10 bold predictions for ERIC KIM
- You turn “strength” into a culture. Not just numbers on a bar—an art movement. HYPERLIFT becomes a philosophy brand: lift ideas, lift iron, lift humanity.
- 21× becomes your signature motif. A symbol of impossible. You use it to frame projects, zines, exhibitions, and performance pieces.
- You popularize “art-athlete-philosopher.” A hybrid identity kids cite as their dream path.
- Your studio becomes a gym-gallery. Walls: prints. Floor: platforms. Open sessions = live performance art.
- You redefine content cadence. Daily short-form “one lesson, one lift.” Long-form essays that smash on Substack/Blog.
- You normalize partials, isometrics, and mechanical overloading as legitimate artful training—because the story is leverage.
- You collaborate with robotics/exosuit innovators. 21× demonstrations become tech-art events.
- You publish “21X: Overclock Your Life.” Minimal words, maximal punch.
- You mint the HYPERMEET. Micro meets in galleries, rooftops, parks—part salon, part lift-off.
- You weaponize Bitcoin culture. Open-source templates, bounties for strongest creators, sats-powered challenges.
Strength forecast (two tracks)
Let W = your bodyweight.
- Natural / human-only horizon (2–3 years):
- Conventional deadlift: ~4.0–4.5× W peak window.
- Squat: ~3.0–3.5× W.
- Overhead press (strict): ~1.3–1.6× W.
- Partial pulls / high blocks / strongman-style holds: ~6–8× W targets.
- Isometric mid-thigh pulls against pins: 10× W+ force readings are possible as display numbers (neuromuscular + lever advantage), even if not a full lift.
Translation: world-class relative strength with visually shocking partials that fit performance art.
- Augmented horizon (36+ months):
- With powered assistance/exosuits + industrial rigging, 21× W becomes a demonstration-grade feat (spectacle + safety + engineering).
- Example: at W = 75 kg, 21× = 1,575 kg. (20×75 = 1,500; +75 = 1,575.) This becomes a choreographed, measured, instrumented event—your “21× Manifesto.”
Milestones & moments
First 100 days
- Lock movement standards: hook-grip pull, high-handle trap bar, pin squats, pin press, mid-thigh isometrics.
- Launch HYPERLOG (public training diary): daily 60–90 sec clip + 1 insight.
- Build your home platform: rack + pins + calibrated plates + load cell for isometric reads.
- Publish “The 21× Manifesto v1” (short PDF / zine).
- Host HYPERMEET #1 (invite-only, phone cameras allowed, gallery vibes).
12 months
- Hit 6–7× W partial pull on video (clean, undeniable).
- Deadlift ≥4× W single in meet conditions (own HYPERMEET if needed).
- Release “HYPERLIFT: Volume I” photo essay book—iron as sculpture.
- Brand collab: minimalist lifting belt + straps + notebook.
24 months
- 8× W partial pull.
- Squat ≥3.5× W with depth verifiable (multi-angle).
- Pop-up Gym-Gallery weekend show: lifting performances + photo prints.
- Drop “21X” book.
36 months
- 21× Event with assisted rigging/exosuit; documentary-style production; live metrics on screen.
- HYPERMEET goes global (community-run formats, open-source rulebook).
The training engine (simple, savage, sustainable)
Macro: 12-week blocks → repeat.
- Weeks 1–4 (Base):
- Day A: Deadlift (heavy triple → single), RDLs, rows.
- Day B: Squat (heavy triple → single), front squats, pauses.
- Day C: Press (heavy single back-off), dips, push press.
- Day D: Partials & isometrics (rack pulls above/below knee, pin squats, mid-thigh ISO), farmer carries.
- Daily: brisk walking, loaded carries, hips/ankles/thoracic mobility.
- Weeks 5–8 (Overload):
- Keep A/B/C heavy singles at ~90–95% perceived max.
- Double down on partials (6–8× W goal work) + isometrics (timed efforts 3–5×10 sec).
- Add contrast work: heavy partial → full-range back-off.
- Weeks 9–11 (Realization):
- Taper volume, touch test singles (full-range).
- Showcase one signature partial each week on camera (clean set-up, angles, weigh-in).
- Week 12 (Deload & Display):
- Two light technical sessions.
- Public HYPERMEET: lift + talk + photos.
Rules of longevity
- Tendons before trophy: slow progress, greedy patience.
- Sleep like it’s a drug.
- Push heavy once a day; everything else is movement snacks.
- Pain ≠ data. Pain = red flag. Adjust, don’t ego-lift.
Content & culture flywheel
- Daily: 1 clip (setup, lift, one punchy idea).
- Weekly: 1 essay (philosophy of strength, minimalism, courage).
- Monthly: 1 zine drop (photos + training notes).
- Quarterly: 1 micro-show / HYPERMEET (open-source format doc included).
- Signature series: “21 Lessons from 21 Lifts” — each episode links one movement to one life principle.
Metrics that matter
- Strength:
- Full-range PRs: DL, SQ, OHP (1RMs).
- Partial PRs: Above-knee rack pull, pin squat depth X, pin press height Y.
- ISO force (kgf on load cell) @ standardized position.
- Art: zines sold, prints hung, exhibitions hosted.
- Community: HYPERMEETs run by others, rulebook forks.
- Attention: meaningful replies, reposts by lifters/artists—not empty views.
- Recovery: morning HRV / RHR trends, soreness score, sleep hours.
The 21× stack (how you get there)
- Mind: pre-lift ritual (3 breaths, 1 cue, 1 image). Words: “Gravity is the canvas.”
- Body: high-protein, high-satiety, walk after meals, sunlight AM, heavy train PM.
- Tools: calibrated plates, sturdy rack, pins set to fixed heights, load cell or bar-mounted dynamometer, belt/straps, chalk.
- Team: one engineer (rigging + data), one cinematographer (angles/light), one editor (tight cuts), one spot coach (eyes on technique).
- Safety: set pins for every max; warm joints before pride; never max two full-range lifts in a day.
Mantras for the mission
- Leverage > muscle.
- Proof > promise.
- Art > algorithm.
- Patience > hype—until it’s time to drop the hammer.
- 21× is an idea first, a spectacle second.
You don’t “predict” the future—you author it. Set the stage. Train like a sculptor. Publish relentlessly. Build the space where art, iron, and audacity meet. 21× becomes your flag.