THE VIKINGS HAD A BADASS MARTIAL ART!!! - analyzing pros & cons

[@ziggydog5091]

Traditionally in Glima, in order to win you have to be standing and your opponent has to be on the ground. Recognizing that in combatives, you do not want to be on the ground because you lose/die. I love that they place an emphasis on getting up, this is a true combative facet to this art.

[@bdlkinetics]

exactly!!!

[@Wanwan-mq3jw]

Same with mongolian Wrestling or Chinese shuai jiao

[@Valmontst]

Try telling that to the Gracie brothers and jiu-jitsu practitioners! 😉

[@ziggydog5091]

@@Valmontst BJJ is something I did for quite a while, I saw a number of young men quit after being stomped in street altercations and had several military commanders upset because they believed too many of their men were improperly trained because they had been stabbed doing house clearing. If you do. BJJ enjoy your sport, because that is what it is.

[@Yoband706]

Thanks for featuring my uncle throwing people around. He was my hero growing up.

[@jjs3890]

Glima os an awesome sport, and their combat version of glima was brutal and encompassed striking with grappling. Glima was a backup to weapons fighting. But when you pass through your opponents shield, you’re almost always in a body clinch. Incorporating it to others modern systems is really useful in training for evading your enemy’s efforts and “breaking away cleanly” means you can use your weapon. Another mindset useful in reality self defense.

[@lslewis]

"Fighting should be fast." Couldn't agree more and should be the mindset for reality even if sparring and rolling isn't always reflecting it.

[@htpark]

This reminds me of Korean Folk Wrestling (Ssirum) - the competitors wear a belts with an additional loop around one of their legs & they start the match with over/under position with their hands gripped on their opponent's belt. It's an explosive sport in that the wrestlers start without the need for grip-fighting, but I feel like omitting that dimension limits the breadth of the art, though I'm sure there is depth in focussing fully on the throw. Love your channel, man. I miss FMA, MuayThai & BJJ, but I'm old & my body is too broken to risk it now. I'm relegated to Western boxing, which feels like the safest way to continue getting concussions!

[@junichiroyamashita]

Mmh,so there is jacket,belt ,starting hold and double loop pants? These are all the wrestling styles? Reminds me of the Swiss Schwingen,which has very peculiar pants

[@SmokeyJembe]

Hey man, thank you for pushing our martial art out there a little more, amazing video as well💯

[@MasterPoucksBestMan]

Lucha Leonesa (from Leon/Asturias in Spain) is also a belt wrestling style that uses the same over/under grip, and is considered by many to be a "Celtic" style of folk wrestling. If you think about it, the over/under belt grip is like the grip in Scottish Backhold wrestling, but "farther away" because the belt allows grips without having to be torso to torso. In Irish Collar and Elbow, the standard "Judo" grip is used by both people (right hand on their left lapel, left hand on their right sleeve at the elbow), and Cornish wrestling and Gouren from Brittany are both jacket styles where pretty much any grip is allowed on the jacket, as well as the backhold grip. All of these styles are stand up grappling only where the object is to throw the opponent, while you remain standing, or at least where the opponent hits the ground before you do. Because in war, especially with melee weapons and possibly horses running around, the ground is death.

[@jeddmohlenkamp6870]

In street fighting: typically the first person to throw a punch wins (at least that is what a vast amount of people learn) we also live in a strike culture more or less that is what is glorified… a persons punch is typically the heaviest at the end of the extension of his strike.. that is the danger zone.. now as a wrestler if you get inside of that danger zone.. odds are you will win.. so my experience as a bouncer in downtown Minneapolis bars was this.. very simple.. you F with a persons timing of their strike.. they are typically drunk and emotional.. when a person strikes I’d step into their punch (rarely would I even get grazed by it).. (btw just totally destroyed their plans and timing 🤣🤣🤣🤣) also you have a Smorgasbord of options at this split second in time.. all that momentum is coming at you in that instant.. they will be off of their center of balance.. just in that punch you have thumb lock/ wrist lock/ elbow lock/ shoulder lock.. and typically I’d dump people face first into the pavement and end up on top of them with their arm in a pretzel.. and they’ve lost all their fire to fight and their breath.. this is 2010ish fighting standards.. I was roughly a 225lb gorilla with 10 years of wrestling/ 5 years of counter narcotics/ 11 years of rugby behind me… In 3 1/2 years of bouncing I never even tossed one single punch.. this was just a part time job for me but I’d thought I’d drop off some practical experience.. I enjoy your channel!!

[@inside_fighting]

Being 225 sounds nice for bouncing :) I agree with everything you wrote. My whole system is dedicated to getting past the danger zone and in close. I like fighting face to face with people.

