Viking Warrior Workout

Go Viking!!

Welcome to the Viking Warrior Workout, a brutal workout aimed at developing muscular strength, muscular endurance, speed and power. Not for the faint-hearted!

Click below to skip the introduction

Bloodthirsty Beginnings

The Vikings were the feared plunderers from Scandinavia who sailed from city to city, raiding and terrorising Medieval Europe.  Their bloodthirsty debut was a raid on England’s Lindisfarne monastery in 793, and after that, the reign of Viking terror officially began.  Following this bloodbath, these raiders would frequently sweep in from the North sea to kill, plunder and destroy, targeting Britain, Ireland, France and Mainland Europe with reckless abandon. 

The Vikings were warlike people skilled with the axe and the sword.  Additionally, they worshipped warlike gods such as Odin and Thor and actively sought death in battle.  Indeed, for a Viking to be slain in combat meant they could enter Valhalla (Viking afterlife) and feast and drink with the Gods for all eternity!

Expansion and Territorial Gain

In their time as travellers, traders and conquerors, the Norsemen covered quite some ground, their list of countries covered is impressive.  Initially, they traded locally around the Baltic Sea, Europe and Britain, and up the Russian rivers, eventually reaching regions as far as Rome, Baghdad, the Caspian Sea, North America and perhaps even Africa.

Viking culture may be dead and buried today, however, their bloodline continues right throughout the world from Eastern Russia all the way to the West coast of the United States!! Viking DNA is everywhere!

Physical Attributes

Skeletons from Norse burials suggest that the Vikings were muscular, and I guess they had to be since their daily life involved heavy farm work and murder with the Axe!  However, they didn’t look anything like Hollywood action stars on anabolic steroids. A body like that is not functional (Vikings did not have steroids). Instead, envision a drug-free powerlifter, swimmer or thrower at somewhere around 80 kgs (176 lbs). That would probably have been the physique of your average Viking man.

"Wake early if you want another mans life or land.  No Lamb for the lazy wolf.  No battles won in bed"

(Viking Proverb)

The Circuits

The Viking workouts below aims to mimic some of their functional daily routines, (minus the rape, pillage and church burning!!)  The term ‘Viking’ refers properly only to men who went on raids, therefore these workouts are just that…raids, quick, brutal, hit and run workouts!!  You will literally be ‘going Viking!’.

Thor's Hammer Workout

Equipment required

A sandbag, tire, barbells, punchbag, medicine ball, dumbbell or kettlebells (various sizes if possible) and a Plyo box.

Overview of exercises

Complete the prescribed exercises below.

Opt-outs

Be brutal on yourself.  If there are any exercises where you exceed the prescribed rest period, immediately add 10 burpees to the end of your routine.  So if you stop quite a bit these may build up!! Keep the rest periods short!!

10 minutes on the rowing machine

4 X rounds of  the 3 supersets outlined below:

Superset 1

1. Dumbbell press
2. Push-ups (15 reps each)

Superset 2

1. Tyre flips (15 reps each)
2. Back squat

Superset 3

1. Deadlift 
2. Alternate weighted lunges with DB/KB/MB. (16 reps each, 8 each side with lunges).

10 minutes on the rowing machine

Punchbag work

• Consists of four 2 minute rounds.
• For the 1st and 3rd rounds Berserker Rage. (2 minutes of solid all out Boxing on the bag!)
• For the 2nd and 4th rounds, ground and pound on the bag for 10 blows on each side. Immediately afterwards, sprint up and down the length of the room. Then return to the bag and start ground and pound again.  Repeat for time.
• 30 seconds rest between rounds. Be strict!!

10 minutes on the rowing machine

Axe-choppers (with a medicine ball or dumbbells)

15 X reps each side overhead to floor left to right and then reverse.

Summary of exercises:

• 10 minutes on the rowing machine.
• 4 X rounds of supersets below
  
  • Dumbbell press and press-ups (15 reps each).
  • Back squat and tire flips (15 reps each).
  • Deadlifts and alternate weighted lunges with DB/KB/MB. (16 reps each, 8 each side with lunges).

• 10 minutes on the rowing machine.
• Punchbag work.  4 X 2-minute rounds. 1st and 3rd rounds – Berserker rage. (2 minutes of solid all out Boxing on the bag!) For the 2nd and 4th rounds, ground and pound on the bag for 10 blows each side. Immediately afterwards, sprint up and down the length of the room. Then return to the bag and start ground and pound again.  Repeat for time. 30 seconds rest between rounds. Be strict!!
• 10 minutes on the rowing machine.
• Axe-choppers (with a medicine ball or dumbbells).

Halls of Valhalla Workout

Equipment required

Kettlebells heavy (various sizes if possible) and a Plyo box.

Overview of exercises

We are aiming for 3X rounds of this workout. 2X rounds if a beginner. 4X rounds if advanced.

Opt-outs

Be brutal on yourself.  If there are any exercises where you exceed the prescribed rest period, immediately add 10 burpees to the end of your routine.  So if you stop quite a bit these may build up!! Keep the rest periods short!!

10 minutes on the rowing machine

Ladder workout

• 1-10 Kettlebell (Blood eagles).  A variation of the ‘Man maker’ exercise using two kettlebells. From the press-up position below, undertake a back row (both sides), immediately undertake a push up in the same position.  From there, jump your feet forward to the KB/DB’s and clean them to the ‘rack’ shoulder position.  Dropdown into a low squat, before explosively pushing up into a full overhead press.  Return to the renegade row position.  That is one Blood Eagle.

