Meet Ashrita Furman, the man who holds 200 Guinness World Records
Ashrita Furman from New York holds the most Guinness World Records globally. He has broken over 600 records and holds 200 currently. From pogo sticks to birthday candles, Furman's journey is as spiritual as it is extraordinary.
New York: Ashrita Furman from Brooklyn, New York, has done what few can even dream of — he holds the most Guinness World Records titles in the world. Over the past 30 years, Furman has set more than 600 records, and currently holds over 200.
Furman has continued to break records across continents and categories. From climbing Mount Fuji on a pogo stick to spinning massive hula hoops, his records are as wild as they are impressive. He’s even broken records like the fastest mile on a pogo stick, longest underwater hula hooping and most arrows broken with the neck in a minute.
Furman’s fascination with record-breaking began in childhood when he fell in love with the Guinness World Records book. But he didn’t believe he could make it in due to his lack of athleticism. That changed after he began studying Eastern spirituality with Sri Chinmoy, who taught him the power of self-transcendence — pushing past limits mentally and physically.
In 1978, Furman entered a 24-hour bike race without training and placed third. That moment sparked his belief in achieving the impossible. Soon after, he attempted his first record — most jumping jacks. Though he initially failed, he trained relentlessly and later achieved it, landing him in the 1980 GWR edition, right next to Olympian Nadia Comăneci.
He’s since gone on to break records on every continent, often combining his spiritual journey with his quirky challenges. One special achievement was lighting 72,585 candles on a birthday cake to honour Sri Chinmoy’s 85th birthday.
Furman told Guinness, "Attempting records has become an inherent part of my spiritual journey.” He finds joy in progress and the challenge.
Even after decades of record-breaking, Ashrita shows no signs of stopping.