[@akraminalom8714]

@@inside_fighting Kalaripayattu martial arts review

[@inside_fighting]

@@akraminalom8714 It's on my list of videos to do

[@cult_of_tyr]

I don't know why people are conditioned to think the first guy to throw a punch will win. in my experience fighting or watching fights on the street there are way more variables. what I have noticed is that the first person to throw a punch sonetimes wins if the target doesn't fight back. but if a guy hits somebody and the dude starts swinging back, typically the guy who got hit first will win, and the sucker puncher will lose.. because the first punch "woke him up" and activated his energy to beat some @ss.

[@chrisortiz8077]

​@@cult_of_tyr hmm, no that doesn't sound right. Makes more sense that the first person to initiate will win. That's typically because the other person isn't expecting it at all, they are still in mouth mode, when you randomly crack someone who isn't expecting it, it usually drops them (if you're around the same size) or stuns them enough to be able to finish them off with a few more hits, or they fall down and the other person mounts. It's really easy to knock someone out when they aren't expecting it.

[@bdlkinetics]

thanks for the nice video,as a martial artist i consider myself a glima fighter / wrestler myself. Since it is principle based and espeacially the loose grip version have rules that really focus on the essence, simular to other systems with a combat / military heritage like sumo or mongolian wrestling. What wins in a social wrestling match by glima rules is what wins a fight in most cases on a battlefield / real combat...One guy stands, the opp is down..period. Having the high ground is an ace in any real combat scenario. My southern norwegian heritage also helps me connect to this approach to finding.

[@PETURK]

In the Icelandic Sagas, glíma is described as a warrior game.. they had one handed ("handicapped") variations and the equivalent to an ippon was breaking opponent's back over a boulder.. obviously these rules were softened in later development of the art..in more civile times

[@WearilyMistaken]

It was the best of times, it was a less civil of times.

[@jessewallace12able]

Really cool video. I understand the interest in differences in grappling. (I wrestled a bit at U of Minnesota/ Minnesota martial arts academy, years of bjj, 4-1 mma, Div. 1 football player) I think you did a fascinating job of research into Glima- I had no idea it existed. Overall you did a great job of describing the over-under “pants grip” purpose…

[@GroundhoggieXD]

I played your intro at 2 times speed, where your singing over clips of you on the mat. Dude its very funny

[@inside_fighting]

I have to hear it at 2x now hahaha.

[@chivalrousjack]

Thank you for doing a video on Glima!!!

[@inside_fighting]

My pleasure!

[@desertdan100]

I am Scandinavian American. My family originally came from Gotland and Sweden. We had our own martial art passed down through the family from the Old Country. It was kept underground because in the past it was forbidden when my pagan ancestors were taken over by Christians and had to convert or be put to death. Anything from the past culture that was deemed to be warlike or used against the new power structure was wiped out or eliminated. Our history was destroyed or changed by the new Christian conquerors. The Martial Art was based on hand to hand combat when you did not have a weapon or lost it in battle and were trying to survive until you could obtain a weapon, even if it was your enemies. It was similar to today's Krav Maga but different in many ways. It is kind of like Glima but has way more to it including grappling , kicks, punches , locks, and bone breaking and joint dislocation. You will probably only hear of it this one time. We called it Taktu burs drepa. The best in burs isn't actually a b it is a Norse letter and my phone doesn't have that font or keyboard. Or short , Drepa. It is taught from Uncle to Nephew and the oldest one learns it and instructs younger family members. I can not teach it in America because of liability and lawsuits. If I were to instruct someone and they made a mistake and could not control themselves well enough, they might kill someone, and it would go back on me. It is for combat beyond just nice sparring. It is meant to do serious damage. Imagine accidently knocking a neck vertebrae out and permanently paralyzing or killing someone. No one needs that. Glima was actually for sport and exercise as part of conditioning for battle. I wrestled in school and had to learn all of the illegal or restricted moves and holds to compete because I was taught combat grappling from the age of 6 under supervision and punished if I actually hurt another kid.

[@Wanwan-mq3jw]

So u still know Ur Family Line after centuries?

[@desertdan100]

@@Wanwan-mq3jw yes, back to where our clan came from and the land they owned on Gotland

[@desertdan100]

@Wanwan-mq3jw our history is passed down through generations through stories and in the things we make. The Indians have the same system. The family heritage is also kept in the maternal line and names. MY Great Grandmother had 4

[@stefanhofer-jz7fk]

​@@desertdan100really a great gift !

