Gym fan beats pull-up record to become an internet star

A keen gym user has broken a previous world record for the number of pull-ups in 24 hours, becoming an internet sensation in the process.

Chris Tyrell pulled in more than 500,000 social media fans for the livestream of his bid to complete 5,000 pull-ups in 24 hours. He achieved that target in 14 hours, with over nine hours to spare.

He was bidding to beat the 2013 world record set by David Goggins, who did 4,030 reps in 17 hours.

Chris was supported by his parents, his partner Jessica Summers-Evans and friends Emily Dupont and Georgia Ingham at the NL Fitness gym off Pixon Lane, on Friday, September 25.

He said: “This went far better than I expected. I’m so pleased. I’m following in the footsteps of others, but to me it shows that failure is only the beginning, because I have previously tried this before. It’s certainly boosted my confidence.

“David Goggins’ world record featured in his bestselling book ‘Can't Hurt Me’, and put endurance pull-ups on the map.”

Chris finished 5,050 pull-ups in 14 hours and ten minutes, leaving him nine hours 50 minutes to spare. The livestream had 485,900 viewers, with many watching throughout.

He said: “I did around 500 of the reps in sets of six, but surprisingly, I was able to go back up to sets of eight for 4,500 of the repeats approximately – and even finished the last set in a set of ten. I couldn't believe it! – but reassuring that 108,500 reps of training works I guess.”

His online video promoting the event in advance registered about two million views, with one exceeding one million alone.

He was fortified with pizza from Rosco's Pizza , close to NL Fitness, where the challenge took place.

“Rosco’s let me know that they'd sort me out with a free large custom ‘Chris Tries Challenges’ pizza (every meat they could throw on it) and I'm not even exaggerating when I say it saved the challenge at 4,300 reps, where I realised I was starving due to not eating enough food and their pizza was the only thing I could bare to eat,” he said. “It was delicious.”

“This was a proper Tavistock community effort and I'm so glad I decided to do it locally.”

His added: “I will recover for a few days, then continue my journey to completing 250,000 pull-ups in 500 days and to create the craziest before and after results videos the internet has ever seen.

“I plan to be back in a year or two beat the current world record, and bring Guinness World Records to Tavistock.”

Chris said: “Throughout the last nine months there have been injuries, loss of a beloved pet, and the usual day-to-day battle of building and running my own small business.

“My hope is to demonstrate that despite all of life’s challenges, if we chip away day by day we can do anything we can dream of.”