When most 90-year-olds exercise, they opt for light walks, gardening, or maybe a little swimming. But Ann Esselstyn isn’t most 90-year-olds.
In February 2026, the nonagenarian set out to break the world record for the oldest person to hold a dead hang, a move that involves supporting your body weight while hanging from a bar.
It might sound simple, but it is not easy. The average person struggles to hold a dead hang for even 30 seconds. Esselstyn, however, managed an astonishing two minutes and 52 seconds, earning herself a new Guinness World Record in the process.
The previous record was held by 81-year-old Annie Judis, who lasted an impressive two minutes and one second.
Plant-Based with Jane Esselstyn and Ann Esselstyn
Esselstyn comes from an exceptionally athletic family. Her son, Rip Esselstyn, is a former triathlete, and her daughter, Jane Esselstyn, is a former competitive swimmer and rower.
The family isn’t just passionate about fitness; they’re also strong advocates for healthy, plant-based living. In fact, Esselstyn hosts a plant-based cooking YouTube channel with Jane (which recently earned them the title of Favorite YouTuber in our Veggie Awards).
Her husband is 92-year-old Caldwell Esselstyn, an American physician and former rowing champion who is a leading advocate for plant-based nutrition in healthcare, particularly for reversing and slowing heart disease.
Breaking the dead hang world record
According to Esselstyn, it was Rip who encouraged her to attempt the record.
“I never ever in 90 years imagined that I would be fortunate enough to have the focused training, support, and desire to actually get a Guinness World Records title – [especially] at the age of 90!” she told the Guinness World Records.
Rip Esselstyn / Instagram
In fact, she notes that she can dead hang even longer than Rip.
Still, despite her training, which involved dead hanging every morning for months, the final challenge was tough. “My hands were just beginning to slip,” she recalled of passing the two-minute, 30-second mark. “I threw my head back, looked at the ceiling, and squeezed. I could feel my face flushing. Slowly, my hands slipped off the bar, and my feet were on the floor.”
“My back and arms hurt, but the hurrahs that I had broken the time of my first attempt and came close to three minutes left me in a state of amazement – and the pain in my back melted away with the joyful excitement around the room,” she added. “Maybe if I had known I was so close, I might have held on just a little longer. Another day!”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
