Ashrita Furman prepares to break a world record in backwards bowling in 2005. Reuters/Seth Wenig

The INSIDER Summary:

• Ashrita Furman has broken hundreds of world records. • He's motivated by his former meditation teacher. • He also has a lifelong love for the Guinness Book of World Records. • Here's a look at some of his wildest feats of endurance, speed, and sheer willpower.



When Ashrita Furman was growing up in Queens, New York, he was more brainy than brawny. He was the junior high valedictorian who excelled in school but never in sports.

But today, at age 62, he's the picture of athletic prowess. He can ride a unicycle while juggling, walk around with a lawnmower balanced on his chin, and jump on a pogo stick for hours. In an interesting turn of events, Ashrita Furman has become something of a super athlete - all in the name of breaking as many Guinness World Records as possible.

"I had been a fan of the Guinness since I was a kid," he told INSIDER. "I used to carry it around with me. But I never lost that - being enamored of the book. I just love that idea of being the best in the world at something - and not as an ego thing, but as a goal to attain."

Furman broke his first record in 1979, and now estimates he's broken around 630 of them since. He still holds about 207 of those records - including the world record for holding the most world records, of course.

Here's a look at how - and why - Furman turned record-breaking into a lifelong pursuit.