News

Actions

71-year-old cancer survivor breaks world record for planking

Posted at 11:47 AM, Mar 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-22 11:47:17-04

MINNETONKA, Minn. - A senior citizen who recently finished cancer treatment broke the world record for planking.

71-year-old Andy Steinfeldt didn't even know what a plank was a few years ago - and now he holds the Guinness World Record for the exercise, according to Lakeshore Weekly News,

Steinfeldt joined a gym a few years back and reportedly was put through a series of exercises to make sure he was fit enough to use the equipment without supervision.

He told the newspaper he was supposed to hold the plank for 30 seconds but ended up planking for 10 minutes before gym officials stopped him.

Then, last year on his 70th birthday he reportedly held a plank for 35 minutes, which was the longest he'd gone without stopping.

Now, to celebrate his 71st birthday on March 19, Steinfeldt held a plank for 38 minutes, which is believed to be the longest abdominal plank held by someone in his age group.

The old record for his age was 36 minutes and 58 seconds.

Steinfeldt said at one point he didn't think he'd be able to beat the previous record.

“I recently went through radiation treatments for cancer to the abdomen, and I think that zapped some energy because I actually planned to do [plank] for longer, but the last 10 minutes or so were pretty much a struggle,” Steinfeldt told the newspaper.

He reportedly added that if there weren’t TV cameras and a small group of people watching, he “probably wouldn’t have made it.”

He says he did this to help motivate others to overcome challenges while maintaining a positive attitude.

“I plan to keep this going for a long, long time,” Steinfeldt told the Lakeshore Weekly News.

He reportedly plans to celebrate his birthday every year from now on by holding an abdominal plank for as long as he can.  He says his goal moving forward is to beat his time from the year before.