DonnaJean Wilde started planking 12 years ago.
A 58-year-old woman in the US has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest time in an abdominal plank position. According to Fox News, DonnaJean Wilde from Alberta, Canada, held the position for 4 hours and 30 minutes. The record-breaking attempt took place at the high school where she was once the vide principal before retiring. Ms Wilde is a mother of five and grandmother of 12. She maintained the plank position - forearms and toes on the ground and rest of the body straight lifted off the ground - for the entire time.
She told Guinness officials that she does plank for up to three hours every day. But for the world record, she started practicing for six hours, split into two three-hour blocks.
Ms Wilde is absolutely in love with one of the most challenging positions and her journey started 12 years ago when she broke her wrist and was unable to run or lift weights, as per Fox News. So she turned to planking as an alternative.
"I realised that I could read and do things when I was planking and fell in love with it," she said.
Her world record-setting time is 10 minutes longer than the previous record set by fellow Canadian Dana Glowacka in 2019.
"My elbows hurt pretty bad. I was so worried about losing my form, and I think that's why my quads hurt because I was just really tense," Ms Wilde told Guinness after completing her record-breaking plank.
She said the first two hours went by quickly, but the last two were more difficult. "The last hour was the most challenging, just to stay focussed and keep my form."
In the last 30 minutes, Ms Wikde focused on "breathing, staying calm, and not shaking".
Her 12 grandchildren were in the audience, cheering for Ms Wilde.