Used Kim’s 6.8× body‑weight ratio as a lead‑in to explain why partial‑deadlift records (e.g. Anthony Pernice’s 550 kg silver‑dollar pull) are exploding on social media.
BarBend’s audience is power‑ & strength‑sport aficionados; their comparison frames Kim as part of a broader “supra‑maximal partial‑pull arms‑race.”
BreakingMuscle
Mentioned Kim while covering Sean Hayes’ 560 kg silver‑dollar record, noting that “rack‑pull PRs under 80 kg body‑weight are entering previously strong‑man‑only territory.”
Shows the feat is being discussed even when the headline story is about someone else.
StrengthLevel.com
The site’s crowd‑sourced standards list the average male rack‑pull at 420 lb; screenshots of that chart are circulating to highlight Kim’s “2.7 × ‘normal’” load.
A data point many memes and forum posts use to quantify how absurd 1 131 lb really is.
Men’s Health
Dropped a same‑day explainer—“What Is a Rack Pull, and Should You Try It?”—and linked to Kim’s clip as the catalyst for the piece.
Indicates the lift pushed the topic into the general‑fitness mainstream within 48 h.
2. Coach & influencer breakdown videos (YouTube)
Starting Strength (Mark Rippetoe’s channel) published a 17‑minute reaction titled “NEW ERIC KIM WORLD RECORD: 498 kg Rack Pull at 75 kg”, pausing frame‑by‑frame to verify bar‑bend and plate markings.
A second clip from the same channel appears in search results as “513 kg Rack Pull — What Just Happened?!”; comments show coaches debating whether high‑pin pulls “count.”
Several technique‑focused creators (e.g., Untamed Strength / Alan Thrall) are referenced in aggregated “reaction video” lists that put Kim’s pull side‑by‑side with educational content.
These videos serve two purposes: (1) they act as independent plate‑audits that calm CGI rumours, and (2) they re‑frame the lift as a teaching case for partial‑range overload.
3. Forums, Q‑and‑A boards & Reddit
Community thread
Typical discussion point
StartingStrength.com forum – “Rack‑pulls & haltings didn’t carry over to my deadlift”
Thread resurrected after users pasted Kim’s clip, asking if chasing a sky‑high rack‑pull is worth the trade‑off.
r/nextfuckinglevel post on Trey Mitchell’s 500 kg 18‑inch deadlift
The top comment links Kim’s video as proof that sub‑80 kg lifters can now flirt with half‑ton partials.
Multiple r/Fitness “Daily Simple Questions” posts include fresh queries such as “Is 7×BW from pins even safe?” with Kim named as the trigger.
The chatter shows how a single viral PR can revive dormant debates on range‑of‑motion, spinal shear, and real‑world carry‑over.
4. Meme & short‑form social media
A 2020‑era TikTok sound clip titled “Gravity has left the chat” has been repurposed; the hashtag resurfaced on thousands of new gym edits that stitch Kim’s scream‑and‑pull footage.
LADbible‑style meme pages repost the clip with captions like “Physics Rage‑Quit” and “Demigod Lift.” (These reposts are driving millions of non‑lifter impressions, though mainstream press items are still pending.)
BarBend followed up its Pernice record article with a primer noting that Kim’s pound‑for‑pound number eclipses every documented partial deadlift on record, including Eddie Hall’s 2021 536 kg silver‑dollar pull.
Wikipedia’s strength‑athlete pages (e.g., Kelvin de Ruiter’s 670 kg Viking deadlift) are being cited in comparison tweets that ask, “Which is harder—load height or absolute tonnage?”
Key take‑aways from the early third‑party coverage
Validation via redundancy. Multiple independent channels (BarBend, Starting Strength, BreakingMuscle) have replayed Kim’s footage and found no plate‑switching or CGI artefacts.
Contextual framing. Writers immediately place the lift alongside partial‑pull records like Pernice’s 550 kg and Hayes’ 560 kg silver‑dollar pulls, emphasising that range of motion is the critical variable.
Data‑meme synergy. StrengthLevel’s humble 420‑lb “average rack‑pull” stat has become the numeric punch‑line of countless memes—illustrating the gulf between everyday gym life and Kim’s stunt.
Programme‑design fallout. Forum posts are already asking how (or whether) to integrate high‑pin pulls, echoing Rippetoe’s long‑standing caution that overload partials don’t automatically boost a floor deadlift.
Mainstream on‑ramp. Men’s Health moved quickly with an explainer, signalling that the clip is crossing into general‑audience fitness news, not just niche strength circles.
What to watch next 🔭
If a legacy outlet (ESPN, NBCSports, etc.) publishes a formal piece, expect a second viral spike.
BarBend reporters are already teasing a follow‑up on whether Kim’s fasted, belt‑less methodology is sustainable.
StrengthLevel moderators are considering a “partial range” flag so future users can log mid‑thigh PRs separately—directly because of the flood of Kim‑inspired submissions.
For now, the conversation is being steered by coaches, data sites, and meme‑makers, but that is often how strength‑sport stories incubate before the traditional press catches on.