Martin Burns (February 15, 1861 – January 8, 1937), better known as “Farmer” Burns, stands as one of the most influential figures in the history of wrestling. A master of catch-as-catch-can grappling, Burns not only carved out a legendary competitive career—boasting thousands of matches with only a handful of losses—but also became wrestling’s greatest trainer, producing champions who shaped the sport’s evolution for decades.
Childhood and Early Life
Born in Cedar County, Iowa, in the midst of the American Civil War, Burns grew up in a hardscrabble environment. His father died when Martin was just 11 years old, forcing him to support his mother and siblings through farm labor and grading camp work.
It was here that his incredible physical strength and endurance were forged. Wrestling was already popular among soldiers and settlers in the Midwest, and Burns gravitated toward it, entering informal contests for prize money. By age 8, he had already won his first match for a 15-cent prize.
Unlike many strongmen of his era who relied solely on brute force, Burns refined his technique, studying leverage, holds, and tactics. He gravitated toward catch wrestling, where victory came either by pin or submission—a style that demanded both athleticism and strategy.
Rise as a Wrestler
By the 1880s, Burns was making his name on the carnival and fairground circuit, accepting challenges from all comers. His endurance was legendary—he wrestled marathon bouts that stretched hours long.
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1886–87: He wrestled and lost to Henry Clayton and Tom Connors. Clayton, known as “Evan ‘Strangler’ Lewis,” introduced Burns to the dangerous stranglehold.
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Determined never to be caught again, Burns embarked on a unique neck-training regimen that built his neck to 20 inches in circumference. He grew so strong he famously survived a drop in a noose without harm, whistling “Yankee Doodle” as a sideshow stunt.
His “Farmer” Burns nickname came in 1889, when he appeared at a Chicago theater in overalls, defeating Jack Carleek and lasting against Strangler Lewis. The newspapers dubbed him “The Farmer,” and the name stuck.
American Champion
Burns’s biggest breakthrough came in the 1890s:
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1891: Defeated Japan’s pioneer Sorakichi Matsuda in Troy, NY, in just four minutes, cementing himself as an international star.
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April 20, 1895: Defeated Evan “Strangler” Lewis to win the American Heavyweight Championship, the top recognized wrestling title in the U.S.
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He reigned for two years, dominating bigger men despite weighing only 165 lbs, before losing to Dan McLeod and Tom Jenkins in 1897.
During his career, Burns reportedly wrestled over 6,000 matches, losing only seven.
Trainer, Innovator, and Coach
Farmer Burns’s true legacy lies in the wrestlers he trained:
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Frank Gotch: Burns’s greatest protégé, Gotch became World Heavyweight Champion by defeating George Hackenschmidt in 1908 and is often hailed as the greatest wrestler of the early 20th century.
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Earl Caddock: Future World Champion, known as one of the sport’s most technical grapplers.
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Toots Mondt: Later co-creator of modern professional wrestling with his innovations in “slam-bang” style.
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Others: Rudy Dusek, Joe Malcewicz, Jess Westergaard, Fred Beell, Emil Klank, and Ralph Parcaut.
In 1914, Burns published Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture, a mail-order training manual blending wrestling technique with breathing, calisthenics, and strength training. Generations of wrestlers studied it, including future champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis.
Burns also coached at high schools in Iowa and served as a conditioning coach for boxing great Jim Jeffries in his 1910 fight against Jack Johnson. His methods influenced the rise of Iowa as the amateur wrestling capital of America.
The Farmer Burns Workout
Burns’s training system was decades ahead of its time:
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Phase 1: Bodyweight warm-ups and stretches.
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Phase 2: Light dumbbell work combined with aerobic movements.
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Phase 3: Partner-based resistance drills.
His emphasis on neck strength, stamina, and grip training became legendary. His workout created athletes who could go for hours, outlasting opponents.
Feats of Strength and Showmanship
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Survived a hanging stunt thanks to his massive neck strength.
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Could support men hanging from his neck in demonstrations.
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Famous for defeating opponents outweighing him by 50–100 lbs, relying on technique over bulk.
Retirement and Later Years
After retiring from active wrestling in the late 1890s, Burns remained active as a trainer, promoter, and teacher. He ran gyms in Illinois and Iowa, where he mentored young grapplers and instilled in them the values of conditioning, discipline, and technical mastery.
He suffered personal tragedy with the death of his wife, Amelia, in 1930, which weakened his own health. Burns passed away on January 8, 1937, at the age of 75, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He is buried at St. James Cemetery in Toronto, Iowa.
Legacy and Honors
Burns is remembered not only as a champion wrestler but as a visionary who helped define both professional and amateur wrestling in America.
Hall of Fame Inductions:
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International Wrestling Institute and Museum (2001)
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (2002)
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Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2003)
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WWE Hall of Fame – Legacy Wing (2017)
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Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (2024)
Conclusion
Farmer Burns embodied the grit of America’s pioneering spirit: a self-made athlete who rose from farm labor to world champion, then gave back by training generations of wrestlers who built modern wrestling. His blend of toughness, showmanship, and teaching genius ensured his legacy would endure long after his death.
As Lou Thesz once said of Ed “Strangler” Lewis—who himself was influenced by Burns—modern wrestling’s lineage can often be traced back to the Farmer’s fields of Iowa.