Tips for farm fitness from last year’s Britain’s Fittest Farmer winner
William Arden © Telling Photography Britain’s Fittest Farmer is the perfect opportunity to showcase your commitment to health and fitness while connecting with others who share the same drive and determination.
As farmers across the country limber up for this year’s competition, Farmers Weekly catches up with last year’s winner and this year’s head judge, William Arden.
Learn what Britain’s Fittest Farmer means to him, find about his journey from winner to judge, and get some useful farm-based training tips.
See also: New ‘Walk in the Park’ event to support wellbeing in agriculture
How to enter
- Head over to the Britain’s Fittest Farmer website, and upload a photo or short video of yourself
- Select the qualifier venue and the category that you are entering
- Remember to tell us about how you stay mentally and physically fit for farming, and what makes you a great ambassador for the industry
- Don’t forget to add your contact details so we can get in touch.
The first of three qualifier events will kick off on 18 June at the Lincolnshire Show, followed by the Great Yorkshire Show on 8 July.
The third and final qualifier will take place at the Royal Welsh Show on 24 July, so check which dates suit you and head to your nearest location.
The prize is £1,000 for each category winner: one male and one female winner under 40, and one male and one female winner over 40.
From competitor to judge
Will, a seasoned competitor in Britain’s Fittest Farmer, has been selected as a judge for this year’s event.
After entering for the past five years, Will is excited to bring a new perspective to the event as he takes on a judging role.
“I have enjoyed competing, and I wanted to give something back,” he says.
“It was wonderful to win last year. I remember feeling amazing and so supported throughout it.”
Building on his own positive experience, Will is eager to foster the same spirit this year.
“I hope that I can build on what Tom Kemp, last year’s judge, and the rest of the Britain’s Fittest Farmer team have built on, championing inclusivity and keeping it lighthearted and fun,” he says.
For Will, the significance of this competition goes beyond the physical challenges.
Mental health, in particular, is a cause close to his heart.
“The mental health side is so important, it brings farmers together and draws in people who wouldn’t usually come out so much, it really creates a bond between people whilst promoting the mental health side of farming,” Will says.
“This is so important as farming can be lonely and you can get bogged down quite a bit.”
Will believes that as farming becomes increasingly mechanised, it is essential to keep active.
“The physical aspect of farming is reducing, this competition encourages people to get out and get moving,” he explains.
For those hesitant about entering the competition, Will encourages them to take the leap.
“For people teetering on the edge of applying, I’d say just go for it and you will be surprised about what you can achieve,” he says.
© MAG/Colin Miller
Getting fit on the farm: Will’s tips
“There are lots of different roles within agriculture and, so depending on yours, you may be looking for some ideas as to how to prepare yourself for the challenge of Britain’s Fittest Farmer.
“If you’re out and about on the farm, you will likely have a good level of base fitness from just the daily workload (if you’re on the admin side/in a tractor, you might have a bit more work to do), so try incorporating some strength training.
“The simplest version of cardio is to go for a run around the farm – doing some slow, some quick, and some intervals. You can even use it as an opportunity to check on livestock/crops too!
“As a previous winner, what worked best for me was focusing on strength training, making the heavy weights feel lighter really helped me to conquer the challenges.
“You may have to be more inventive with strength training on the farm, but a weight is a weight at the end of the day.
“Examples could be tyres, weight block weights, fence posts, and filled feed/seed bags.
“Train a variety of movements to help gain full body strength, such as lunges, overhead pressing, press-ups, pull-ups, and deadlifts.
“Remember to have a balanced diet with plenty of protein and to get sufficient sleep to help with recovery as well, and you will be smashing it in no time!”
William Arden © MAG/Colin MIller