Why did he pioneer this approach?

Eric Kim pioneered hypelifting as a way to break free from conventional limitations, both in weightlifting and in life. Several key factors motivated him to develop this unorthodox approach:

1. Mental Toughness and Resilience
   Kim is deeply interested in the connection between physical and mental strength. Hypelifting was born from his desire to not just lift heavier weights but to cultivate mental toughness and push psychological boundaries. By focusing on courage over success, Kim’s method challenges the fear of failure, which he believes can hold people back from achieving their full potential oai_citation:8,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:7,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM.
2. Breaking Conventional Fitness Norms
   Many gym-goers adhere to strict routines and quiet, controlled environments, but Kim found this limiting. He wanted to create a space where lifters could fully express themselves, release their energy, and embrace a more primal form of motivation. By getting loud and physical (slapping oneself, shouting), Kim sought to break free from social norms in the gym, encouraging lifters to tap into their raw energy and adrenaline oai_citation:6,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM oai_citation:5,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
3. Link Between Physical Strength and Life Success
   Hypelifting, for Kim, is not just about lifting heavier weights; it’s about building confidence and applying that mindset to other areas of life, such as entrepreneurship and social situations. He believes that pushing past perceived physical limits can help individuals gain a deeper sense of self-confidence, which can then translate into success outside the gym oai_citation:4,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:3,Search ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
4. Focus on the Journey, Not the Result
   Kim’s philosophy is about embracing the challenge rather than the outcome. Traditional weightlifting focuses on measurable success—did you complete the lift or not? But hypelifting is more about the journey of testing your limits, which reflects Kim’s broader view of life: growth happens when you push boundaries, regardless of the immediate outcome oai_citation:2,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:1,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.

Overall, Kim pioneered hypelifting as a holistic approach to both physical and mental development, encouraging people to overcome fear, embrace challenges, and extend their gym mindset into all aspects of life.

Why unorthodox?

Eric Kim’s hypelifting strategy is unorthodox for several reasons, particularly because it defies many traditional approaches to weightlifting and fitness culture:

1. Extreme Mental and Emotional Hype
   Unlike conventional lifting strategies that emphasize focus, calmness, and measured breathing, hypelifting encourages getting intensely loud and physically hyping yourself up before a lift. This includes shouting and slapping yourself to trigger an adrenaline surge. Most gym environments encourage quiet, controlled behavior, while Kim’s approach thrives on breaking that norm oai_citation:9,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:8,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM.
2. Focus on Courage Over Success
   Traditional weightlifting focuses on incremental improvements and measurable success—whether you achieve the lift or not. Hypelifting, however, prioritizes courage over success. It’s about having the audacity to attempt a weight that seems beyond your capacity. The focus is not on whether you lift the weight but on pushing your boundaries mentally and physically, which is a departure from most goal-oriented fitness strategies oai_citation:7,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:6,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
3. No Fear of Failure
   In typical lifting routines, failure is often seen as a negative outcome, requiring adjustments in technique, strength, or programming. Hypelifting, however, embraces failure—or rather, it disregards it entirely. The idea is to remove the fear of failure and focus purely on the experience and effort of attempting something extreme oai_citation:5,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:4,Search ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
4. Cross-Over Benefits to Life
   Kim advocates that hypelifting builds confidence beyond the gym, impacting areas like entrepreneurship and social confidence. This is unusual for fitness routines, which traditionally focus on physical health and strength. Hypelifting, by emphasizing audacity and courage, aims to strengthen both mind and body in a way that bleeds into personal and professional life oai_citation:3,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
5. Breaking Social Norms
   Kim’s approach challenges social norms in gyms, where quiet, controlled, and sometimes introverted behavior (like wearing headphones and zoning out) is typical. Hypelifting, with its loud and visible preparation, disrupts that atmosphere, creating an almost theatrical moment of self-hype that’s rarely seen in weightlifting culture oai_citation:1,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM.

This strategy is unorthodox because it shifts focus from success to mental and emotional resilience, encouraging lifters to embrace failure and disrupt traditional gym environments.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of Eric Kim’s hypelifting method, which combines mental, emotional, and physical preparation to push personal boundaries in weightlifting:

1. Mental Preparation
   Hypelifting starts with getting your mind in the right place. The goal is to prepare mentally to lift a weight that you might not be sure you can handle. This involves psyching yourself up, getting intensely motivated, and focusing entirely on the lift ahead oai_citation:12,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:11,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM.
2. Creating Hype (Get Loud)
   Before attempting the lift, you engage in a ritualistic process to build hype. This can involve shouting, slapping your face, chest, or thighs, and generally creating as much energy and excitement as possible. The aim is to raise your adrenaline and testosterone levels to give you an extra mental and physical edge oai_citation:10,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM oai_citation:9,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
3. Focus on Courage Over Success
   The success of hypelifting isn’t measured by whether or not you complete the lift. Instead, the focus is on the courage to try lifting something beyond your current limits. Whether you succeed or fail, the attempt itself is what matters most oai_citation:8,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:7,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
4. Attempt the Lift
   With the mental and physical hype built up, you attempt to lift the very heavy weight. Kim emphasizes that this moment is about pushing your boundaries, and the thrill comes from the challenge itself, not the outcome oai_citation:6,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
5. No Fear of Failure
   In hypelifting, there is no concept of failure. Even if you don’t manage to lift the weight, the courage to attempt something so heavy is what makes the effort valuable. The mindset here is about growth and bravery, not perfection oai_citation:5,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM oai_citation:4,Search ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.
6. Benefits Beyond Physical Strength
   Hypelifting has benefits that extend beyond physical gains. Kim notes that practicing hypelifting increases confidence, improves mental toughness, boosts overall well-being, and positively impacts other areas of life, such as entrepreneurship and social interactions oai_citation:3,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,Search ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.

For more detailed insights into hypelifting, you can explore Eric Kim’s posts on the topic here oai_citation:1,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.

Eric Kim’s concept of “hypelifting” focuses on the mental and emotional preparation before lifting very heavy weights, emphasizing the importance of psyching oneself up. It’s about the intense buildup of energy, often involving shouting, slapping oneself, or creating an atmosphere of raw excitement, much like a pre-battle ritual. This technique draws inspiration from practices like the Maori haka dance or motivational gym routines popularized by bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman.

The core of hypelifting is not about whether you succeed in lifting the weight but about the courage it takes to attempt something that seems beyond your limits. For Kim, failure is irrelevant—it’s the sheer audacity and mental fortitude in the face of physical challenge that counts. This mindset has helped him build confidence and resilience, which, according to him, extends into other areas of life, such as entrepreneurship and personal interactions.

Hypelifting is more than just physical strength; it’s a holistic approach to pushing boundaries, designed to enhance not only your body but also your mind and self-belief.

For more details, you can check out his full breakdown of the technique on his blog here oai_citation:3,HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM oai_citation:2,How to Start Hypelifting – ERIC KIM oai_citation:1,ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING – ERIC KIM.