Farmer Burns on Medicine Ball Training

Just before the turn of the century, Martin "Farmer" Burns was one of the fiercest wrestlers the world had ever seen. He wrestled over 6000 matches, lost only 7 and held the World's Championship on two seperate occasions. Once his competitive career came to an end, the "Old Farmer" as he was known, focused on managing and training other wrestlers and athletes.

Farmer Burns

His most famous pupil was Frank Gotch, who, thanks in large part to Farmer Burns' coaching, became arguably the greatest wrestler of all time.

The foundation of Burns' method was physical conditioning. After all, a wrestler can never be too strong or well conditioned -- and at his "School of Wrestling" in Omaha, Nebraska, he employed any method that would help his athletes become the best.

Here's a look at his thoughts on training with the medicine ball:

The Medicine Ball

"Perhaps some of my students are not familiar with the Medicine Ball. It is a ball that has been used in training during recent yeats and from my observations in training camps, I have decided that it has an important part to play in the routine work of the athlete...

It is a large leather ball of considerable weight, yet soft enough to avoid hurting or damaging the contestants.

Two persons are required when exercising with the ball. It is merely thrown back and forth from one to another, but is thrown and caught in a great variety of positions.

It should be thrown and caught in a variety of positions. It should be thrown with both hands over the head, from the right side and from the left side. It can also be thrown with the right arm alone and the left arm alone, and from various positions when you are sitting or lying down.

The person catching the ball should catch it first with the right arm and then with the left and make special efforts to exercise as much as possible, while catching and returning the ball to his companion.

If you have never worked out with the medicine ball, you will think from this description that it is child's play, but let me assure you that if you devoted ten minutes to fast work with the medicine ball, you will change your mind and readily appreciate the fact that it is a great exercise for limbering up the muscles and working up a good sweat."

Of course, if Farmer Burns were still alive and running his school of wrestling today, this is the medicine ball he would be training with:

Everlast Classic Leather
Medicine Balls

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