Rutgers plans to break Guinness world record for planking
The world record for "most people simultaneously holding the abdominal plank position" has been held by the Rongxin Group in Fujian, China, since 2015, with 1,323 plankers. In 2016, Rutgers is hoping to steal that title.
On Tuesday, students will flock to High Point Solutions Stadium in attempt to break the record, said Marian Kapp, assistant director of Marketing for Rutgers Recreation. The school is hoping 2,500 people show up to the event to continue the University's year-long 250th anniversary celebration and hold a plank for one full minute.
“If the record is broken, (Rutgers) will receive the Guinness World Records title,” said Elizabeth Montoya, assistant public relations manager at Guinness World Records North America, Inc.
"I’m very hopeful that we are going to beat that record,” said Interim Executive Director of Recreation Stacy Trukowki. "We’ve always been pushing the plank. It’s one of the best core exercises out there."
Trukowski said she is excited about the location because the stadium brings out school spirit, but the event requires a lot of logistical planning.
“We had to get a contact with Guinness Book of World Records, which is not cheap,” Trukowski said.
Guinness Records provides a judge, but Trukowski said the University must supply stewards to oversee groups of people planking.
“They are very strict as far as their guidelines are concerned,” she said.
Stewards can watch up to 50 people at the same time. Once the plank ends, she said the stewards must report to the judge on how many people completed the plank within the guidelines.
To complete a valid plank, a participant cannot allow their shoulders, hips or ankles to sink. The participant must also keep their hands and arms separated.
Trukowski said more than 1,000 people confirmed attendance, with promised groups from the School of Engineering and the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. The first 2,500 students who show up will receive a free t-shirt for participating.
Although the plank has a strong mental component, Trukowski said she believes everyone can hold a plank for one minute, especially in a group setting.
“It’s a lot about willpower. It’s a lot about what kind of conversation is going on in your head,” she said. “If you decide there’s no way that you are dropping down, then your body is going to stay with you the whole time.”
This resiliency speaks to the larger goal of the promoting student wellness, Trukowski said.
“We want to make sure people understand that nothing is one-sided. The conversation that goes on in your head is very important, no matter what you’re doing … it is something that can really be used to build resilience (and) to learn how to control your conversation,” she said.
During the small period of time the University waits for the result, there will be a big picture taken of everyone jumping in the stadium, Trukowski said. The cheer and dance team are also going to lead the attendees in the Cha Cha Slide.
Even if only 1,000 people come together in that stadium, she said being on the field in that stadium and being able to see themselves on the Jumbotron will be an exhilarating experience.
The record might even create some rivalry among other Big Ten schools, she said.
“We can take this whole group of students and get them together and let them be a part of something big,” Trukowski said.
Faith Hoatson is a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore majoring in linguistics and French literature. She is a correspondent for The Daily Targum.
