Mr Super Teeth Pulls Trains

Which is the strongest part of your body? Your arms to lift things? Your legs to run fast? Your skull to protect you against bumps and crashes? For Rathakrishnan Velu, it’s his teeth. The Guinness World Record holder won the title for the Heaviest Weight Pulled With Teeth in 2003, using only his teeth to pull two train carriages with a combined weight of 260.8 tonnes over a distance of 4.2 km at the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station in Malaysia. At his country’s 50th National Day anniversary on 31 August 2007, he is going to attempt a new record by pulling three train carriages weighing a total of 300 tonnes with his bare teeth.

The King of Teeth claimed that his secret lies in a strict regime of healthy food, exercise, meditation, willpower and determination. He wakes up at 4.30 am, runs 20 km, does jaw training, carries weight up to 250 kg, maintains a consistent diet of 90% vegetables, and practises meditation every day. He drinks a special concoction of honey saffron in between his workouts. He also practises puling train carriages with his teeth on a special track three times a week. One might be forgiven for thinking he’s Superman if one were to come across the man in his practice. Rathakrishnan said, ‘It is not because I have strong teeth but I channel my inner strength to my teeth and focus on pulling the carriages. Maybe next time I will try using my earlobes instead.’ It’s a matter of mind over body. Rathakrishnan was trained by an Indian guru in physical, mental and spiritual well-being since he was 14. His superpower came with training, faith and discipline.

If you could concentrate all your strength and power on one part of your body, which would it be?