Growing up in Iowa, I had many opportunities to learn why old-time farmers were so freakin’ strong. 

My first experience was at the Wiedemeier’s, where 14 children took part in the daily chores. 

If you think 14 children in an exaggeration, I can tell you about other families in the area that were even bigger. 

My sixth-grade teacher, for example, had 17 children. And oddly enough, her name was Mrs. Stork. 

Strange and true. Veracity can appear to be fiction, even when it isn’t. 

Anyway, at the Wiedimeier farm I was introduced to forearm, grip and total-body training when I was asked to carry two five-gallon buckets of ground up corn feed to the pigs. 

No problem, I thought, when I picked up the buckets. But when I saw that the pigsty was 100 yards away, I realized why this task was called a “chore.”

This first of many farmer carries also showed me why so many farmers I had to wrestle with had such powerful grips. 

But a strong grip, although desired, cannot beat a full-body grip with whip-like movement. 

Let me explain:

Many years after leaving the state of Iowa, I happened upon an old-time course written by a professional wrestler named Martin “Farmer” Burns. 

This by-mail course, Lessons in Wresting and Physical Culture, was first published in 1914. 

It was divided into 12 lessons, six of which covered deep breathing, isometrics and calisthenics in a way I had never seen by an American before. 

I began doing the exercises in the first lesson, in order, regardless of whether I thought they were rinky-dink or not. I made no assumptions as I looked at the images and read the descriptions for how to do each exercise. 

After finishing my first go-round with the “Farmer’s” exercises, I was invigorated beyond belief. Instead of feeling depleted and tired, I was energized.  

I didn’t understand the mechanism involved when I first began doing these exercises, but today, with all the information out on fascial conditioning and training, I am in awe at how far ahead of his time the Farmer was.

The deep breathing exercises alone, as Farmer Burns stated, “Make many a weak man strong and many a sick man well.”

And when it comes to healing shoulder pain and other potential injuries, the Farmer nailed that as well. 

Recently a chap wrote to tell me that he has only done the first three exercises in the course since he received it several months ago, and those three movements alone have been HUGE life-changers.  

The bottom line is that if I have a choice about working on a family farm or doing the exercises that Martin “Farmer” Burns taught in his course, I’m going with the course as it gives you MORE strength and health than you currently think possible.

Total body strength – not just grip strength. 

Grab a copy of Lessons in Wresting and Physical Culture NOW. 

It’s a game changer. 

Matt Furey

P.S. If you’re into grappling and catch wrestling, I also recommend the video course I created based upon the book: