Florida man swallows a sword during his workout to take dangerous fitness record

Push ups are already difficult – but if you’re thinking of ways to make the experience harder, have you considered swallowing a sword?

Well, variety performer Noah Royak (USA) has… and as you’d expect, it’s about as unpleasant as it looks. 

This entertainer took on a wild (professionals-only) Guinness World Records title for the most push ups whilst sword swallowing (male) on 29 April, which involved sticking a 17 in (43.2 cm) blade down his throat while working out. 

And in front of the impressed – and shockingly unphased – crowd at the Bella Prana Yoga Studio in Tampa, Florida, Noah completed a total of 25 careful push ups while clenching the hilt between his teeth. 

He took the title from Franz Huber (Germany), who managed 20 push ups while sword swallowing in Eggenfelden on 9 September 2017.

“As a variety entertainer, I’m constantly looking at unusual Guinness World Records titles and asking myself, ‘What can I do that’s a little crazier?’” said Noah to GWR.

“Sword swallowers have a long history of combining the skill with other disciplines, from juggling to aerial acrobatics and feats of strength,” he explained. “I came across previous records involving push ups while sword swallowing, and thought it was a fascinating combination of strength, endurance, and precision.”

Read more stories about record-breaking sword swallowers in our dedicated Human Body section!

And despite the nerve-racking nature of this attempt, Noah was well-suited for the test. 

For almost his entire life, he has been chasing these unusual skills and experiences – and his years of stunt work have resulted in a full-time career as a variety performer at colleges, cruise ships, fairs, festivals, corporate events, and theatres around the world. 

His acts combine comedy with juggling, fire manipulation, stunts, and sword swallowing, and along the way he’s earned recognition such as APCA Juggler of the Year and Variety Act of the Year.

“Performing live and creating moments that audiences will remember for years is my biggest passion,” he said.

Noah got into sword swallowing through his mentor and co-performer Bill Berry, who is one of the few people on earth who actively teaches the process. After years of working alongside one another, Bill finally began guiding Noah in the discipline, and soon enough he had a talented apprentice on his hands!

“Most people think sword swallowing is about pain tolerance, but the reality is that it’s largely a mental discipline,” said Noah. “Bill introduced me to yogic concepts, breath control, relaxation techniques, and mindset training that helped me gradually overcome the body’s natural protective reflexes. 

“The physical training was important, but learning how to stay calm and maintain control under pressure was what ultimately allowed me to become a sword swallower.”

To prepare for the attempt, Noah had to complete two separate forms of training: regular sword swallowing practice, as well as strength and endurance exercises for the push ups. 

Above all else, he says that his most useful technique was staying relaxed, so he didn’t disrupt the position of the sword in his stomach.

“The calmer I stayed, the smoother the attempt became,” Noah explained.

“The biggest lesson I learned was that speed is the enemy,” he continued. “When people hear ‘push up challenge,’ they often think about moving as quickly as possible. For me, success came from slowing everything down. Every repetition had to be deliberate and controlled. Breathing, body alignment, muscle tension, and mental focus all had to work together.”

Finally, he felt ready to take on the title – and on 29 April, he travelled to the yoga studio where he received his training, eager to take on the challenge.

While kneeling on the ground, he took a deep breath before throwing his head back and swallowing the sword, securing its position in his stomach before leaning over to complete the push ups. 

And with the confidence of a soldier, Noah began pumping out the reps, his back completely flat as the hilt of the sword stuck out of his lips.

As the performer cranked out the push ups, the crowd quietly counted his movements, filling the room with the sounds of increasing digits and muffled coughs as Noah’s body fought against the sword in his throat. 

Nevertheless, in roughly 30 seconds, he was able to complete the challenge – and the studio erupted into cheers as Noah leaned back and grinned while pulling the blade from his gut!

After his success, we had to ask the new record holder how it felt to complete a push-up with a sword in his stomach – and his answer wasn’t exactly surprising.

“It’s one of the strangest sensations I’ve ever experienced,” he said.

“When you’re standing still and swallowing a sword, gravity is predictable. During a push-up, your entire body is moving around the sword. Every inch of movement becomes magnified, and you’re constantly aware that you need to keep everything aligned.”

“The physical effort is significant, but the mental challenge is even bigger,” he continued. “You have to stay calm while your muscles are working hard and your body is telling you to focus on the exercise. Instead, your attention has to remain split between strength, balance, breathing, and the position of the sword.

“The closest comparison I can make is balancing a glass of water on your head while doing an intense workout. 

“Except the glass of water is a steel sword extending down your esophagus.”

Naturally, then, the attempt was a bit of a double-edged sword for the record holder – and as proud as he was of his accomplishment, he was thrilled that he could finally take a deep breath without a blade in his gullet!

“When the attempt was over, I felt a mix of relief, excitement, and disbelief,” he said. “Breaking a Guinness World Records title is always special, but doing it in a discipline that took years of training to learn made the achievement particularly meaningful.”

So congratulations, Noah – you are Officially Amazing!