From the beginning sounds of pot-influenced laughter, foreign languages in the background, and a prolonged shot of scaffolding, it's unclear what's about to happen in this YouTube video. What emerges is Darren Taylor, aka , jumping from a 36-foot platform into a kiddie pool with only 12 inches of water. To boot, the water is near freezing. Somehow after jumping, he remains unhurt.
“The bottom of the paddling pool is not inflated, because that would be against Guinness rules,' he told the . “However, there are a couple of foam mats underneath the pool. Believe me, jumping and landing as flat as possible in 12 inches of water is tough enough as it is.”
How does he do it? He leads with his hands, which breaks the impact on his face and drives him forward as he hits the water. Check out the clip below to see the water impact in super slowmo.
https://static.discoverymedia.com/videos/components/dsc/6a89b002e80d30c4bcda775f8f1eb68a912586e7/snag-it-player.html?auto=no
The jump is Taylor's 13th world record, and was done as a special performance for the International Association for Exchange Students. FYI – if you want to see it live, you can book him for your own party .
–Joe Spring