Sit-ups on the Top of a Football

The record for performing the maximum number of situps on the top of a football was set by Pramod P. D. (born on December 20, 1983) of Idukki, Kerala. Being 70 per cent locomotor disabled, he performed 5 sit-ups balancing his body while standing on a football for 29 seconds.

37-year-old Kerala resident Pramod P. D. does not have his both hands since childhood, yet he plays football amazingly. Not only playing, he is also India’s first handicapped football coach, which is a huge thing and an inspirational fact in itself. Often healthy people do not try much and make excuses even after having all their limbs intact. They give up before trying and blame someone else when they meet failure. But this is not the case with Pramod P. D. who keeps smiling all the while and is full of life despite odds.

For Pramod P. D., even doing small and routine works from morning to evening is a very troublesome task. His right hand is bent and is partially functional.

While training the children in the football ground, he holds his whistle with the same hand, puts on socks with a little effort and somehow ties his shoelaces cleverly, all with the same partially function right hand.

Watching Pramod play and juggle with football is an interesting experience in itself. There is a wonderful coordination in both his legs and he beautifully balances the football with his feet in such a way that is unimaginable for normal guys. Pramod is full of energy and has won many medals and awards for his wonderful football playing skills.

People must have heard the story of Mexican Juan Marquez Nieto, who traveled 1240 miles for 56 days with a football on his head. However, Juan’s motive behind this balancing act was to give the message of ending violence in Mexico. But it is no less exciting to see Pramod P. D. from Kerala doing sit-ups on the top of a football with both feet. The activity and the record will be published in the next edition of the India Book of Records.

Pramod says that balance is an important quality of any football player, and it is something that all professionals seek to develop in order to maintain their skills. The ability to maintain balance protects the player from falling on sharp turns.