Fitness Testing
Fitness Testing > Tests > Strength > Sit Ups > Records
World Best: Number of Sit Ups
The situp or abdominal curl is a common fitness test for abdominal core body strength. The test usually requires the participant to do as many sit-ups as they can in one or two minutes (see sit up test). In extreme tests of endurance fitness, there have been attempts of the most sit ups in time periods from one to 24 hours and longer.
The following records are not all verified, and I do not claim that the lists are complete. Most of the data has been found from various sources online. Also the technique used is not always standard so it makes comparisons between different records difficult, for example some records are set using an "abdominal frame". See my guide for attempting a world sit up record.
Maximum Sit Ups in a minute
Sit up tests of fitness are commonly conducted over one minute, with results between 30 and 60 usually achieved. However, most world record attempts are for longer periods. Read a description of a one-minute sit up fitness test.
1000 situps
Fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne set the original benchmark for sit up-ups by completing 1,033 sit-ups in 23 minutes (44.9 average per minute).
Max Sit Ups in 30 minutes
David Begiashvili of Georgia did 1,430 sit-ups in 30 minutes on 25 July 2011 at Zurab Zviadauri Judo School in Akhmeta, Kakheti, Georgia, beating the previous record holder Guy Schott of the USA who did 1,337 sit-ups in 30 minutes at Sonomy County Family YMCA in Santa Rosa, California, USA on 7 November 2009.
Max Sit Ups in an hour
A search online found information about James (Jim) Clark, setting a world record 2,201 sit ups in one hour (36.7 ave per minute) at the Mall of America in Bloomington (Minnesota,USA), on June 2, 2006. This apparently broke the existing record of 1,448 by a man from India. It took him just 32 minutes to break the record and he did another 753 by the time his hour was up. You can see the video of Clark breaking the record.
on 7 November 2009, Guy Schott of the USA did 2,477 sit-ups in one hour at Sonomy County Family YMCA in Santa Rosa, California, USA .
On April 1st, 2011, 60 year old Vladimir Jurcik broke Jim Clark's world record by just 37 situps, achieving 2,238 crunches in Rundle Mall, Adelaide South Australia. This record has not been officially confirmed. You can see the video of Jurcik breaking the record, in which you will notice that his feet are held down, unlike for Jim Clark's record.
It has come to my attention another one hour Sit-Ups record set back in 1999 at Leominster Leisure Centre, UK by Ged Musto. In an hour he achieved 2,908 situps (average of 48.5 per minute). The attempt was witnessed by four fitness instructors, two who were counting, one who had placed their palm up to the level that his chest had to touch, and the other who was checking the legitimacy of the sit-ups (his feet were held by one instructor). Guinness did recognise this record at the time, but because they did not have their adjudicators present it was classed as a world's best. This figure is still widely regarded by many fitness and governing bodies as the benchmark for the one hour sit-ups record.
Using an Abdominal Frame
You may note that the situp numbers above are very low compared to the 24 hour sit-up records below, with Freitas averaging over four and a half thousand situps each hour for a whole day! The answer to the discrepancy of sit up numbers is due to the use of an 'abdominal frame' in some record attempts which greatly increases the number of situps. Hour records using a situp frame include 8,555 by Ashrita set in Paris on March 24, 2004, and about 12,000 situps by Norwegian Bård Botten in April 2007.
Max Sit Ups in 24 hours
There are references to several world record marks for sit ups in an hour, here are some that I have found. The record of Skip Chase was done using a "using an abdominal
frame" as may some of the other records.
| date | no. of sit-ups | per min ave | name | details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 44,001 | 30.5 | Jim Clark | He said that during that time he ate half a banana and half an orange |
| 103,000 | 71.5 | Bill Evans | American | |
| Mar 6, 2002 | 111,000 | 77 | Edmar Freitas | Brazilian weight-training instructor. During the record attempt, he was allowed a five minute break every four hours so he could go to the bathroom. He also ate an energy bar and drank a glass of coconut milk every hour. |
| Jan. 8-9, 2004 | 110,912 | 77 | Skip Chase | From the USA. One source lists this as the current verified Guinness World Record holder. |
Freitas broke his previous record of 111,000 sit ups in 24 hours by completing 133,986 in 30 hours.
