Worthing man finishes gruelling 24-hour burpees Guinness world record attempt

Craig Peters, perhaps better known as The Burpee Guy, attempted to complete 9,000 chest-to-stand burpees in 24 hours from midday on Thursday to Friday. He completed the full 24 hours, but fell short of the 9,000 target.

The 38-year-old PR consultant is raising money for the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, where his twin boys were born three months premature.

Thanks to the Queen Alexandra’s staff, Quinn and Jude have just celebrated their 5th birthdays, for which Craig wanted to express his gratitude.

“Like other families out there who have to go through the drama and trauma of experiencing a premature birth with their children, we are seriously indebted to the NICU unit at the Queen Alexandra Hospital,” he said as the challenge began. “Without the immediate care, love and attention displayed by the staff, then perhaps our boys wouldn’t be here today. It was a life-changing period for our family – one that challenges you and shapes you as a person for the rest of your life. It’s worth putting my mind and body on the line knowing that we will raise money which will go towards saving more premature babies and keeping families together. It’ll hurt again, no doubt about that, but in the end, it’ll be worth it.”

In 2016, Craig raised more than £17,000 for St George’s Hospital in London with a similar record attempt.

A burpee is a full body exercise, performed in four steps. The movement begins in a standing position, followed by a drop into a squat, with hands on the ground.

The feet are then kicked back into a ‘plank’ position, keeping the arms extended, before returning to a squat position and jumping up.

Craig prepared for the ordeal through a rigorous training programme, working out five to six times a week with a strength and conditioning coach.

The 9,000 target was set by Guinness as no record exists for chest to stand burpees. Craig filmed the full attempt in Chatsworth Road’s The Gym Hub, for prosterity,

To support Craig, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/theburpeeguy1