Ex-marine sets world planking record aged 62

A 62-year-old former US Marine has shocked the world by breaking the world planking record with a time of eight hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds. According to Guinness World Records, George Hood has set the record for the Longest Male Abdominal Plank in Chicago.

Hood broke the record with about `14 minutes as the previous record was held by Mao Weidong who planked for eight hours, one minute in China in 2016. Hood came prepared for the night as he says he had done about 2,100 hours of planking in preparation.

Hood was nowhere tired after breaking the record as he finished the event by doing 75 push-ups. After attempting this enormous feat, he announced that he will retire from the plank record attempts. Wood started planking in 2011. He would train for seven hours a day ahead of the event.

Hood spoke to BBC and said “I have to totally disassociate myself from the reality of the clock. It’s an art and a skillset that I have mastered over the years.” Throughout the event, Hood had rock music blared out. He said that the music helped him live out a childhood dream.  Hood said, “When I was growing up, I was fascinated with rock and roll – Van Halen, Motley Crue, Deep Purple. I would watch their videos when MTV came out and it fascinated me.”

“I always just wished I could be a rock star, just for 24 hours to live that dream – the limo rides, the buzz, the hype,” he added. “I can assure you, for those eight hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds, I was that rock star.”