Yoga instructor sets world record by holding scorpion pose for nearly 30 minutes

An Indian yoga instructor has broken the Guinness World Record for being able to hold a scorpion position- (or vrschikasana) for the longest time.

Yash Moradiya managed to stay in the pose for an impressive 29 minutes and four seconds, with the 21-year-old smashing the previous record which was set at four minutes and 47 seconds.

To get into the scorpion position, a person must have their forearms planted on the ground and then slowly raise your legs above your head and balance as you bend them towards your head.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Speaking to the Guinness World Record team, Moradiya gave an insight into how he was able to perfect the pose, he had been preparing his attempt for two years and was able to practice more due to being stuck inside during the pandemic.

"The scorpion position is all about stability. The longer you hold the pose, the better you learn to establish your mental resilience," he said.

He also had experience on his side as he began doing yoga as an eight-year-old and trained to become a yoga teacher in 2017 to aid people with their health and fitness journeys.

Of course, remaining in this position is no easy feat as the instructor soon felt the effects of doing the scorpion for nearly half an hour.

"I was not feeling my toes, and my hip and back numbed before feeling so much pain throughout," he added.

To prepare his body for the world record attempt, it was important for Moradiya to have strength in his arms and shoulds as well as flexibility in his back, which is why he did forearm stand exercises and even walked on his hands on a treadmill to improve these areas.

While the physical aspect of this was a challenge, there was also the mental side of things with yoga which Moradiya also recognised.

"My achievement is not only physical, it has a lot to do with self-confidence and mental strength."

After learning the philosophy of yoga and its ancient knowledge, Moradiya described how it doesn't just mean the balance of our bodies but also the balance between our body and mind, along with a balance between human's relationship with the world.

There have also been studies that show the brain works better for those who regularly participate in yoga compared to those that don't e.g. in memory skills, according to Harvard Medical School.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.