I Became A Viking In Malta For A Day And I Loved It
Have you ever woken up with a craving for combat, merriment, and pillaging? Well, it might be worth noting that there are Vikings in Malta, and Lovin Malta went to visit them.
Why? Because amid the stresses that come with Malta’s electoral campaign, such cravings become a mainstay in the lives of journalists.
Lovin Malta took to the battlefield with M.E.R.C.S: Martial Era Revivalists and Combat Society, a voluntary organisation comprised of 18 dedicated men and women whose roots are firmly tied to the art of Medieval war.
Our aim? To determine whether being a Viking could help one reduce a little stress and burn a few calories in the process.
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Physical training
The session began with a light warm-up to get the body moving. Not long after, however, M.E.R.C.S coach Dylan Sultana subjected his throng of axe-wielders to sport-specific interval training for the first hour.
By sport-specific, we mean exercises like punching, tossing, squatting, and other challenging movements, with a 5kg shield in hand.
Interestingly, the group blazed through the hustle with some camaraderie, amidst a series of war chants and the odd medieval song. It kind of deterred from the burning sensation felt in our muscles.
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Combat training
With the first hour done and dusted, then came the business end – combat training.
Coaches divided the fighters into groups of two, with one refining their swordsmanship under the tutelage of Dylan, the swordmaster. And the others, their skills with a spear.
Unlike the first segment, this part featured a mixture of activity and culture, with Sultana and other advanced members focussing more on tactical warfare.
Yes, that means the shield wall was discussed, alongside other prospective ideas for drawing blood. Ideas such as the ‘Boarsnout technique’, for instance, involved a ‘kamikaze-style charge from one Viking into an enemy shield wall, to create a gap in their defences.
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In an activity that struck the perfect balance between physical challenges and education on all things medieval, M.E.R.C.S have found a neat, exciting way to keep fit.
In fact, just over 500 calories were burned within the span of two hours.
Presently, the team practices both HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts), a martial art form using arts formerly practiced throughout European history as well as Viking styles of combat using a variety of weapons: all the good stuff.
With the team set to partake in a series of international events that include warring with similar entities, they are also looking to increase our numbers. With this in mind, you should definitely give it ago.
Tag a prospective Viking