Martin Burns Martin " Farmer " Burns ( February 15 , 1861 – January 8 , 1937 ) was an American world champion " catch - as - catch - can " wrestler as well as wrestling coach and teacher . Born in Cedar County , Iowa he started wrestling as a teenager and made money traveling around the Midwest wrestling in carnivals and fairs . As a professional he claimed the American Heavyweight Championship by defeating Evan " Strangler " Lewis in 1895 and held the title for three years . Martin Burns himself claimed to have wrestled in more than 6 , 000 matches and is said to have lost only seven . After the end of his active wrestling career he started a successful wrestling school in Omaha and later coached Cedar Rapids ' Washington high school to the very first Iowa high school state wrestling tournament title . He died in Council Bluffs in 1937 . In 2001 Martin " Farmer " Burns was inducted into the International Wrestling Institute and Museum Hall of Fame . He was also inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2002 . The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted Martin Burns in 2003 . Childhood . Martin Burns was born on February 15 , 1861 , in a log cabin on a farm in Cedar County , Iowa . Growing up amidst the Civil War , Burns was exposed at an early age to the sport of wrestling , which was a preferred activity among the soldiers while stationed in camp . Consequently , the sport ’ s popularity further increased during the 1860s , and many historians also speculate that the added interest may be due to the fact that President Abraham Lincoln had himself been a champion wrestler in his younger years ( it is documented that Lincoln once beat the Louisiana State Champion in New Salem , LA in 1831 ) . Burns wrestled impromptu matches as a child ; and at age 8 , he tossed an older rival to claim a fifteen cent prize . His father died when he was 11 , leaving him to support his mother , brother , and five sisters . To earn money , Burns worked at a nearby farm for $ 12 per month ; and while he received little schooling , it was this physical labor that enabled Burns to develop his tremendous physical strength . He also spent time working in grading camps , where he competed in regular competitions against rugged strongmen . However , while these men focused on brute strength , Burns spent much time meticulously perfecting the strategies and techniques of catch wrestling , which is the basic grappling style where various holds and tactics are used with the intent to pin both opponent ’ s shoulders to the ground at once . Therefore , the combination of Burns ’ superior conditioning , intellect , and advanced skill made him a nearly unbeatable wrestling opponent . Early career . By 1880 , Martin Burns had developed a formidable reputation ; and at 19 , he wrestled his first match against a professional grappler when he battled David Grafft to a 2 - hour and 19 minute draw . He then honed his skills against the top pro wrestlers of the day , losing decisions to Henry Clayton and Tom Connors in 1886 and 1887 respectively . The defeat to Clayton particularly irked Burns , as he was unable to offset the feared stranglehold that subsequently earned Clayton the moniker Evan “ Strangler ” Lewis ( long before the more famous Ed “ Strangler ” Lewis was ever born ) . Consequently , Burns launched into a rigorous program of neck development ; and soon built an immense 20 ” neck that possessed such strength that he could be dropped six feet on a hangman ’ s noose to no effect ( a stunt that Burns would often perform at carnivals and fairs ) . While on a trip to Chicago in the spring of 1889 , Burns saw a sign offering $ 25 to anyone who could last fifteen minutes against top grapplers Jack Carleek and Evan Lewis . Burns accepted the challenge and showed up at the Olympic Theater dressed in his regular farmer ’ s overalls . Consequently , the event ’ s announcer introduced Martin to the crowd as “ Farmer ” Burns ; and the “ Farmer ” promptly made a monkey out of Carleek , throwing him across the stage before being declared the winner after fifteen minutes . The next challenge was Burns ’ much - awaited rematch against Evan “ Strangler ” Lewis , who was now the reigning Catch - as - Catch - Can Heavyweight Champion , having defeated Joe Acton on March 14 , 1887 . However , fifteen minutes proved not enough time for Lewis to throw Burns ; and again , the unknown “ Farmer ” was declared the winner and was subsequently lauded as a wrestling hero the next day in Chicago newspapers . American Champion . Following Farmer Burns ’ emergence as a premier grappler , he traveled the country , taking on the greatest wrestlers of the day , while also beating all comers at carnivals . Though he weighed just 165 pounds , he regularly defeated men who outweighed him by as much as 50 - 100 pounds . At the time , professional catch - as - catch - can ( freestyle ) wrestling often used no time limit , and a match was usually decided when a wrestler “ threw ” his opponent