Egyptian swimmer breaks record with monofin jump

March 3 (UPI) -- An Egyptian swimmer broke a Guinness World Record when he donned a monofin and jumped 7.5 feet out of the water.

Sayed Shaaban, 21, of Ismailia, broke the record for highest jump out of water wearing a monofin -- a swimming apparatus that resembles the tail of a mermaid -- when his leap was measured at 7.5 feet, breaking the previous record of 6.5 feet.

Shaaban said he trains three times a day, twice in the water and once in the gym.

"I practice to increase my limb beat frequency and obtain stiffer muscles, but my aim is never to bulk up," Shaaban told Gulf News. "Bigger muscles make it hard to sprint in water, so I work out to maintain cutting cycle, increase flexibility, enhance muscle reflexes and of course build stronger legs."