He did it!
In an effort to promote a new fitness program at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center, Bradford Alan, a fitness instructor and student at The University, unofficially broke the world record Friday for most push-ups performed in one minute.
Alan, who had to do more than 116 push-ups to break the record of Sgt. Paul Dean of the Royal Marines in the UK, said he trained for the event for about a month. On Friday, without a grunt or a drop of sweat, he did 123 push-ups in one minute — not once, but twice.
“They offered me once with two cameras or twice with one camera, so I am going to do it twice,” Alan said, referring to a “Guinness Book of World Records” rule that requires proof of the performance. Alan won’t be officially awarded the record until Guinness has reviewed the tape.
“I feel a little tight,” he said after knocking out the first 123. “I was going faster than I normally go. I usually have a clock, and this time I have a counter.”
Five minutes later, he was at it again.
“It gets your blood circulating,” he said. “I’m a little tired, but I’m not as tight as the first time.”
Alan said his performance Friday could be attributed to what he calls muscular endurance training, a fitness program he teaches at the Recreation and Fitness Center. He said it’s the same type of program martial arts performer Bruce Lee used to stay in incredible physical shape.
“The biggest benefit is increased strength,” he said. He added, though, that increased blood circulation and speed are also major benefits of the program.
Erika Dillard, a student at The University and a client of Alan, said she is seeing and feeling the results.
“I have more stamina as far as weights are concerned ... and cardio,” she said. Dillard added she also feels like she has more energy after the workout than she usually had.
Dillard’s workout regimen begins with 15 minutes of cardiovascular training, then one hour of weight training and finally 25 more minutes of cardiovascular work.
Alan said the cardiovascular work before and after weight training “makes all of the difference.”
“People tell me they are not sore like they expected to be.”
For the program to be effective, Alan said it must be done at least three to four days a week and must include a diet containing protein.
He said he wants people to realize they are “far more capable of accomplishing more than they expect of themselves.”
The program, which Alan said he hopes will be made permanent by The University in the future, is currently free of cost. For more information, call 678-2811.
