Hong Kong yogi breaks Guinness World Records for headstand and human chair pose
City’s ‘king of yoga’ Yogaraj C.P. balances a 50kg weight while in a headstand for 40 seconds and, at the fourth attempt, serves as human chair for his mum for 59 seconds
The function hall at the City University of Hong Kong in Kowloon Tong was filled with suspense when Hong Kong-based yoga teacher Yogaraj C.P. attempted to create two new Guinness World Records – balancing the heaviest weights while doing a headstand, and holding a human chair pose.
“The person must be in a headstand for at least 10 seconds. The number to beat for this record is 50kg,” Guinness World Records adjudicator Louis Jelinek said, explaining the requirements for the first record that had been agreed upon by the organisation and the yogi.
Yogaraj, 33, attempted the first record by manoeuvring the barbell onto his shoulders unaided and easily surpassed the required time limit – holding the headstand for 40 seconds. Cheers and applause erupted in the hall.
“I was very sure that I’d make it. I’m proud to create something new,” he said, after the adjudicator welcomed him back into the Guinness World Records family.
The last time Yogaraj created a record was in 2015, when he completed a 48-hour yoga marathon that involved 1,500 poses. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally congratulated the instructor, whose name means “king of yoga”. That record has since been broken, however.
