Whew! 139 push-ups in 60 seconds
By Dustin Lemmon, dlemmon@qconline.com
Photo: Jenny Butler
Martial arts instructor John Morrow strains toward the end of his 60-second push-up marathon on Saturday afternoon. He finished with 139, six over the current record of 133, but the record will have to be confirmed through videotape with Guinness World Records in England. MOLINE -- Martial arts instructor John Morrow unofficially broke a world record for push-ups within a minute Saturday afternoon. Mustering his all-time best effort, he finished with a total of 139 in 60 seconds, six over the previous high in the Guinness World Records. Two cameras were set up to record the event, one in front of Mr. Morrow and one on his left side. The tapes will be sent to Guinness World Records in England for review, Mr. Morrow said. Ryan Morrow, Mr. Morrow's son and the person who kept time during the record-breaking effort, said it should take four to six weeks for them to learn whether the record counts. Jennifer Morrow, Mr. Morrow's daughter, said it was the first time she'd ever seen her father do speed push-ups. "He was exhausted afterward," she said, adding she was proud of him. "He definitely put his all into it." Kelly DeSmith, one of the people recording the event, said she's seen Mr. Morrow do push-ups before, but never with the determination he showed Saturday. "I'm impressed," she said. "He was working a lot harder. He really wanted to get the record." An audience of about 100 people watched Mr. Morrow break the record at Morrow's Martial Arts Academy in downtown Moline. The academy also held an open house Saturday, in conjunction with his attempt. Mr. Morrow told the crowd he was on the 41st day of a fast that has lowered his weight from 200 pounds to about 170 pounds. He said he's been consuming juices to get his necessary nutrients. "It's not about me doing a bunch of push-ups," he said before the attempt. "It's about pushing the limits of what we can do." After breaking the record Mr. Morrow received a loud applause from the crowd. He restated his hope that his record will inspire other people to challenge themselves. "I want people to push their limits," he said, ''to find something they like to do and try it."