10 minutes on the rowing machine

Kettlebell Turkish Get-Ups (10 reps - 5 Each Side)

10 minutes AMRAP circuit

'As Many Reps as Possible' within that time. Start at the top of the list then work down, on completion return to the top of the list and repeat until ten minutes is up!

1. Burpees (10 reps).
2. Dynamic press-ups (10 reps).
3. Kettlebell single-arm swings (20 reps – 10 each side).
4. Mountain climbers (20 reps).
5. Kettlebell lunges (20 reps – 10 each side).
6. Sprint 50ms (One side of room and back).

10 minutes on the rowing machine

Axe choppers (with heavier resistance such as kettlebell/dumbbell)

• 1 round X 15 each side overhead to alternate side of the floor (so cutting downwards from left to right for example).
• 1 round X 15 each side chopping solely from left to right.

Axe choppers (with lighter resistance - medicine ball)

• 1 round X 15 each side overhead to alternate side of the floor (so cutting downwards from left to right for example).
• 1 round X 15 each side chopping solely from left to right.

Ladder workout

Start from 10 reps, then 9, then 8 continue all the way till 1.

• 10-1 Kettlebell Man-makers. (Blood eagles – see above explanation).

Summary of Exercises:

• 10 minutes on the rowing machine.

• Ladder workout

  • 1-10 Kettlebell (Blood eagles).

• 10 minutes on the rowing machine – 10 minute’s continuous rowing.
• Kettlebell Turkish Get-Ups – (10 reps – 5 Each Side).
  

  10 minutes AMRAP circuit –

  1. Burpees (10 reps).
  2. Dynamic press-ups (10 reps.
  3. Kettlebell single-arm swings (20 reps – 10 each side).
  4. Mountain climbers (20 reps).
  5. Kettlebell lunges (20 reps – 10 each side).
  6. Sprint 50ms (one side of room and back).

• 10 minutes on the rowing machine. – 10 minute’s continuous rowing.
• Axe choppers (with heavier resistance such as kettlebell/dumbbell)
• Axe-choppers (with medicine ball)
• Descending ladder circuit – 10 reps to 1.
  
  • 10-1 Kettlebell Blood Eagles.

Enjoying our Viking Warrior Workouts so far? Try some of our other Warrior Workouts if you are up for a challenge!!

Shieldmaiden Workout

Equipment required

Barbell, sandbag, pull up bar, treadmill, rowing machine, dumbbell or kettlebells (various sizes if possible) and a Plyo box.

Overview of exercises

We are aiming for 3 X rounds of this workout. 2 X rounds if a beginner. 4 X rounds if advanced.

Opt-outs

Be brutal on yourself.  If there are any exercises where you exceed the prescribed rest period, immediately add 10 burpees to the end of your routine.  So if you stop quite a bit these may build up!! Keep the rest periods short!!

5 minutes on the treadmill

(Interval sprints – First round aim for 3/4 to ensure thoroughly warmed up). 30 seconds work (sprints) 30 seconds recovery pace.)

EMOM X 3 rounds

Cycle through the exercises listed.  EMOM = ‘Every Minute On the Minute.  Perform one set of exercises listed below each minute.  For the 1st minute undertake military presses, 2nd minute undertake pull-ups.  After 5th round completed then return to the military press until you have completed 3 rounds of each (15 minutes).

1. Barbell military presses X 12 reps.
2. Pull-ups X 10 reps.
3. Triceps dips/biceps curls X 10 reps with each exercise.
4. Deadlifts X 10 reps.
5. Dynamic jump lunges with DB X 20 reps.

5 minutes on the rowing machine

Mini-circuit 4 X rounds

Work your way through the list and then repeat X 4.

1. Bear crawls X 50 ms run back.
2. 60-second plank.
3. Toe touchers X 30 reps (15 each side).
4. Spiderman pushups X 10 reps (each side).
5. Jump squats X 20 reps.

5 minutes on the treadmill

(Interval sprints – First round aim for 3/4 to ensure thoroughly warmed up). 30 seconds work (sprints) 30 seconds recovery pace.)

Summary of exercises:

• 5 minutes on the treadmill  (Interval sprints –  30 seconds work (sprints) 30 seconds recovery pace.)

• EMOM X 3 rounds

  1. Barbell military presses X 12 reps.
  2. Pull-ups X 10 reps.
  3. Triceps dips/biceps curls X 10 reps with each exercise.
  4. Deadlifts X 10 reps.
  5. Dynamic jump lunges with DB X 20 reps.

• 5 minutes on the rowing machine (30 seconds work (sprints) 30 seconds rest. 30 seconds recovery pace).

• Mini-circuit 4 X rounds – Work your way through the list and then repeat X 4.
  • Bear crawls X 50 ms run back.
  • 60-second plank.
  • Toe touchers X 30 reps (15 each side).
  • Spiderman pushups X 10 reps (each side).
  • Jump squats X 20 reps.

• 5 minutes on the treadmill 

  (Interval sprints – 30 seconds work (sprints) 30 seconds recovery pace.)

Whichever workout you undertake

Remember to cool down and drink water!

Workout Complete!!

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