The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : the record books

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

the record books

Staff Reporter

Shimoga youth creates record in push-ups while doing a handstand

RECORD BREAKING: Umesh performing his feat before mediapersons in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: How about creating an Indian record by doing 59 push-up exercises <149>in 30 seconds in a vertical position with head down<149>, breathing completely suspended. Performing this feat, G.C. Umesh has made it to the Limca Book of Records. "I wanted to achieve something. Though I was not that oriented in <149>academics, the urge to achieve <149>motivated me to do something apart from the mainstream endeavours," says Umesh.

This youth from a small village called Gondhichatnahalli in Shimoga district was inspired by television before he went for the national record. Since the time CitiCable <149>made its way to his village, he has been an avid viewer of the Guinness Book of World Records programme on AXN channel.<149>

Umesh was inspired by Tary Cole of England, who holds the Guinness record for performing 59 finger push-ups in 30 seconds. "I read Swami Vivekananda say in one of his works that one should not imitate others but do something original. Hence the idea of doing head down <149>push-ups with complete suspension of <149>breathing."

Umesh has been practising the feat for the last <149>four years. Hailing from an agricultural background and used to the <149>hard labour in the fields, Umesh found the <149>record-making performance his cup of tea. Now, he intends to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by trying to perform more than 135 push-ups head down in <149>a minute.

"When I first started doing the push-ups, I never thought I would enter the Limca Book. Though I have been practising this feat from <149>several years, my parents got to know about it only six months ago. Since then they have been very co-<149>operative and encouraging<149> my efforts," says the 7record holder.

Dr. <149>U.R. Anil Kumar and <149>Dr. <149>A. Nandakishore, who have certified Umesh's record, say that the head down exercise done in an straight position with the support of palm, elbow and shoulders involving biceps, arm muscles against the power of gravity is a unique and difficult one. The feat done by Tary Cole was easier as he was in a lying posture and used his toes for the balancing act.

<149>Umesh has a message for his fellow Indians striving to go higher: <149>"If encouraged, the <149>Indians can scale any <149>heights and even the <149>villagers can be role models to <149>others."

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