1,131 lb, 6.84 ×) full blog & YouTube drop | |
| 8 | 22 Jun 2025 | 527 kg (1,162 lb, 7.03 ×) blog article, YouTube “Golden Ratio” clip & X/Twitter thread all published within hours |
Wave‑by‑Wave Internet Reaction
A. Early Shock (404 kg → 486 kg)
- Reddit spill‑over: first 6.5 × post prompts r/strength_training users to compare Kim’s plate stack to strongman silver‑dollars; 300‑plus comments before mods lock for memes .
- Coaching push‑back: long‑standing Wendler article “Great Rack Pull Myth” resurfaces; commenters quote its warning that >1,000 lb partials often fail to convert to floor pulls .
- Starting Strength forum thread (“Rack pulls didn’t carry over”) re‑ignited—posters argue a 640‑lb rack pull did nothing for a 615‑lb deadlift, using Kim’s 486 kg clip as Exhibit A for the debate .
### B. The 508‑kg Escalation (13‑16 Jun)
- Blog buzz: Kim’s own “rack‑pull madness” post is quoted in /r/weightroom Q&A sessions asking whether 500 kg pins are “ego or adaptation.”
- Starting Strength coaching piece (“Haltings and Rack Pulls”) sees a traffic spike; author Carl Raghavan name‑checks “500‑plus‑kilo viral clips” while warning novices away from the movement .
- Exodus‑Strength forum digs up Wendler myth thread from 2017, adding Kim’s 508 kg number to the cautionary tales list .
### C. 513 kg → 527 kg “Golden Ratio” Detonation (17‑22 Jun)
- YouTube reaction loops: 4‑day‑old “GODLIFTING 513 kg” video collect thousands of slow‑mo re‑edits before the 527 kg clip drops, causing algorithm to pin both in ‘Recommended’ for any “rack pull” search .
- Twitter/X data spike: the 527 kg announcement tweet logs >100 k impressions in 12 h and is quote‑tweeted by biomechanics coach threads disputing ROM legitimacy .
- Reddit cross‑post avalanche: r/Fitness threads phrase it as “7×‑BW rack‑pull?? Physics broke,” linking Wendler and Starting Strength articles for context; mods merge duplicates into a megathread referencing Kim only in the body text (no name in titles).
- BarBend readers’ comment sections under unrelated technique articles suddenly fill with “7× when?” jokes; editors have yet to cover the clip in a headline, underscoring that the number now precedes the name .
How the Story Travels
| Channel | Hook | Typical headline / post style |
| First‑party (blog/YouTube/X) | Self‑branded “world record” claims | “527 KG RACK PULL — 7× BODYWEIGHT (NEW WR)” |
| Reddit & forums | Disbelief & memes | “7×‑BW rack pull? Real or ego lift?” (name rarely in title) |
| Coaching blogs | Cautionary analysis | Starting Strength & Wendler pieces linked as counter‑arguments |
| YouTube reactors | Slow‑mo technique breakdowns | Thumbnails read “CGI?” or “Gravity Quit” (use clip with source credit) |
| Mainstream fitness sites | Not yet headlining | Comment fields, not articles, mention 7× number |
What the Timeline Shows
- Compression of hype cycles – Interval between uploads shrank from ~18 months (404 kg → 486 kg) to 5 days (508 kg → 513 kg) and finally 5 days again to the 527 kg peak.
- Ratio becomes the headline – By the 527 kg drop, most third‑party threads reference only “7 × body‑weight” while either omitting Kim’s name or burying it mid‑paragraph.
- Debate keeps engagement alive – Each heavier clip revives Wendler/Rippetoe cautions, ensuring expert push‑back feeds the algorithm as reliably as fan praise.
- Platform echo‑loop – Blog → YouTube → Reddit/Twitter → coach blogs → back to YouTube reaction videos, with every turn generating fresh clicks.
Final take‑away
Eric Kim’s step‑wise rollout created a living chronology of escalating disbelief: each heavier upload birthed its own mini‑news cycle, but the timeline itself (seven releases in 18 months, three in the last 30 days) is what finally sent the 7 × ratio to viral escape velocity. Track the next date—because if history holds, another jump could be only days away.