Maximum Total Number of Sit Ups (Guinness World Record!)
The Guinness Book Of World Records only lists the record for the maximum number of sit ups, not the most performed in a particular time period as the above records are. Here are some of the records that have been found - there may be others. For endurance records, Guinness allow a five-minute break every hour.
| date | no. of sit-ups | name | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 15,100 | unknown FBI agent | details from the article below: the Sarasota Journal (Aug 2, 1971, p1) |
| July 1971 | 17,000 situps in 7 hrs 27 mins.
|
Capt Wayne E. Rollins of Elloree SC. |  from the Sarasota Journal - Aug 2, 1971, page 1 |
| 1983 | 27,051 (in 24 hrs) |
Michael Tyne | Tyne was a L/cpl in the British Army. The event was held at Minley Manor in Farnborough. They were straight legged sit-ups too! Details from his daughter and also from the article below from the Reading Eagle (Sep 18, 1984) |
| Sep 1984 | 29,004 (in 25 hrs) |
Michael Fields |
|
| Nov 28-29, 1984 | 30,001 | Tim Kides | |
| Dec 1984 | 30,052 | Michael Fields | achieved at Fort Polk, La |
| March 1985 | 35,000 (in 29hrs) |
Tim Kides |  from the Free Lance-Star - Mar 9, 1985, p15 |
| 1984 | 43,418 | Louis Scripa Jr | of Fairfield California |
| July 26-28 1985 | 45,005 (in 58.5 hrs, ave 12.8 per min) |
Mark Pfeltz | Mark Pfeltz of Baltimore, Maryland claimed the Guinness Book Of World Records for the maximum number of sit ups, completing 45,005 in 58.5hrs (ave 12.8 per minute). This record was published in the 1986 edition. See his sit up record video. |
| Nov 13-15 1985 | 72,746 (in 51 hrs, 44 min) |
Tim Kides | Tim Kides was a 21-year-old sophomore at Glassboro (N.J.) State. The record was achieved at the Student Center Lounge. From "Kides is sittin' on world record" Spokane Chronicle (Nov 27, 1985, p10)
|
| 1989 | 125,001 (in 80 hours) |
Tim Kides | This record is listed in the 1990 Guinness Book Of World Records with a full page picture of him doing them. |
Other Records?
52,003 situps by Steve Sokol From the St. Petersburg Times - Jun 29, 1981, page 4 Another article in The News and Courier (Aug 2, 1971, p5) reporting on the same feat mentions that he "placed his feet under a low bar wrapped in rags". The records in the table above, unlike this record, are believed to have been achieved without having the feet supported. |
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Related Pages
- guide to attempting a world sit up record
- procedure for Sit Up Testing
- more Fitness Testing Records and other Sporting Records
- see Sit Up Videos
- More Records? I scan the internet for the latest athlete results. If you know of something I have missed, it would be great to hear from you.
