A man from North China's Hebei Province told Xinhua on Monday that he plans to apply for a place in the Guinness Book of World Record for his ability to walk in heavy iron shoes.

Zhang Fuxing, 51, a resident of Fengnan District in Tangshan City practices daily exercises in a pair of iron shoes which weigh 405 kg, about seven times his own weight.

The shoes are 30 cm long with a width of 20 cm each, but the sole is made of welded iron chunks to a height of 40 cm.

Zhang spends 20 minutes walking in the shoes every morning, usually only about a dozen meters. He keeps his iron shoes in his courtyard because, "they are so heavy that I do not worry they might be stolen."

Zhang has done exercises in these shoes for over seven years. He works in a local factory and made the shoes himself. Initially he made a pair weighing 70 kg and has added weight to the shoes as he has intensified his routine. He plans to add more weight to the shoes early next year.