Endurance feat: Dubai resident loses 4kg, burns 29,200 calories, and faces hallucinations.
Dubai: A 23-year-old Indian expat in the UAE has completed an 84-hour non-stop indoor rowing challenge—without sleep, taking only a single shower, and enduring two hallucinations along the way.
Daksh Chahal, a strength and conditioning coach based in Dubai, achieved the ultra-endurance feat in what is believed to be a first-ever attempt in this category under official Guinness World Records guidelines.
Speaking to Gulf News, he said he began rowing on the Concept2 exercise machine at 8:20 am on Wednesday at Danube Sports World and finally stepped off the RowErg four days later at 8:20 pm on Saturday.
“This was about proving that limits are mostly mental,” Daksh said. “I wanted to show young athletes in the UAE and around the world that with preparation, structure, and belief, we can push far beyond what we think is possible.”
Record built from scratch
Hailing from the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Daksh has been involved in sports since childhood. He moved to Dubai five years ago as a personal trainer and later transitioned into strength and conditioning coaching as well as competitive obstacle racing.
He said he represented India and finished seventh in his category at the Abu Dhabi Spartan World Championship in 2024.
The idea for the rowing record came to him one night as he was falling asleep, shortly after leaving his job as a personal trainer. “I was wondering what’s next and how I can stand out with an achievement. That is when I checked the world record for this machine that I had been using daily for years,” Daksh said.
He chose the Concept2 rowing machine because it is one of the toughest cardio machines in any gym. “It engages the legs, arms, back, core, heart, and lungs simultaneously,” he explained.
Guinness vs Concept2 rules
With no existing Guinness World Records category for this feat, Daksh had to wait up to 10 weeks for an entirely new category to be created, complete with rules and guidelines. The minimum threshold was set at 80 hours, but Daksh went 84 hours, deliberately pushing beyond the requirement to leave a clear margin.
He clarified that this is a separate and distinct category from the Concept2 machine’s own internal records, which allow 10 minutes of rest for every 50 minutes of rowing.
Under Guinness World Records rules, Daksh earned just five minutes of rest for each completed hour, meaning he had to row three hours straight to accumulate a 15-minute break.
He maintained an average speed of 7–8 km/h throughout, well above the 5 km/h minimum required by Guinness. Over the course of the challenge, he burned approximately 29,200 calories and lost 4 kg in body weight.
The attempt was conducted under strict conditions, with official timekeeping, continuous video documentation, and witness verification in place to meet Guinness requirements.
How he prepared himself
Daksh trained for five to six months ahead of the attempt, incorporating regular six- to eight-hour rowing sessions each week, mobility exercises, weight training, and practices like meditation and manifestation.
In the two weeks leading up to the challenge, he deliberately limited his sleep to two or three hours per night to condition his mind for the extreme sleep deprivation ahead.
He also mentally prepared for the point when his body would reach its limits.
Sleep deprivation and hallucinations
Daksh said the first 24 hours of rowing were manageable, but the second night proved the toughest part of the challenge.
“I knew, at one point, the body is definitely going to give up. But it will always be my mind, which I have to train,” he explained.
During that second night, extreme sleep deprivation triggered two hallucinations: he saw a woman with her back turned standing where the camera was, and what appeared to be a gorilla or chimpanzee lurking behind the witness seated in front of him.
The experience prompted Daksh to stop the music he had been listening to, remove his earphones, and engage with the witnesses to stay grounded in the present.
Aftermath and heightened senses
Daksh said he also experienced heightened hearing sensitivity in the days following the attempt, able to pick up distant sounds and conversations with unusual clarity, while his voice had dropped to a near-whisper from the sustained effort.
Safety and support
The attempt was conducted under strict medical oversight. A doctor was present for the final two days, monitoring his blood pressure and oxygen levels throughout. “Everything remained within range, and the doctor was surprised,” he said.
Reflecting on the health risks, Daksh added candidly: “To be honest and realistic, it is not healthy at all to stay awake and exert yourself like this… But to break records, you always have to push the limits of human capability.”
He was supported by a team of friends and fitness trainers certified in CPR and AED use, who were present throughout the challenge, and the venue’s facilities were fully available at all times.
Minimal rest and mental focus
During the 84-hour challenge, Daksh took just a single shower, using a 20-minute accumulated rest window after the second day. His other breaks were spent with his eyes closed, focusing solely on mental recovery. “More than taking the shower, what was important is to let the mind be in a good condition,” he said.
Guinness verification
All documentation is now being submitted to Guinness World Records for official verification.
“I have to submit all the data from the machine, CCTV footage, witness statements, video evidence, and timekeeping records as part of the official submission to Guinness World Records for verification,” Daksh explained.
If verified, Daksh’s 84-hour endurance row will set a new benchmark in ultra-endurance indoor rowing.
Whether or not he earns the official Guinness World Record title, he is already looking ahead. Daksh plans to attempt a 100-hour rowing challenge later this year and is exploring the possibility of a Netflix documentary about his feat. “I also hope to link my attempt to a charity initiative, which I couldn’t do this time due to some unforeseen reasons,” he added.
