Tommy Vu can do more burpees than you. That’s a fact. The major with the Oregon National Guard’s medical command proved it this past weekend when he set a new Guinness World Record for burpees in one hour, completing 1,027 of the notorious love-to-hate movements in that time period.
Why? Because he could. And for charity.
The workout, done in Salem, Oregon, saw the 36-year-old officer reclaim the top spot after falling to second place. Specifically, the record is for chest-to-ground burpees in one hour, by a male competitor. Guinness also has separate records for burpees with a pushup in that time period (957 as of press time) and chest-to-ground burpees in 24 hours by a male competitor (9,119 is the current record) — which is something people have actually attempted and completed. Vu’s hour of work is awaiting official validation from the organization.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 in part led to Vu starting to compete to beat these records. Shifting to running and bodyweight movements due to gyms being closed, he trained on endurance and then started attempting to beat various bodyweight exercise milestones. Previous efforts have benefited charities that support veterans. According to his entry in the Guinness World Records for completing the most chest-to-ground pushups in one hour (a record Vu also currently holds), Vu is trying “to break as many fitness related records as possible to show everyone what hard work and dedication can lead to.”
He also dedicated Saturday’s successful attempt to a friend battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” He intends to donate the proceeds from his win to his friend.
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“I feel so honored that everyone came out to motivate and support the cause,” Vu wrote on Instagram after the event. “Thank you to everyone who donated to [his friend] Selso’s fight with ALS.”
This is the second time in 19 months that Vu set this record. In March 2023 he set a new world record, completing 1,003 chest-to-ground burpees in an hour. He lost the record in November 2023, when the Netherlands’ Habtamu Franke set a new maximum number of burpees in an hour, banging out 1,010 in that time period. Both athletes have set those records without giving up halfway through the hour realizing they agreed to do an extreme number of burpees.
“Maj. Vu exemplifies why the Oregon National Guard is the military service of choice for Oregonians,” Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewold, Adjutant General for the state of Oregon, said in a statement. “His dedication to both his military duties and personal goals showcases the work-life balance and drive for excellence we foster in our organization. It’s this spirit of striving to achieve greatness that makes our Guard members exceptional both in and out of uniform.”
According to the Oregon National Guard, Vu will attempt to break the eight, 12- and 24-hour chest-to-ground burpee world records.
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