Ashrita Furman has set more than 160 official Guinness records over the past 25 years and currently holds 67 records, more than any other individual. (A complete list of Ashrita’s current records can be found on his website).

Life and Records

Early life

Ashrita was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1954, the same year the Guinness Book of Records was conceived and the year Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile. Ashrita was fascinated with the Guinness Book of World Records as a child but never thought he could ever break a record, since he was very nonathletic. For other meanings, see Brooklyn (disambiguation). ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ... Bannister was chosen as the first Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year for his accomplishments in 1954. ... This article is about the running of a mile in under four minutes. ...

That all changed when, as a teenager, Ashrita became interested in Eastern spirituality and in 1970 became a devout follower of the Indian mystic Sri Chinmoy. Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy of self-transcendence inspired Ashrita to participate in a 24-hour bicycle race in New York City's Central Park in 1978. With only two weeks' training, Ashrita tied for third place overall, cycling 405 miles. As he later described the experience, “It was one of the most profound moments of my life. As I climbed off my bicycle, I realized that it wasn't my body that had cycled for 24 hours, but my inner Spirit. By using meditation I was able to connect with an inexhaustible energy which we all have but rarely use. At that moment I decided to attempt breaking Guinness records to inspire others to connect with their own indomitable inner strength.”^[1] Sri Chinmoy (Bengali: )(born August 27, 1931), originally Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, is an Indian philosopher, spiritual teacher (guru), musician, and author. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

First record

In 1979, Ashrita thought he was sexy and set his first official record by doing 27,000 jumping jacks. In 1986, Ashrita invented and set the record for underwater pogo stick jumping and introduced it on Good Morning America on April Fools Day. That same year Ashrita began setting records at historic landmarks by doing forward rolls along the entire 12 ¼ mile route of Paul Revere's Ride in Massachusetts and jumping 11 ½ miles up and down the foothills of Mount Fuji on a pogo stick. Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... This article is about the physical exercise. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... An adult using a Pogo Stick A pogo stick is a device, usually considered a childrens toy, used for hopping up and down. ... Good Morning America is a weekday morning news show that is broadcast on the ABC television network. ... — Mark Twain April Fools Day or All Fools Day is a notable day, though not of its own right a holiday, celebrated in many countries on April 1. ... This Paul Revere Statue in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts, was made by Cyrus Dallin and unveiled on September 22, 1940. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Mount Fuji Mount Fuji , IPA: )  , is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,338 ft). ...

At the Pyramids in Egypt, setting the world record for walking the longest distance while balancing a pool cue.

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Records around the world

Ashrita has managed a health food store in Jamaica, NY since 1982. He is also a tour conductor for his meditation group and is therefore able to travel extensively. Ashrita had set records in more than 30 countries and completed his goal of breaking a record in all 7 continents when he set the mile hula hoop record at Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) in the Australian desert in 2003. Ashrita has also set records at such famous landmarks as the Egyptian pyramids (distance pool cue balancing), Stonehenge (standing on a Swiss ball), the Eiffel Tower (most sit ups in an hour), the Great Wall of China (hopping on a space hopper) and Angkor Wat (jumping rope on a pogo stick). While in China, Ashrita broke the record for running 8 kilometers (5 miles) on stilts, a record which had stood since 1892. Major Mark Park Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. ... , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... All Giza Pyramids Map of Giza pyramid complex. ... This article needs cleanup. ... For other uses, see Stonehenge (disambiguation). ... A Swiss ball allows a wide range of exercises to be performed. ... The Eiffel Tower (French: , ) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris. ... “Great Wall” redirects here. ... Dangermouse Space Hopper is also a main character in the novel, Flatterland. ... Aerial view of Angkor Wat The main entrance to the temple proper, seen from the eastern end of the Naga causeway Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. ... An 1800 depiction of jumping rope A jump rope, skipping rope or skip rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played by children and many young adults, where one or more participants jump over a spinning rope so that it passes under their feet and over... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Ashrita breaking the record for balancing on a Swiss ball (2 hours 16 mins 2 seconds) at Stonehenge, July 22 2003.

Ashrita does the records in a spirit of joy and is partial to records in such children’s activities as hopping (fastest mile on one leg), skipping without a jump rope (fastest marathon), hopscotch (most games in 24 hours), tiddlywinks (fastest mile), and top spinning (longest continuous time). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... An 1800 depiction of jumping rope A jump rope, rope skipping, skipping rope or skip rope is the primary tool used in the game of skipping played by children and many young adults, where one or more participants jump over a spinning rope so that it passes under their feet... For other uses, see Hopscotch (disambiguation). ... // Tiddlywinks is a game played with sets of small, thin discs (called winks) lying on a surface, usually a felt mat. ... For other uses, see Top (disambiguation). ...

Creating new records

Ashrita has also been a pioneer in setting records in several new activities including landrowing. Using a converted indoor rower with wheels and brakes, Ashrita rowed 1500 miles in 16 days in Bali in 1991. Ashrita also developed the sport of gluggling, underwater juggling, which he did for 48 minutes at Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World in Auckland, New Zealand in 2002 and distance sack racing which Ashrita did for a mile while racing against a yak in Mongolia in 2007. A row of Concept2 Model C indoor rowers An indoor rower is a machine used to simulate the action of watercraft rowing for the purpose of exercise or training for rowing. ... This article is about the Indonesian island. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Auckland (disambiguation). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... For other uses, see Yak (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Ashrita breaking the Guinness World Record for spinning the world's largest hula hoop.

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References

• Official website of Ashrita Furman
• Guinness Book of World Records website
• "Scorecard/World Records: The Question Is Why? Ashrita Furman has hopped, juggled and yodeled to 57 Guinness marks." by John Walters, Sports Illustrated, November 2, 1998, pp. R16+
• "Got Milk? Hula Hoop? It's a Record!; He's Guinness's King Of Strange Feats, All for Inner Peace" by Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, June 12, 2003 [1]
• "On Top of the World," Reader's Digest, Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, NY, December 2004, p. 24.