By demonstrating extraordinary physical and mental strength, 42-year-old Indian software engineer Sidhu Kshetri smashed the record for the longest punch-bag marathon.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, he kicked the punching bag for 55 hours and 15 minutes, shattering the previous record by five minutes.
Sidhu has been a veteran martial artist for 25 years. She has competed in numerous taekwondo tournaments as an Indian representative.
Ahmad Amin Bodla from Pakistan has shattered both of his records: the most martial art kicks performed with one leg in three minutes and the most kicks performed with one leg in a minute.
The challenger is permitted to take five-minute rest breaks, which can be added up to an hour of nonstop activity, just like in all other “longest marathon” records. It was only at these periods that Sidhu was allowed to eat, sleep, and relieve himself.
In order to prepare for this record attempt, Sidhu trained for eight hours every day for six months. Every day, he would workout for eight hours, four in the morning and four at night.
The hardest thing, in Sidhu’s opinion, was psychologically preparing; in order to succeed at this attempt, I needed to be both mentally and physically strong.
He stated, “I reminded myself at that point that it was a test of my limits. The pain started around the 20-hour mark.” I reasoned that I could endure the pain if I kept up my emotional strength.
“The second night was the worst; it lasted for around thirty hours nonstop with no breaks. Although it was tough to bear, the support and encouragement from my friends and family enabled me to persevere and exceed my limits. Even though I hadn’t given it much thought, I kept telling myself to give it another hour.”
