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Doug Pruden is a Canadian endurance sportsman and street performer who has held several world records for push-ups.
Doug Pruden was born in Edmonton in 1962 or 1963. [1] [2] He studied urban planning and architectural design at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. [3]
Pruden began doing push-ups in junior high school, later explaining that he preferred solitary exercises to team sports. [4] In the early 1990s, he began combining his fitness regimen with faith-based outreach, speaking to teenagers at South Edmonton-area shopping centres about scripture and abstinence, while incorporating push-up demonstrations as a motivational tool. [1] [5]
Pruden became known locally as the "Push-Up Man" through busking appearances at events such as the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, where he performed endurance routines such as 1,000 push-ups in under 20 minutes. [4] [6] He gained attention for his involvement in civic and community events, from volunteering at flood relief and youth forums to attending funerals of local figures and some media have described him as a publicity seeker. [1] [6] In recent years, Pruden has remained active as a street performer in Edmonton, staging push-up demonstrations on Whyte Avenue. [1]
Pruden set his first world record on August 19, 2001, completing 102 one-armed push-ups in one minute. [1] As of 2015, Pruden has held 10 world records in various push-up categories and currently holds seven [1] :
In 1992, Pruden ran for Edmonton City Council in Ward 5. [2] He placed last among eight candidates with 1,949 votes. [14]