Out of the over 250 Guinness World Records I’ve achieved, this is the hardest record I’ve ever broken: the longest duration of juggling. The previous record was 12 hours and 5 minutes set way back in 2009 by David Slick. But before I delve into that, let me address the title: “World’s best juggler?” I need to add some qualifiers because the juggling community is vast, and “best” is too narrow. Juggling legend Arthur Lewbel suggested “Most boring juggler” or perhaps “longest-lasting juggler.” Here’s my claim: I’m the world’s best 3-ball cascade juggler, and I have the records to back it up, including breaking the longest duration record.
Starting with the world’s fastest juggler: most juggling catches in a minute (cascade) – 502 catches. World’s slowest juggler: fewest juggling catches in a minute – 22 catches. Longest duration blindfolded juggling – 32 minutes and 7 seconds. Most juggling catches in a minute blindfolded – 454 catches. Most juggling catches while on a unicycle in one minute – 450 catches. Most consecutive blindfolded juggling catches on a unicycle – 464 catches. Most juggling catches while on a balance board in one minute – 485 catches. Longest duration of juggling on a balance board – 2 minutes and 39 seconds. Longest duration of juggling while standing on a Swiss ball – 52 minutes. Longest duration of juggling on the backs of the hands – approximately 8 minutes.
Furthest distance covered on foot while juggling – 29 miles, which took about 5.5 hours without dropping, and without assistance in food or water. This was the longest I had ever juggled before attempting this record. Furthest distance traveled while juggling on a unicycle – almost 31 miles, which was quite painful on the seat. Furthest distance traveled while juggling on an electric unicycle – 35 miles, around 2.5 hours, and it was painful on the feet.
Now for the fastest 100m juggling blindfolded – completed in 16.33 seconds while staying in the lane, a virtually impossible feat. Fastest mile while juggling blindfolded – completed in 7 minutes and 54 seconds, despite over 10 drops. Furthest distance covered on foot while juggling 3 objects blindfolded – 1/3 mile.
Most bowling balls juggled – 3 balls for 30 seconds; no one can manage more with 10 lbs balls. Most bites taken out of 3 apples in one minute while juggling – 164 bites, resulting in many bloodied lips. Most consecutive axe juggling catches – 2,919 catches, pushing my arms to their limits.
And now, onto the hardest record I’ve ever broken: the Longest Duration Juggling. On my first attempt, just over 3.5 hours into the endeavor, my wife called from the hospital to inform me (via my witnesses) that she wouldn’t be returning home until we had a baby. I briefly contemplated waiting another 9 hours before heading to the hospital (Insert cute baby photo).
During my second attempt, I managed to juggle for 10 hours and 53 minutes before two balls collided and the attempt came to an end. Although I felt devastated initially, my growth mindset kicked in, and I turned it into a learning opportunity. I was eager to attempt it again immediately, but I had torn a muscle in my arm, preventing me from doing so.
In my third attempt, I juggled for 10 hours and 27 minutes before a ball unexpectedly hit the floor. I found myself bewildered, as I had no idea what had happened. I was delirious and reviewed the video multiple times, still unable to pinpoint the error. I had successfully made 125,000 throws in a row, and yet, in this crucial moment, I forgot to release the ball mid-throw. This is equivalent to watching the Titanic and then taking a transatlantic flight – all while juggling – twice. Shockingly, After over 25 hours of official juggling attempts I still hadn’t set the new record.
On my fourth attempt, I noticed that I was experiencing dizziness and vertigo due to the repetitive motion. Drinking fluids helped alleviate this sensation. I consumed 3,000 calories through a camelback, comprising high-protein chocolate milk and chocolate protein powder. After 10.5 hours, nervousness set in, causing my arms to shake after two unsuccessful attempts lasting about this long. The AC was set to 67 degrees Fahrenheit to counteract the heat generated by over 150,000 throws. To pass the time, I listened to Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Series audiobooks and practiced my speech. I also kept an eye on the cameras, monitoring their flashing red lights, and checked the timer in the video playback on my computer, which was streaming to YouTube. As I approached the critical mark of 12 hours and 5 minutes, my heart raced. I focused intensely on the balls, and then I finally broke the record. A feeling of relief and elation washed over me. I continued for an additional hour and 5 minutes before experiencing my first drop. The final result: 13 hours, 10 minutes, and 2 seconds of uninterrupted juggling.
With this achievement, I truly believe that I am the world’s best 3-ball cascade* juggler. If you’re interested in following my world record journey, please like and subscribe, and I’ll see you next time.
*The 3-ball cascade is by definition the most basic juggling pattern.