Not skipping a beat: Mumbai boy makes Guinness World Record with 13,863 skips
Recently, Yahan Palia from Mumbai broke the existing world record of 13,714 skips for most skips in an hour by an individual (in 2019), with 13,863 skips.
What made it happen? “The push emerges from my want to be world-class at everything I do,” Palia says. He goes
on to add context: “I was always fit. I was part of the football team, good at athletics and then, a deal with
God over a career opportunity in filmmaking made me challenge myself. I completed 10,000 skips at gym one evening, my legs cramped up... but the next day, the said opportunity appeared before me. That’s how it started!”
Back in 2017, he’d train to make a record in skipping, but had to pause his efforts as he was in high school and exams were approaching. “I resumed training in late 2020 and would do a onehour session every alternate day. I timed myself and kept track of gradual progress.”
The 21-year-old talks about the incredible support he has received from his family, although they did think he’s a little “crazy” to have set the bar so high. “The physical exertion did concern them, but they had my back,” he shares. Ask him about the daily struggles, and Palia adds, “It can get taxing, but you have to keep trying. Once I was home from my practise sessions, I’d use an ice water bath for my legs to reduce inflammation of the joints. As far as fitness goes, I work out six days a week and skip thrice a week.” Although he eats a relatively clean non-vegetarian diet, he loves an occasional helping of ice cream and dessert.
So, what’s next for him? Palia says that he wishes to break the record again. “I wanted to cross 14,000 skips!” He ends on a note of buoyancy for all those itching to make their mark, “Be delusional and disciplined. Be delusional enough to dream big and disciplined enough to always work hard.”
Be delusional enough to dream big and disciplined enough to always work hard. YAHAN PALIA, Fitness enthusiast