The skipping star

"It was fun…It was also a kind of torture, good torture,” declared Yahan Palia to sum up his experience that created a new Guinness World Record for "Most skips over a rope in one hour by an individual.” In the presence of two witnesses, two people tracking time, two people counting his skips and close friends keeping him relaxed, Palia’s feat was recorded on two cameras — one regular and one slow motion — on June 21 this year. As per the guidelines from the authorities, the proof of his one hour ordeal was uploaded on their website. Three months later, on September 21, he received an email confirmation recognizing his performance for completing 13,863 skips, 159 more than the previous record created by a Dutchman, mentioned Palia during a telephone interview with Parsiana.
"Guinness World Records documents and celebrates superlative achievements that are the best in the world. Record breaking is a serious business, which means we have strict policies governing what constitutes a Guinness World Records title in order to maintain these high standards,” notes their website.
Looking at the video recording of Palia’s one-hour commitment to skipping that has been shared on his Instagram account, it was clear that he had mastered the rhythmic movements required for this activity. Attired in his shorts and singlet, his curly mop held back under a bandana, he displayed his application number 210108210342MSOA at the start of the recording to introduce himself. Barring the first time when he lifted the RPM brand high tensile skipping rope from the floor, or the fleeting pauses he permitted himself, the rapid movements thereafter made it difficult to actually see the rope as he was averaging 231 skips a minute! The continuous flicking of his wrists turned the rope 360 degrees as he balanced his weight on his toes when alternately raising his right and left leg.

The accomplishment became particularly "amazing and beautiful” for the motivated 21-year-old for it taught him that "no matter how much you prepare, the final outcome may not be proportional to your efforts.” Around 15 minutes into the event, one of the metal wires from the rope came lose. Although he had carried a second rope, he was worried that using that might disqualify him so he continued relentlessly with the first one, suffering the whips from the lose wire on his forearm that caused tenderness and bleeding. The RPM professional skipping rope costs around Rs 6,000 and although the grip handles of the rope are very sturdy, the metal wires may need changing which can be done at a cost of around Rs 750.
Around the 30th minute, one of his air pods fell to the ground, something that has "never happened in a practice session” for one who considers himself "a super music oriented person.” Although he has recorded a higher number of skips at his practice sessions, mid-way on D-day he started getting cramps in his thighs and calves which too was an unexpected development. Continuing to smile and remain happy throughout such challenges, he emerged victorious.
There was no professional trainer to monitor Palia’s skipping progress, he did it all with his own grit and determination, learning from experience shared by others on Internet. To relax his muscles at the end of each training session, he would soak his legs in ice water. "Actually you are supposed to soak your entire body in ice water but I don’t have a bathtub at home so I would just soak my legs,” he declared.
He attributed his success to his "delusion and discipline,” the support of his family and friends who shared their "blessings, encouragement, time, love.” He is now determined to better his performance by the end of the year.
Until 2017, Palia considered himself an "average skipper,” including this cardio exercise in his regimen at the gymnasium at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) where he is a regular. As a 17-year-old student at the B. D. Somani International, the starry eyed actor had aspirations to start a film production company and was hoping to find a partner who would invest in his dreams. A day before a meeting with a prospective partner, the teenager decided to make a pact with God: If instead of the regular 1,000 skips a day, he were to perform 10,000 skips, the Almighty should ensure that he had a favorable outcome from the business meeting the following day. He was delighted that he was able to fulfill his part of the deal, and the business meeting resulted in him being offered a job.
From this impulsive episode of skipping he realized "I have the stamina to skip for an hour” and chose to make it his regular cardio session until I got relatively good.” When one of the senior members at NSCI once asked him in jest whether he was preparing to join the skipping team for the Olympics, Palia wondered whether this sport was included in the Olympic events and found out that it was not. He then decided to check what are the maximum number of skips that have been performed in an hour. On learning that it was around 12,000 he decided he should surpass that record. "I always want to be the best; to prove to be world class in a given field of my choice,” admitted the youngster.
Faced with his board exams in three months, skipping took a backseat and thereafter from 2018-20 he took it casually. "Free time during the pandemic indirectly pushed me to pursue my goal. I would practice a lot more, was serious about my food intake and later started going to the gym nine times a week.”
Enjoying his conversations with God, Palia revealed, "I am a relatively spiritual person.” Every week, he likes visiting a fire temple, usually the Banaji Atash Behram or the Saher Agiary. "Faith is something beyond yourself, your best friend supporting you at all times,” he avers.
For inspiration, he turns to his family, giving his mother Nilufer credit for teaching him to be "unabashedly fearless.” From his father Kaiyomerz he learnt to put in an "ungodly amount of hard work and to smile even when you are sad.” His sister Friya, seven years his senior, he considers his "major backbone.” While all members of the Palia household contribute to the success of the family’s real estate business, Our Town, Yahan’s immediate plans are to get professional training as an actor as he "loves the performing arts, acting, cinema, theater.”
His recent journey, says the fitness enthusiast, has taught him "two lessons: You can achieve anything if you take one step at a time… Instead of being afraid of failure, seek failure and push your outer boundaries.”