Call 2 arms for world record bid in Strathclyde Park

A world record attempt will take place at Strathclyde Park this weekend as mental health experts throwing their weight behind a global internet exercise phenomenon.
The push up world record bid will kick off at Strathclyde Park on Saturday morning.The push up world record bid will kick off at Strathclyde Park on Saturday morning.
The push up world record bid will kick off at Strathclyde Park on Saturday morning.

The 22 Push-Up Challenge has swept its way across social media in recent weeks which involves participants uploading a video of themselves completing 22 press ups over 22 days.

The challenge was launched by an army veteran in Michigan, USA, to get people talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It was prompted by the reported statistic that 22 US veterans complete suicide every single day.

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Now, Scottish participants of the viral Facebook and Twitter campaign are set to put their back into the mass outdoor event.

The push up world record bid will kick off at 10am in Strathclyde Park on Saturday morning.

Organisers, Scots Army veterans Calum MacLeod and Terry Low, are aiming to break the world record for the most people performing push ups simultaneously and raise funds for military charities.

The record currently stands at 1,286, achieved by Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon, on November 11, 2015.

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The event is free, but participants are asked to make a donation to military charities.

Kevin O’Neill, Public Mental Health and Wellbeing development manager representing Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care, believes the call to arms brings an important issue into sharp focus.

he said: “This event raises vital awareness around the specific challenges faced by our service personnel and veterans.

“The day also provides the ideal opportunity for people, no matter their background or vocation, to think about taking care of their own mental health by finding some space from the stresses of life.

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“If we wait for this time, we often find it never comes which is why we have to make our own breathing space – and exercise is the ideal way of doing that.

“Feeling low, stressed and overwhelmed with the challenges of life can be emotions that we all feel.

“We are encouraging people to feel comfortable about talking about our mental health.

“The record attempt will embody that sentiment in spectacular, and hopefully, record breaking fashion! We’ll have staff and information present at the event for people to learn more about mental health and the supports available.”

For more information, search for ‘call 2 arms’ on Facebook.