This week tens of thousands of students, family members, mentors, and spectators will descend on the St. Louis America center for FIRST Robots East nationals – the premier youth robotics program national championship.
Category Archives: Juggling
Difference Between World Record types
Today I explain the difference between a Guinness World Record and a “World Record” by setting the “World Record” for fewest juggling catches in a minutes with 4 balls to become the world’s slowest 4 ball juggling. This is less than a week after setting the “Guinness World Record” for fewest juggling catches in a minute with 3 balls.
Let’s go STEM!
World’s Slowest Juggler
Is that even something to be proud of? Perhaps if I called it world’s highest throwing or highest velocity juggler? But that’s not accurate either since I could actually throw higher if I threw the next ball earlier in the cycle. I guess Guinness World Records has it right: “Fewest Juggling Catches in a Minute (3 balls)” – and yes, you have to be juggling the entire minute.
Watch the Video!
Image Gallery: Slowest Juggling GWR Gallery
[REACH FOR THE SKY] BLUE
I’m going to reach for the sky on the classic blue turf on Thursday to attempt to set my most physically demanding Guinness World Record yet. I’m going to attempt to become the “World’s Slowest Juggler”. Maybe a better way to frame it is “World’s Highest Throwing and World’s Highest Velocity Juggler”. The Guinness World Record is for “Fewest Juggling Catches in 1 Minute (3 balls)”.
22 Minutes 7 Seconds
Today was reliving where it all started. Guinness World Record for Longest Duration Juggling 3 Objects Blindfolded. It’s the only record I’ve set that’s been published in the print edition of the book (so far). It got me on the TODAY show and started the amazingly fun journey I’ve been on during the last year. The first time I set it, it was only 6 minutes 34 seconds (current record until today). On my last attempt I went 22 minutes 7.01 seconds.
It took about 10 tries total, but I finally beat 20 minutes, which was my goal. Nerves resulted in several failed attempts (first 3 about 3 minutes) but I finally got a run of 7 minutes 20 seconds even with the nerves. I did the TV interviews and the news stations left. I’d set the Guinness record and all the pressure was off. I was then able to settle down and went for 22 minutes 7.01 seconds while juggling blindfolded. This even beat the juggle wiki records where all you have to provide is video evidence (and it’s a lot easier to beat a world record in your living room with no pressure then in front of 600 people).
Video
Beating Myself Blindfolded… 1 Year Later
It’s time to revisit the record that got it all started… and this time I’m going to attempt to beat it by more than 5 seconds.
Blindfolded Juggling
Cradlepoint is renting out the entire Basque Block again on Wednesday for our company party to celebrate another successful year. I’m going to attempt to reset the Guinness World Record for longest duration blindfolded juggling. This is the record that was published in the 2017 print edition of Guinness World Records. The record was 6:29. When I passed it last year everyone cheered (note I was blindfolded) and I got so excited I overthrew a ball and it was over. This year I’ve been practicing to go longer.
A lot has happened since I set this record a year ago so I thought I’d make a list of a few of the things that have happened in the last year:
1) Had a kid – Jeremy, with my beautiful wife Jennifer
Ladder up to Double-Digit World Records
I had a great time at the Emmett Middle School assembly today. The students were great: attentive, engaged, enthusiastic and helpful (I had some equipment to schlep for this one). There were about 570 5-8th graders and I was told 2 world records were set today: Longest Duration Balancing a Ladder on a Chin (5:32) and Longest time 5-8th graders kept silent (4:09 – previous ladder balance record).
Opportunity to Improve on TODAY
Today on TODAY I found an opportunity to improve. It’s often called failure by folks in what Stanford Psychologist calls a fixed mindset. But in the growth mindset, a failure is an opportunity to learn and improve. I had 3 chances on national television and 1 off camera to attempt to break the blindfold speed juggling record, but I couldn’t keep the adrenaline rush from nerves under control. Adrenaline and fine motor control do not mix. I made it 50 seconds and 335 catches the last try (but needed to his 364 for the record… just needed a few more seconds).
I’ll be back again to break this one soon.
Check out the video here.
http://www.today.com/popculture/watch-man-juggle-blindfolded-attempt-break-guinness-record-t102699
TODAY Show World Record Attempt Sept 9th!
New York City, here I come! I’m taking STEM promotion on the road to the Big Apple to appear on the TODAY show. On Friday, Sept 9th during the 10AM slot (4th hour) with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, I’m going to attempt to set a blindfold speed juggling Guinness W
orld Record on the TODAY show to help illustrate that if you set your mind to a goal and pursue it with a passion, you can accomplish anything. (I should be on around 10:15 AM w/previews starting earlier. I think it shows 10AM in most local time zones).
It’s not about the juggling, it’s about inspiring students to pursue STEM education – which is hard, just like setting world records. One of the problems is that when students struggle, they think they don’t have the gift or the natural talent for math or science. But it’s not about having natural talent; it’s about hard work, believing in yourself and getting access to the resources you need to fulfill your potential.
Selfies 4 STEM
Selfies 4 STEM – 7th Guinness World Record Attempt
On July 25, attend a day of free workshops and interactive experiences centered around 3D design with Tinkercad at Boise Centre on the Grove (convention center) AND be part of a Guinness World Record attempt.
You’ll also get a chance to not only witness but be part of setting a Guinness World Record at 12PM!
At noon I’ll attempt to set the Guinness World Record for most Selfies taken in 3 minutes. I’ll need at least 119 willing participants to take a picture with me, one at a time (preferably 150+). I watched Dwane “The Rock” Johnson set this record earlier this year (105) and Taylor Lautner fail to break it (101). I’m convinced that thinking about the problem in a new way and coming up with a better operational/engineering “design” is the key to not only beating the record but crushing the current record (118). (Hint: There is only 1 line for each of them and the cameras they’re using are not the best).
