For years, fitness has been an hugely popular record category at Guinness World Records.
In fact, in the 1969 version of Guinness World Records book, the heaviest deadlift was featured on a whole page dedicated to weight-lifting (the record was 820lbs, or 371kg).
Ever since then, our record breakers have pushed their bodies to the extreme in order to have their names forever immortalised in our history books.
Let's take a look at some of the most hardcore fitness records on our database.
Longest plank
George Hood (USA) is a former Marine and planned his attempt to serve as a tribute to veterans of the armed forces.
The plank is a static exercise which works on your core and can burn up to 5 calories with every minute spent in the position.
George spent eight hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds in the plank position, with only his forearms and toes touching the ground.
It’s an even more impressive feat when you learn that George was 63 when he set this record in February 2020.
Five women and five men have held this record in their own categories respectively and for comparison, the average plank time is between 10 and 50 seconds!
Dana Glowacka (Canada), who currently holds the female version, is friends with George Hood and he even helped her prepare for this record attempt.
Spending four hours, 19 minutes and 55 seconds in the plank position, Dana smashed the previous women’s record by 48 minutes.
The Canadian took on this record after her son found the record when reading a Guinness World Records book and realized his mum could give it a go.
Most burpees in 24 hours (female)
Eva Clarke (Australia) holds multiple female fitness records including this amazing burpee feat.
Attempted at the Dubai Autodrome in 2015, Eva completed 12,003 burpees within the time limit to raise money for the charity World Child Cancer.
Coincidentally, Eva also set the records for most burpees in one hour AND 12 hours as well as eventually setting the 24 hour record.
The record for the most burpees in one minute (female) is held by Leigh Scott (UK) with 40, the male equivalent is 48 set by Brazilian Wesley Prado.
Most full extension punches in one minute
The full extension punch record requires the participant to fully extend and then retract the elbow joint, similar to how a boxer would perform a jab.
Boxing is a great form of exercise, with an hour of pad punching capable of burning up to 500 calories!
Current record holder Pavel Trusov (Slovakia) has set this record twice, both in 2020, and also holds the record for the three minute version too.
His most recent attempt means the record now stands at 334 punches in 60 seconds - an average of over five punches a second!
Heaviest sumo deadlift in one minute (female)
Tolu Odukoya (USA) created a list of 30 things she wanted to do before she turned 30 - achieving a Guinness World Records title was one of them.
Deadlifts are a weights-assisted exercise that involve lifting the weight from the floor to around your waistline by extending your arms and legs.
Using a 70 kilogram bar, Tolu, who is originally from Nigeria, achieved 44 sumo deadlifts to reach a grand total of 3,080 kilograms.
The male record is held by Raymond Saraiva (USA) with a staggering total of 10,548.74 kg (23,256 lb) deadlifted in one minute.
Raymond completed 57 sumo deadlift repetitions with 185.1 kg (408 lb).
Longest duration to maintain a human flag
This record was first set back in 2007 by Dominic Lacasse (Canada) at 31 seconds but the current record more than doubles this opening tally.
On the set of CCTV Guinness World Records Special in China, Wang Zhonghua managed to spend one minute and 5.71 seconds in the human flag position.
To maintain this position, the body has to be at an angle greater than 90 degrees - the applicant is essentially a floating flag!
It is widely considered as one of the most difficult exercises to complete.
Most weight lifted with Atlas Stone lifts in one minute
Atlas Stones are synonymous with strength competitions, in particular the World's Strongest Man contests.
Made out of solid stone and varying in weight, they are lifted onto a platform before being returned to the floor in this record attempt.
CrossFit-extraordinaire Michelle Kinney was the first holder in the women's category, lifting 539.77 kg (1,189.98 lb) in just 60 seconds.
She has also set the standard for the three minute version too, lifting 1,397.06 kg (3,079.99 lbs). She set both records on the same day.
Michelle holds three records in total. Her third is for the most burpee pull ups in one minute (female) with 19.
The male equivalent for the most burpee pull ups in one minute was set in June 2020 at 25 by Ranvir Denai (India).
Fastest explosive pull up ascent (7 m)
You may recognize this record if you’ve seen television shows like Ninja Warrior.
Contestants must use a vertical bar to climb up a frame by thrusting their bodies in the air.
Tazio Gavioli (Italy) set this record on the set of Italian show La Notte dei Record at just 10.27 seconds.
He nearly halved his time he had set two years previously which was 19.5 seconds!
Tazio also holds the record for the most consecutive pinky pull ups which he set back in 7 October 2018.
Using just his little finger on each hand, he was able to achieve 36 pull ups in a row before failing to have the energy for a 37th.
He broke his own record of 23 and has an additional application in to try and reach 40 in the future!
NEW RECORD: The most consecutive L-seat straddle presses to handstand was achieved by @stefaniemilli in Salzburg, Austria.#GWRDay 🤸♀️ pic.twitter.com/B43NzitheT
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) November 18, 2020
Most consecutive L-sit straddle presses to handstands
This fitness move is common in gymnastics and requires an incredible amount of upper body strength and flexibility, something Stefanie Millinger (Austria) knows all too well.
Stefanie set this record as part of Guinness World Records Day 2020 in Salzburg, Austria, on 29 September 2020.
She achieved an arm-trembling 402 consecutives moves without any breaks.
Most push ups in one hour (male)
One of Guinness World Records’ most applied for titles is the most push/press ups in one hour.
The push-up is widely renowned as one of the toughest endurance exercises and to be applicable for the record, applicants arms must bend at 90 degrees at the elbow.
Jarrad Young (Australia) currently holds this record and actually broke his own record to cement his legacy.
Originally setting a total of 2,806 in 2018, he bettered it in June 2020 by completed 2,919 push ups.
He’s previously stated that he now wants to go on to break the 3,000 barrier.
This record has been held by five different fitness fanatics over the last seven years - including three record reigns for fellow Australian Carlton Williams.
Abdollah Skaty (Syria) decided to double the difficulty by using just one arm and one leg for his push up record.
In one minute, he managed 51 push ups and hoped that the achievement could help him obtain a scholarship from a British university.
Most handstand push ups in one minute (male)
To set this record, participants must get into a handstand position before then flexing and extending the arms - similar to a normal push up.
However, maintaining a stable base is key if you want to achieve this title.
Siarhei Kudayeu (Belarus) had just that, managing to set a target of 51 which has yet to be beaten.
The Belarusian originally set this record with 36 handstand push ups in one minute before he was overtaken with 37 by Armenian Manvel Mamoyan.
Siarhei saw his record has been beaten, and just five months later reclaimed his title and stomped his authority on this category - beating the previous record by 14!
Heaviest seated deadlift (male)
Martin Tye is as inspirational as they come.
After becoming paralyzed in both of his lower legs whilst serving for the British Army in Afghanistan and suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it was only sport that helped him somewhat recover.
He's competed in multiple Invictus Games and at the North Somerset Strongest Man event in 2019, he became a record holder for the heaviest seated deadlift (male).
The weight was 505 kg (1,113 lb 5 oz), five kilograms more than fellow Brit Eddie Hall had managed when setting the record for the heaviest strongman deadlift at the World Deadlift Championships 2016.
Hafthor Julius Bjornsson (Iceland), who played The Mountain in HBO's Game Of Thrones, holds the record for the heaviest deadlift in one repetition at 501 kg (1,104.5 lb).
In the build-up to his event, Martin ate around 8,000 calories a day and has now gone on to signal his intention for more records.
"I know I've not hit my potential yet, there’s still more in there and hopefully when I unlock that I'll go on to lift an even bigger weight."
Which of these incredible records impressed you the most?
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