By Heather
Kirk
 Ottawa
resident Roy
Berger is
the holder
of an
impressive
four
Guinness
World
Records, all
for
push-ups.
For
record
number one,
Roy
completed
3,416
push-ups in
one hour.
Record
number two
was for 100
push-ups
with his
feet on an
80cm high
table.
Beating the
previous
record of 68
seconds, he
achieved
this feat in
just under
46 seconds.
Record
number three saw
him
successfully
complete 138
push-ups in
one minute.
You might
wonder what
would drive
a person to
seek such
records. He
said the
first record
came as the
result of a
conversation
in the early
1990’s
between
himself and
his brother
Lee after
watching Pat
Doyle who
was then
record
holder. Roy
told his
brother he
was going to
try for the
record and
when he
achieved it,
would
dedicate it
to Lee. When
Lee was
killed a
short while
later on a
mission with
UN
Peacekeeping,
Roy
determined
to make good
on his
promise. He
tried three
times before
he achieved
his first
successful
results.
Going
after
subsequent
records
seems just
part of
Roy’s
philosophy
in life.
Working for
schools with
children
with
behavioural
issues, he is
trying to
instill in
them a sense
of pride and
accomplishment.
“For
these kids,
and for
anyone,” he
said, “it’s
all about
setting
goals that
are
attainable
and then
working
towards them
bit by bit
until you
get where
you want to
be.” He says
he doesn’t
believe in
setting high
unrealistic
goals, but
rather in
setting and
achieving
goals that
are a
challenge,
no matter
how small
that
challenge
may seem to
others. Any
success, any
time you’ve
done your
best,
regardless
of the
outcome, is
a success.
“With
Guinness
it’s tough
because they
only
recognize
number one;
never tell
you who
number two
is. But as
long as you
know you’ve
done your
best and
given it
your all,
you are a
winner,
regardless
of the end
result,” he
says.
How does
one train to
achieve a
Guinness
World
Record? For
Roy it’s a
combination
of a lot of
things
-
callisthenics,
push-ups of
course,
weight
training,
and at the
base of it
all, a smart
life style
that
includes
healthy
eating,
regular
fitness and
appropriate
rest.
He has
some good
advice for
people who
believe they
can’t do
something or
talk
themselves
out of doing
something.
“You have to
take that
inner voice
saying, no I
can’t do
that and
turn it into
a voice that
says, you
know, it
will be
really hard,
but I can do
it if I keep
at it.”
Roy’s
personal
philosophy
is the
result of
experience.
As one of
three
children
raised by a
single
parent, his
childhood
was not
prosperous.
A turning
point in his
life came
one summer
though when
he was a
participant
at Christie
Lake Camp, a
group
dedicated to
providing
recreational
opportunities
for children
and youth
living in
poverty. It
was at this
camp that
Roy learned
the value of
setting
goals and
believing in
himself.
Roy has
used many of
his record
attempts as
an
opportunity
to raise
money for
local
children’s
charities.
He has put
on
demonstrations
at local
malls and
sports bars
where he
accepts
donations on
behalf of
these groups
and turns
them back
into
supporting
the
community
and the camp
he credits
with turning
his life
around.
Roy is
currently
pursuing
record
number four
and will
continue in
his attempts
until he is
satisfied he
has achieved
everything
he can and
has given it
his all.
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