Old Comments
- On the 31st March 2013 i did 2450 sit ups in 1hour is that a world record? (from Salmaan Utim, Apr 2013)
- While memory eludes me and I never cared for records, I believe I could do 80+ situps in a minute and 1000 quite easily in 20 mintues, though I never bothered to go further than a 1000 as I never went in for too many records. I did do 29 pull ups when asked by an ex marine, and around 150 pushups in a minute using a bar one time (gravity was too slow so i pulled myself down, its possibly more or less by a little i cant recall exactly..never thought people cared tbh.) All around the age of 17-18. I also enjoyed doing situps where the arms were parallel, but for the most part ive never seen another do a proper situp with a straight body and arms behind/nextto the head. Also did 400m in under a min (55secs), reached international level in athletics, national level in many areas. But in the end, i still dont get why people need to justify it to anyone else. Except perhaps to set a reasonable level to define say fit or super fit. I agree 3k situps in an hour is someone who is fit at that, but if they can do world record levels at majority of areas, like me, then they can be called super fit. (from Matt Groom, Mar 2013)
- I am 16years old i can do 250 pushups 250 squats 250 rope skipping in 1 go.I just did 1000 sit ups earlier today in 1 hour i know i have to improve.I am hoping to do 2400 or 2500 sit ups in 1hour SOON! (from Salmaan Utim, Mar 2013)
- These records are simply amazing I wish I could do that much but sadly I'm only 15 and the most sit-ups and crunches I can do a night is 300 a night °^° I respect these people for there hard work (from Amazing 0.o, Nov 2012)
- the 12 year old guy ... that's nowhere near the record ... a guy did 1033 in 23 minutes ... the other one did 2k in an hour so no it's not a record (from sentivo43, Nov 2012)
- These guys do not have the biggest abs, those belong to body builders who want huge mass. These are endurance records (from 1984, Oct 2012)
- Do any of you know someone named bhupender singh negi he held a record for sit ups but it doesn't show over here. plz reply if anyone knows this. (from suraj, July 2012)
- one time i did a situp. it felt cool. (from Pazz cherofoot, June 2012)
- My son did 300 sit-ups today only to cinch the class record, watch out, Max is in the game. (from capesteve, May 2012)
- My father (I'm told) had the US Army sit up record in 1946 with 3,610. The story goes that they were straight legged. He was stationed in the Philippines, and played football for the US Army Air Corps team. I was told as a young man that his record still stood by a friend who "looked it up" while in basic training. I can't find it anywhere online. Any ideas where one might look? His name was Richard Wilinski (b. 1927). (from Arthur Wilinski, April 2012)
- Mr. Kides is now a substitute teacher at my high school. he wears awesome neon shirts all the time. we call him the ab master (April 2012)
- I am a Boy Scout leader, and I looked this up tonight out of curiosity because one of my 11 yr old scouts did 1700 sit ups in about one hour. He had to quit because his ride was there to take him home. He was still going strong! (from Brent, March 2012)
- I was wondering if anybody has broken the record on the decline sit-up? i wanted to break that record ... (from roger coleman, Jan 2012)
- I can't verify this but I did see an interview about the now deceased pro wrestler Randy the machoman Savage while he was in the Navy set a 1 hour sit up record for the Navy at around 2000 sit-ups - this would have been in the early 70s. The story goes that he actually wore the skin out on his tail bone in the process to the point you could see bone through the skin. If you look at the older photos of him he was really ripped and though probably using steroids doesn't change the fact he did it while they were legal. (from Tim, Dec 2011).
- It was actually Randy Savage's father, Angelo Poffo who did the sit ups in the Navy, Not Randy. He did 6,033 in 4 hours and 10 minutes. He did the first 6,000 then 33 more; one for each year of Jesus Christ's life. (from Mike, April 2012)
- I am a 12 year old kid and i just did 1263 in 67 minuets is that a world record (i filmed it) (from Grant, Nov 2011).
- I attempted and broke the world records held by James Clark and Vladimir Jurcik on the 31st of August 2011. My number of sit ups in 1 hour was 2395. This was witnessed by many people and also filmed. (from Robert McAuley, Oct 2011)
- Goddam Lairs! :( (from Carlos, Oct 2011)
- I'm 13, have no defined abs, but I did 1000 yesterday and it only took me about 35 minutes. I was wondering if that's even significant compared to others my age (from Matthew, Sept 2011)
- In 1986 I broke the One Hour Crunch World Record (at the time). I did 3200 in 52 minutes. It was two months after watching another man break the same record on the "David Letterman Show". His record, which I broke, was 3120 in 60 minutes. (from Richard Glasser, Aug 2011)
- Awesome. Never thought this was actually possible. By the way, is this in the Guiness Book of World Records? What is the world record for most curl ups done by a 13 year old? (from Ginger, May 2011)
- Those people must have some serious 12-packs. They should keep it up. My friend Ever is going to try to beat the world record. One word for everyone of you OUCH! (from alyssa nommensen, Apr 2011).
