Morrow takes on bed of nails!
Photo by: Gary Krambeck/The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus
By Dawn Neuses, dneuses@qconline.com
qconline.com
Copyright Moline Dispatch Publishing Co., L.C.C., 2007
BETTENDORF -- The black nails stood two-and-a-half inches tall and were sharpened to a fine point.
They were driven through a board and into a pattern stretching six inches wide and two feet long.
It was on this bed of nails that John Morrow rested his body as a friend placed five one-inch thick gray concrete bricks onto his stomach.
The crowd of about 200 at the Isle of Capri Convention Center grew quiet as Mr. Morrow's friend, Ian Fink, picked up a sledgehammer and got ready to strike a blow destined to break through the blocks, halving them on Mr. Morrow's stomach.
Mr. Fink swung the sledge hammer. A "crack" resounded through the room. Mr. Morrow grimaced, then stood and gave a smile.
It wasn't the only feat performed by Mr. Morrow on Friday during the 97X Freaky Friday Fest.
Mr. Morrow also broke his record, which is also the Guinness World Record, for push-ups on the backs of the hands by completing 142 in one minute. His previous record, which also got him listed in Ripley's "Believe it or Not," was 123.
"It didn't hurt," he told the crowd afterwards. "There was a lot of adrenaline going. It felt great."
He also used two knuckles to break through two elevated concrete blocks and made his body so heavy four men could not lift him by his outstretched arms.
Mr. Morrow, owner of Morrow's Academy of Martial Arts in Moline, said he works out on a regular basis, "and I push myself to new limits all the time. I like to see how far I can go."
Before he went to the venue, he said he visualized all the physical feats from beginning to end -- from every push-up he'd do in one minute to his back not being impaled on the bed of nails. "Visualizing things is important. It can really help you," he said.
But Mr. Morrow also prepared in other ways, too. "I've had a lot of practice, a lot of mental and physical training," he said. "You also have to free yourself from fear. You've got to believe in yourself."
His next goal is to beat the world record for push-ups on the backs of the hands in one hour. His goal is to do about 1,800. The record is 1,781.
"If you've got a dream and want to achieve something, do not give up on your body or your life. And never say you are getting too old," Mr. Morrow said.
John Morrow
Age: 55
Business: Morrow Academy of Martial Arts
Achievements: Sixth-degree black belt, Guinness World Record set in May 2006, inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame in May 2005.
