Pull-ups are notoriously one of the toughest bodyweight exercises there is. So imagine doing 4000 of them in just 24 hours. This is exactly what Dutch fitness YouTuber Stan Browney set out to achieve in a recent challenge.
Inspired by David Goggins, so called “toughest man alive”, who in 2013 set a new world record for most pull-ups in 24 hours, Browney’s target was to beat this record over 24 hours. Let’s say it wasn’t exactly plain sailing.
The Challenge
Stan was accompanied by his buddy Arjen, who was also taking on Goggins’ record. Their objective was to beat David Goggins’ 2013 world record of 4030 pull-ups in 24 hours. This meant averaging 168 pull-ups every hour or about 2.8 every minute.
The Strategy
The plan was simple but tough: each of them would complete five pull-ups per minute while the other rested.
During breaks, they’d rehydrate, massage their arms with ice, and take on energy in bite-size snacks of fruit.
The First 1000
The first 1000 pull-ups went as smoothly as they could have hoped for given the ask. Efficiency was key, even when it came to toilet breaks.
There was an early warning sign: Arjen was burning calories twice as fast as Stan, with his heart rate consistently at 130 bpm compared to Stan’s 110. But despite this, they both hit 1000 pull-ups in just four hours, averaging 250 per hour. They were well on track.
Reaching 2000
As they aimed for 2000 pull-ups, they encountered the first bump in the road. Arjen’s form began to deteriorate, and cramps became more frequent. An ice bucket provided some initial relief, but it didn’t last. A change of plan was needed.
Stan and Arjen considered resting for 10 minutes or even sleeping, but that risked putting their bodies into full recovery mode, potentially ending the challenge. Still, seven hours deep they reached the 2000 milestone, choosing to skip a minute for some extra rest.
Hitting 3000
By this point, the challenge was really taking a physical toll. Cracks were showing — literally. Both Stan and Arjen’s hands were covered in blisters, which they both taped up, at the same time reducing the pull-up rate from five per minute to four.
Even so, Arjen continued to struggle. He wasn’t eating enough, and his form got even worse. At the 10-hour mark, with 2864 pull-ups completed, he felt a tear in his biceps and had to drop out of the challenge. Off he went to the hospital, leaving Stan to complete the challenge alone.
The Final Stretch
On hitting 3000, Stan changed his strategy once again, taking breaks every five minutes rather than reducing the reps. With only 1000 pull-ups left he was just about hanging on.
But he pushed through, despite feeling sick and having little appetite. Support from Arjen and the team was all he had to keep him going.
A New Goal
As Stan approached the final stretch, the team let him know that the Dutch record for pull-ups was 4040. With this new goal in mind, he pushed himself even harder, increasing his reps to 6-7 per set.
At 5am, after 13 hours of grueling effort, Stan not only broke David Goggins' record but also became the Dutch record holder with an incredible 4069 pull-ups, and with seven hours to spare.
Take Home Message
After 13 hours, countless toilet breaks, and a muscle tear, Stan Browney beat the record with 4069 pull-ups. What an achievement. In Arjen's words, “If I’d have anyone carry a boat, Stan would be the one to do it.”
To see more of Browney taking on fitness challenges, subscribe to his YouTube channel.
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