A Burnaby man is attempting to achieve a Guinness World Record for most baseball bats broken by a single shin kick.
Kim Carlton, a former mixed martial arts professional fighter, said he was inspired to apply after learning about the other world records that involved breaking baseball bats and coconuts.
“I've been known for breaking baseball bats with my shins, breaking coconuts with my bare hands,” he said. “I was up one night, and I was watching the Guinness World Records on YouTube and there were guys trying to break big coconuts and they were breaking their hands. There were guys trying to break baseball bats and they were breaking their legs.”
According to the Guinness World Records’ website, there is no current record holder for most baseball bats broken with a single shin kick.
The ultimate authority on record-breaking achievements is responsible for setting the rules for how the record can be broken and the parameters involving the equipment used, the direction of the kick and how many witnesses are needed, among other things.
These regulations made Carlton prepare for different mental and physical techniques that he wasn’t used to.
“It's not just set them up and break," he said. "It's a think-about-before-you-do-it type of thing. So that's a lot different techniques than I'm used to."
The record attempt will take place at the B.C. Open Martial Arts Championships, which is being hosted at the British Columbia Institute of Technology on Saturday, April 22.
Carlton has won more than 60 trophies and over 30 gold medals throughout his career. He is also a black belt in four different martial arts modalities including judo, two different styles of karate and defendo, a Canadian martial art and self-defense system that was created during the Second World War.
He said he's excited at the prospect of getting into the record book.
“It can be my last legacy, right? Let’s see what happens. It might be my last chance to leave a footprint on this world.”
B.C. Open Martial Arts Championships
When: April 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Guinness World Record attempt at 1 p.m.
Where: BCIT – Main Gym SE 16, Burnaby campus (3700 Willingdon Ave., Burnaby, B.C.)
Cost: $20 general, $10 seniors 65+
