If you’ve only stumbled across Ioan Humphreys (@that_welsh_farmer) on Instagram, you could be easily forgiven for thinking that fitness and strength is not something he has ever had to worry about it.
Ioan Humphreys, That Welsh Farmer
But if you’ve been following him for a while, you will know that, 12 months ago, Ioan suffered a serious health scare that led him to question much that he had previously taken for granted.
Fast forward to today and prioritising his own fitness is something Ioan is rightly proud of and he is reaping the benefits, both to his physical and mental wellbeing.
“In May 2023, I contracted meningitis and was in hospital for two weeks,” he explains. “It was the worst two weeks of my life. I was in excruciating pain, on a drip, and on antibiotics. As soon as I was let out of hospital, I thought that would be it, I could get straight back to the farm and get on with harvest.”
But the reality of what his body had been through soon kicked in. “I thought I could carry on as I had before, but I was so wrong. I was weak, I was tired, I had mood swings, it completely knocked my ability to farm safely and effectively.”
Six months later, Ioan felt enough was enough and decided to do something about it and signed up with a personal trainer.
“I found it very difficult to do a full day’s work. If I did anything physical in the morning, by the afternoon I would be shattered. I needed to find a way to get back to full strength.
“I’d never stepped foot in a gym before in my life – I had no idea what I was doing! That’s why I decided to get a personal trainer, so they could show me what to do properly. As soon as I had finished my first session, I knew I was on to a winner.”
Despite the gains from his regular gym sessions and being back to full strength, if not stronger, Ioan still attends the gym at least three-times a week. “I don’t feel I would be farming the same way I am now if I wasn’t going to the gym.”
Unsurprisingly, Ioan has faced push-back from those that believe farming is a physical enough activity.
“To start with, it was to do with my physical fitness, but now it is for my mental wellbeing,” says Ioan.
“I am very lucky that I have no pressing jobs early in the morning, unlike dairy farmers for example. So, I go to the gym at 6am, and can get back to the animals by 7.30am. I know this won’t work for everybody, but you need to find a system that works for you. Farming is so busy. If you are trying to get into a routine, don’t feel bad if you do have to miss a session or two. Just do what makes it work for you.”
Ioan is fully aware that the gym isn’t for everyone but he is keen to promote physical exercise as a way to help ensure you can farm to the best of your ability – efficiently, effectively, and safely.
According to our recent annual tracker survey, (Farm Safety Foundation Sept 2023) 61% of the 750 farmers surveyed work at least a 10-hour day, 15% working a 14- or 15-hours every day with 10% of farmers admitting that they never take a day off.
Taking time away from the farm is something that Ioan is keen to promote: “When I was younger, my grandfather told me: get away from the farm once a week, out of the county once a month, and out the country once a year, just to have that reset. For me, going to the gym is my mental break away from the farm.
“Going to the gym has helped me massively, physically after coming out of hospital but also mentally, it has completely changed me. I fully believe I would not still be farming if I wasn’t going to the gym.”
