Well, sorry Sandel, but it looks like you’re going to have to win your title back next year. Two men recently attempted to become the new world record holder—and one came out the champion.
Tazio Gavioli from Italy and Boris Nalbantov from Bulgaria attempted to beat Sandel’s 51 pull up record. With cameras rolling, official Guinness employees on hand, and the record books at stake, Gavioli and Nalbantov took to the bar to try their best.
Holy crap, is this video a nail biter. Both men start off at a breakneck speed, and both take a break with about 20 seconds left on the clock. After returning to the bars, Gavioli manages to get a few more reps in before the buzzer sounds off. His last pull up, which would be his 54th, just misses the buzzer.
But Nalbantov’s attempt—which frankly has better form anyway—is more successful.His last pull up makes a clean break from the bar, earning him the win with 54 complete pull ups.
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What makes this win even more deserved is the fact that Nalbantov attempted to best the record a few years ago, but according to Guinness, the athlete suffered several injuries, including a broken arm, that stalled his attempt.
Work Your Way to a Pullup:
If you thought breaking the 60-second record record seemed tough, imagine attempting this one: The most pull ups completed in 12 hours. That record is currently held by American Andrew Shapiro, who was able to complete 5,742 during the 12-hour span.
Check out Men’s Health’s guide to the perfect pull up to start your training now. If you want to work on your arm strength, don't miss the Men's Health training guide for building badass arms.