SPORT IN THE

VIKING AGES
793 1100
INTRODUCTION

In Viking culture, physical activity and sport were very important

because it's closely linked to preparing for war.
ANCIENT BALL SPORT: "KNATTLEIKR"

It was a collective opposition sport between two

teams, each with a captain.
Each player had a stick that was used to hit a ball.
Hands and contact were allowed. There was no
time limit, so the parties could last a whole day.
SWIMMING
Swimming was a highly valued skill in Nordic culture. Some
of the heroes were good swimmers and also had swimming
contests. The ability to swim was essential for anyone who
wanted to improve their chances of survival.
MARTIAL ARTS: "GLIMA"

The basic rules of glima where the following:

Figthers must remain upright at all time.
They must walk clockwise around the opponent. This
prevents passivity and creates opportunities to attack.
It is not allowed to fall on the opponent or push him
down with brute force.
ARCHERY

Bows and arrows may not be not the first weapons that
come to mind when we hear of Vikings. But literary,
pictorial, and archaeological evidence suggest that they
played a major role in both hunting and warfare of the
Scandinavian peoples.
THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN
SPORT
The Vikings would leave and they could be away for three
months and the women then became the heads of the family, the
Viking men understood that if they they participated in training
or games the women could die and not fulfill that function when
they were away.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Jade Clementz, Andrea Delgado Muñoz, Alba Domènech Oromí & Alexandre Pereira