2017 has once again seen record breakers put their strength to the test in their quests to be the best.

In this piece we look back at some of the most impressive displays of strength we've seen during the past 12 months and those people who have flexed their muscles and powered their way into the record books.

1. Most pull ups in one minute

This has proved to be a very popular record in the last year with three successful attempts in less than 12 months.

First, American Adam Sandel from Brookline, Boston, in Massachusetts completed 51 in December 2016 to take the title.

However this was then bettered by Tazio Gavioli in Cavezzo, Modena, in Italy with 53 and then Bulgarian Boris Nalbantov who completed 54 pull-ups in Sofia during the summer of 2017.

Guinness World Records has strict rules for all of our pull up challenges. 

For example, the body must remain straight throughout and the chin must be raised above the level of the bar for each rep, but the position of the hands is at the discretion of the challenger.

2. Oldest male bodybuilder

Oldest male bodybuilder

One of the stars of Guinness World Records 2018, 84-year-old Jim Arrington from Venica, California, USA, showed that age is just a number as he became the Oldest male bodybuilder.

The great-grandfather has been bodybuilding for 70 years and won 16 of the 62 competitions he's entered during that time.

His training schedule involves two hour-long ful body workouts a week and a high protein, moderate carbohydrate and fat regimen to stay lean.

3. Most push ups in one hour (male)

Gym enthusiast Carlton Williams proved his stamina during 2017 by smashed the record for the Most push ups in one hour (male).

The Welshman, who now lives in Margaret River in Western Australia, had to beat 2,392 to reclaim the record but powered past that target setting a new benchmark of 2,682.

The clock did not stop at any point during Carlton's attempt, and both his hands had to remain flat on the floor for the full 60 minutes.

Doing the push ups, he had to lower his body until a 90 degree angle was attained at the elbow, in order to add the rep to his tally and for it to be accepted.

4. Fastest time to break 16 concrete blocks on the body (male)

You literally need a strong stomach to be able to break this record, and that's exactly what Turkish martial arts expert Ali Bahçetepe had when he broke this record in March.

Ali lay on the ground as the pile of 16 heavy concrete blocks were balanced on top of his incredibly strong stomach before an assistant used a 6.35 kg (14 lb) sledgehammer to break the blocks.

Set a target of 6.33 seconds (Ali's previous record from 2011) the pair smashed that with a new record time of 4.75 seconds.

5. Most walnuts crushed by hand in one minute

Going at a speed of more than three a second, Indian martial arts master, Prabhakar Reddy P, set a new record for this challenge when he crushed 212 walnuts in a minute.

6. Most two finger push ups (two arms) in one minute carrying a 40 lb pack

Most two finger push ups in one minute carrying a 40 lb pack

Another push up record but one that comes with some different challenges to the one above.

Wearing a rucksack packed with weights, Irfan Mehsood from Pakistan completed an impressive 22 correctly-performed push ups using just his thumbs during an attempt in Dera Ismail Khan back in March.

7. Most coconuts smashed with one hand in one minute

With a long line of coconuts stretched out before him, Abheesh P. Dominic set about trying to achieve a new record for breaking them open.
And that's exactly what he did by smashing open 122 with just his fist in Kottayam, India to beat the previous record of 118 which had stood for six years.
Most coconuts smashed with one hand in one minute