to the ground . However , Burns became known as the master of the pinfall , as he perfected the art of trapping his opponents ’ shoulders to the mat while contriving such dangerous maneuvers as the full and half - nelson , hammerlock , double - wrist lock , chicken wing , and a variety of submission toe holds . Farmer Burns soon encountered the renowned Sorakichi Matsuda , who is regarded as Japan ’ s first - ever pro wrestler , and who had been a top challenger to World Wrestling Champions William Muldoon and Ernest Roeber during the previous decade . The two faced off in Troy , NY on May 13 , 1891 , and Burns scored his biggest win yet when he pinned Matsuda in just four minutes . As a result , Farmer Burns soon became known as the world ’ s premier all - around grappler ; and between 1890 – 93 , he never lost a single fall . Then , on March 2 , 1893 , Evan Lewis was recognized as wrestling ’ s American Heavyweight Champion when he beat Ernest Roeber to unify the American Greco - Roman Title with the Catch - As - Catch - Can Championship . This set up yet another rematch between Farmer Burns and Strangler Lewis ; and on April 20 , 1895 , Burns pinned Lewis to capture the title . Burns would go on to reign as wrestling ’ s American Champion for two years until he was finally beaten by Dan McLeod and Tom Jenkins in 1897 . Retirement and Post - Career . Nevertheless , Farmer Burns ’ greatest contribution to wrestling ’ s evolution may be as a trainer . He opened a gymnasium in Rock Island , Illinois in 1893 , and helped to establish schools that enlightened young grapplers to the world of catch wrestling . In 1899 , Burns defeated a 21 - year old Iowan named Frank Gotch , but he recognized his raw talent and recruited him as his prized student . Burns would then mold Gotch into perhaps the greatest wrestling champion of all - time , as he defeated George Hackenschmidt in 1908 to claim the undisputed World Heavyweight Title . In addition , Farmer Burns also served as a teacher to a myriad of grapplers who would transform the sport in the early 1900s , including future World Champion ] Earl Caddock , future Middleweight World Champion and Champion Wrestler of the A . E . F . Ralph Parcaut , as well as creative pioneer Joseph “ Toots ” Mondt . Other big names he personally trained included Rudy Dusek , Joe Malcewicz , Emil Klank , Jess Westergaard , Fred Beell and Jack Sherry . It is said he trained more than 1 , 600 wrestlers in all . Burns was so respected as a trainer that he was even recruited to serve as the conditioning coach for boxer Jim Jeffries ’ 1910 title bout against Jack Johnson . In 1914 , Burns published a 96 - page mail - order course entitled " The Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture " , which incorporated breathing techniques , calisthenics , stamina exercises , and Eastern martial arts principles , thus becoming the bible for all aspiring wrestlers during the early 1900s . Moreover , it is said that Ed “ Strangler ” Lewis , the great wrestling champion of the 1920s and 30 ’ s ( and the eventual teacher of Lou Thesz ) got his start in wrestling by following Burns ’ training methods . Consequently , it is because of Burns ’ many efforts that his native state of Iowa has subsequently become the nation ’ s amateur wrestling capital , with the University of Iowa consistently serving as an NCAA powerhouse , and with the International Wrestling Institute and Museum also based in Newton . Personal life . Burns had two sons , Raymond and Charlie , who became musicians in Chicago , and a daughter , Mayme . He suffered the loss of his wife Amelia in 1930 and his daughter in 1932 , which led to the deterioration of his own condition . Death . Burns died on January 8 , 1937 , in Council Bluffs , Iowa at the age of 76 , and was buried at the St . James Cemetery in Wheatland , Iowa . The " Farmer " Burns Workout . The " Farmer " Burns workout is a custom workout routine developed by Martin Burns for himself and his students . It is based only on resistance provided by one ' s own body , a pair of dumbbell weights , and supplemental aerobic exercise , such as running . The workout consists of three phases of exercises organized into sets and repetitions . The first phase is a combination of warm - ups and stretches , using only one ' s own body for resistance . The second phase uses a pair of dumbbells for resistance , otherwise resembling aerobics in appearance . The third phase of exercises are partner exercises , again only relying on the two persons ' bodies for resistance . Martin Burn ' s career success is often accredited greatly in part to this intense workout routine . Feats of Strength . Burns was well known in the early twentieth century for his neck . Despite the fact that he was only one hundred - sixty pounds , he managed to have a twenty - inch neck . With this neck , according to an article in WWE Magazine , he gained fame by being put into a noose , getting hanged , and living , while whistling " Yankee Doodle " .