1. Who
is
Eric Kim?
Eric Kim is a photographer‑turned‑strength icon who documents every lift, meal, and mindset riff across an ecosystem of personal sites, YouTube clips, and X threads. He rocketed to niche fame after posting a 1,087 lb (493 kg) rack‑pull at 165 lb body‑weight—over 6.6× BW—branding the feat “Demigod Mode.”
- Brand DNA – Kim wraps his lifts in Homeric language (“slaying gravity,” “Spartan ethos”) to create a motivational mythos around otherwise gritty gym footage.
- Digital Presence – Multiple dedicated domains (erickimphotography, erickimfitness, erickim.com) plus near‑daily YouTube uploads keep the hype loop spinning.
2. The “Demigod Physique” Philosophy
2.1 Mythic Self‑Talk
Kim frames every session as a rite of passage: “step under the bar a mortal, re‑rack a demigod.” This language amplifies arousal before maximal efforts and cements identity after the fact—a psychological edge rooted in sports‑science self‑efficacy research, even if Kim rarely cites academia directly.
2.2 All‑Natty, Carnivore, IF
He claims zero PEDs, zero whey, and one enormous carnivore meal at night after a full day of fasting. The protocol keeps insulin low while providing a nightly protein flood for muscle repair.
2.3 Bitcoin‑Fueled Autonomy
Kim often links financial sovereignty (stacking sats) with physical sovereignty—lifting without sponsorships or coach oversight.
3. Training Pillars
Pillar | What It Looks Like | Why He Says It Works |
Super‑Heavy Partials | Rack‑pulls, top‑range squats, isometric holds at 700‑1,100 lb | “Train the tendons and central nervous system to fear nothing.” |
Hypelifting Rituals | Loud self‑talk, slapping plates, “I AM” mantra before each pull | Spikes adrenaline, boosts maximal voluntary contraction. |
Daily Micro‑Sessions | 10‑minute trap bar holds, push‑ups between emails | Keeps connective tissue under near‑constant stimulus. |
Explosive Thigh Focus | High‑volume walking lunges, sled drags | Kim calls powerful legs “the mark of a real god.” |
4. Sample “Demigod Week”
Note: Kim rarely posts rigid templates; the outline below synthesizes dozens of logs and vlogs.
Day | AM (Fast) | PM (Post‑Meal) |
Mon | Heavy rack‑pull singles (work up to 85‑90 % of PR) | 50 pull‑ups, static flexing |
Tue | Isometric overhead lockouts (bar in pins) | 5×20 walking lunges |
Wed | Off / active walk | Full‑body calisthenics circuit |
Thu | Atlas‑lift squat holds (blocks) | Trap bar shrugs to failure |
Fri | Max dip & push‑up supersets | Light jog, core work |
Sat | GoPro‑filmed PR attempt (YouTube content) | Sauna + stretching |
Sun | Complete rest | Philosophical journaling |
Sources: aggregated from vlog timestamps and written logs.
5. Controversies & Critiques
- Partial Range of Motion – Critics argue his 6.8×BW rack‑pull is performed from knee‑height, inflating numbers. Kim claps back: “ROM is irrelevant—load is absolute.”
- Safety vs. Spectacle – Lifting barefoot on cinder blocks outdoors has raised eyebrows among coaches. Kim counters that environmental volatility breeds resilience.
6. Demigod Take‑Aways for
You
- Leverage Mindset Before Muscles – A primal war‑cry or power pose can raise neural drive; adopt a pre‑lift ritual that jacks up your excitement.
- Strategic Partials – Sprinkle heavy pin pulls or quarter squats to accustom joints and CNS to supra‑max loads—but sandwich them with full‑ROM work for balanced strength.
- Fast, Feast, Rebuild – A daily 20‑ to 22‑hour fast followed by a high‑protein, low‑carb feast can shred fat while maintaining muscle if it aligns with your lifestyle.
- Document the Journey – Filming lifts (even just for yourself) provides data, accountability, and hype—fuel for progressive overload.
- Own Your Narrative – Whether it’s “Demigod,” “Super‑Saiyan,” or “Spartan,” a personal myth can galvanize training far beyond sets and reps.
Bottom Line
Channeling Eric Kim means smashing iron under sky‑high arousal, eating like a midnight carnivore king, and wielding language as pre‑workout for the soul. Strip out the theatrics and you still have a proven triad—progressive overload, caloric discipline, and relentless self‑belief. Add the theatrics back in, and you might just feel like a demigod while you’re at it. Now cue your war‑song, chalk your hands, and go turn gravity into your sparring partner! 💥