Kitchener doctor attempts second world record

Just over a year since a doctor from Kitchener broke a Guinness World Record for bench pressing the most weight in 30 seconds, he’s now attempting a second world record.

Dr. Khashayar Farzam attempted to break the record for bench pressing the most body weight repetitions in thirty seconds. He had to beat 38 reps of his own body weight and by all apparent results he did it.

“I weighed in at 201.8 lbs and the mark to beat was 38 reps. I did 44 reps today,” Farzam said.

Farzam and several members of Lil’s Gym in Kitchener helped film the attempt with multiple cameras. The crew recorded the entire attempt, including Farzam’s weight, each weight used on the barbell, the barbell’s weight and they also timed the whole thing. They are submitting it all to Guinness World Records to see if he qualifies for a second award.

“It felt pretty good. At the end there I felt like I was just running out of steam,” Farzam said.

“Just got to get all the angles and make sure you're doing everything properly,” Co-owner of Lil’s Gym Matt Daciw said. “Like sometimes the scale can go a couple points of a degree one way, one way or the other. But really, if anything, he beat the record and then some.”

Farzam isn't new to winning. He broke the Guinness World Record for the most weight bench pressed in 30 seconds by a man, lifting 3,610 kg (7,959 lbs). Farzam did it on Nov. 1, 2023 by completing 30 repetitions of around 120 kg (265 lbs), breaking the old record by two reps.

Dr. Khashayar Farzam's first Guinness World Record hangs at Lil's Gym in Kitchener. A hook stands beside it, ready for another award. Nov.12, 2024 (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

Farzam also recently won his class at the Pan-American Bench Press Championships.

“I thought this would be a good way to close off the season,” Farzam said.

Farzam is an emergency room doctor at both Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener. When he’s not working, he’s usually lifting weights at Lil’s Gym, where his first Guinness World Record hangs on the wall.

“He's been putting in the work and he's a great member to have here. It's really cool to have people come in and see he's got the Guinness record. I mean, it makes us look good. But overall, he's just an awesome dude and we want to help him out,” Daciw said.

“We have another hook there - it's a perfect spot for [another award],” Chris Williamson, co-owner of Lil’s Gym, said

While Farzam keeps pressing his place in the history books, he said he’s heard of potential attempts to break his first record, and if needed, he plans to keep defending his title.

“The goal is to just keep doing as much as I can,” Dr. Farzam said.