The Challenge: Most Star Jumps in a Minute

The star jump, AKA jumping jack, is the go-to punishment for tyrants the world over. Be they drill sergeants, high school gym teachers or team coaches, they delight in inflicting intense cardiovascular calisthenics on their charges.

We’ve all been subjected to it. We wanted closure – to empower ourselves. We wanted to own the star jump. We set out to do just that. In one short minute, we’d turn our lives around and come to terms with the past. Then finally, we’d be at peace … well, as relaxed as someone panting like a dog in a locked car on a summer’s day.

The record
Ashrita Furman (USA) achieved 61 star jumps in one minute at the Panorama Café in Jamaica, New York on May 17, 2008.

Guidelines
1. Jump in the air. (That means your feet need to leave the ground.)
2. Clap your hands above your head as your ankles meet. That’s one star jump.

The results
Julia (Intern): 73
Paul (Nightlife Editor): 72
Max (Assistant Web Editor): 70
Lauren (Web Editor): 69
Marilyn (Arts & Culture Editor): 68
Iain (Deputy Managing Editor): 63
Tiffany (Style and Living Editor): 60

So it seems that six of our seven staff broke the current Guinness World Record. Rather than assuming – as we usually do – that we got it wrong or accidentally cheated, we’re going to upload the videos to challengers.guinnessworldrecords. com and let them judge. Fingers crossed.

Tips and strategies
• Be from Switzerland. Apparently, Swiss children are drilled in precision jumping-jack training.
• Go to the bathroom beforehand. For some reason, all of our contestants did this.
• Tie your shoelaces lest they fly off and hit another challenger.

If you want to join us for a challenge or would like to suggest a world record for us to take on next, email editor@thebeijinger.com.

Click here to see the May issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records