The old adage that you are only as strong as your weakest link certainly applies to fighting. Building a strong neck is an often overlooked aspect of training but it’s a trademark of elite combat athletes.
Here are 2 grapplers that made history performing amazing feats of neck strength.
Katsukuma Higashi, Judo.
Higashi was a member of a Samurai clan of the Japanese nobility, his uncle was part of the upper house of Parliament and his father was a General in the Japanese army. He was a student of Jigoro Kano and started practicing Jiu Jitsu at the age of 9. Higashi was world renown for his clash of the styles battles in representation of the gentle art.
At only 5’3, the Judo expert had a masterful use of the guard, but sound technique was not everything he was known for.
He claimed to be immune to the strangle hold, and to strengthen his neck he would Lie on the floor, put an iron bar across his throat and have two 200 pound men stand on the ends of it… He didn’t even seem to mind it. Then he proceeded to escape by twisting his neck and head out without using his hands.
In another training stunt Higashi was hanged by the neck between two strong bamboo poles. He was lifted off his feet and swung in the air with his head held in a viselike grip without showing any trace of pain.
An interesting fact about Higashi is that he once challenged reigning Heavyweight Boxing Champion James Jeffries to a Rough and Tumble fight, which was then the term used to describe fights with no time limits where pretty much everything was allowed. The event never materialized so one can only speculate on the outcome. There was a weight difference of more than 100 pounds, and even though the Japanese fighter was confident in his grappling skills, it’s worth mentioning the heavyweight boxer knew a thing or two about the ground as he used to do Rough and Tumble sparring with one of the greatest grapplers of all times and next in this video…
I think this 1906 article describes the Old Farmer’s physical greatness better than I ever could…
“It is said that Farmer Burns, the veteran wrestler, is the most thoroughly developed physical man in the world today. There are millions of bigger, stronger, brawnier men than this wrestler, but for useful physical development the Iowa farmer and erstwhile champion catch as catch can wrestler of America is in a class by himself. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Burns is his wonderful neck. It has been the study of anatomists and physical culturists for twenty years. Burns has ridges of sharp, shapely muscles lapping his neck and cushioning it. Expanded, these muscles lay out like billows on the ocean. Do you think it’s possible for a man to develop his neck to such an extent that it is practically impossible to hang him? Hardly. Still, here is a man around whose neck you can put a rope and drop him six feet into space. He will simply distend those marvelous neck muscles and the pressure of the rope against his neck will not stop his breath nor the impact of the fall break his neck.”
Here is Farmer Burns tale of the tape at 46 years of age.
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Weight: 170 pounds
Reach 72 inches
Chest: 40 inches
Waist: 32
Thigh 22
Calf 15
Ankle 11
Forearm 12
Wrist 8
Biceps 15
and Neck: 17 inches
As long as there are proud Catch Wrestlers in this world, the legend of arguably the greatest pound for pound Submission Wrestler of all times will live on.
Don’t forget to check my other Farmer Burns videos. Here are the links:
Farmer Burns – Catch Wrestling Legends
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