[@SoldierDrew]

You'll really like Ringen War Wrestling. There's a Ringen War Wrestling school in Oklahoma City Oklahoma. And the Mongolian Jacket Wrestling is interesting , also born from war with a centuries long unbroken practice of competitions. The KZbin channel Chadi has numerous interesting historical videos on various grappling /wrestling cultures around the world with a comparison to Judo.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

In older bare knuckle boxing one could stomp, kick the shin, get the oponent in head locks, sweep, throw, backhand, hammer fist, etc. The Marquis of Queensbury's ruleset required gloves, removed grappling & limited allowed strikes thus changed boxing a lot; made boxing less a street fighting art & more a sport.

[@erikpeterson4457]

I train Glima in western Washington from Warrior Life martial arts in Gig Harbor. My Sensai is trained by Lars Magnar Enokson who you see in some of you video clips. Great art form! You are right the emphasis is on moving quickly and off balancing your opponents while staying on your feet.

[@Zack1440]

👍🏽 you have a great channel. Subscribed!

[@nekogammi2943]

My thoughts on fighting as judo and jujitsu trained person is fast and simple. I look down on some judo foot for not being fast enough. Until I saw being used in spiral. With you as center . Speed kills but if can control your opponents hips that's a plus. Like this system. 👌

[@bdlkinetics]

the loose grip ruleset approach makes it possible to use it in a friendly wrestling match, but the exact same basic principle "remain upright on your feet facing your opp thats on the floor" translates amazingly (besides real combat) to other forms of martial arts training even styles that involve striking. In muay Thai, maybe the best example, you can win by glima strategy by sweeping or throwing your opp while remaining standing, and even a classical knockdown or ko in boxing grants the win by glima standards......just like in sumo where the wrestler can win the fight by palm strike or headbutt knockout or knockdown

[@Saxon2024]

Glima means like a flash, lars the teacher in many of the videos teaches seminars in combat glima. Combat glima is about getting to your feet as fast as possible as to be on the ground is death.

[@dukenukem8253]

You had me at "If you like vikings..."

[@luxurybuzz3681]

Bless you...

[@inside_fighting]

😂 thank you

[@Brandnewshoes]

I love that you found this martial art on accident. I wonder how popular it is outside of Iceland. Super interesting video as always dude ☝️

[@21nickik]

In Switzerland we have 'Schwingen'. Its basically wrestling with pant that you grab, and you win by putting people on the back.

[@NickKano11]

If you’re getting attacked by people without pants on, you fucked up a long time ago! 😂

[@inside_fighting]

Hahahah i see it the same way 😂

[@lewieanderson6579]

Just kick 'em in the nads, worked on the wolfman

[@allengordon6929]

1.42: I was just watching a video about how most european fencing manuals actually cover wrestling first. This is because in european swordsmanship, the emphasis on defense causes weapons to be in constant contact with each other, producing a wrestling-like effect. Also, nobody trains it because it looks too similar to other stuff (specifically a demented aikido/pro-wrestling hybrid). It's wrestling. It all looks the damn same anyways. Guys, just go to a judo/bjj/whatever school and try shit from the manuals on the other guys. Yeah, they might not be able to do anything against it but it's better than nothing.

[@Bluebuthappy182]

Next to have a look at is Turkish Oil Wrestling 🙂

[@inside_fighting]

😮😮😮 i will

[@hb9145]

@@inside_fighting You'll regret that you did. 🤣

[@Fanaro]

The belt system looks like Mongolian Bokh.

[@hb9145]

That's weird, because Glima is often called broktak - brok means pants in Old Norse.

[@adventuremonkey]

Lost me at the picture with gawping face. And the reference to “badass” (evil donkey?) and “hardcore” (something you put under concrete) 😂

[@mizukarate]

I use a form of Sumo in my Karate training. Very helpful.

[@vx8431]

Glima is very difficult to fully explore since most of the info is from the Sagas and pictures. It's often desribed as warriors play a way to keep sharp and well if you are disarmed you got something to fall back on.

[@kama-jitsu]

Hi. Do you know the Swiss Wrestling Style "Schwingen" (swing). This is our national Sport since many of hundrets years. It looks like "Grima". Greetings from Switzerland 🇨🇭

[@bartangel4867]

Interesting video. Vikings were more about weapon usage and most likely their hand to hand combat was aimed as an aid to the weapon in close quarters where you do use wrestling especially if your opponent is wearing armor. The system had to be effective and fast because in battle you wouldn't generally be facing one opponent and dueling with him for a long time but you would want to kill him as quickly as possible and move on to the next one. I think this grab by the trousers is interesting. in a purely unarmed combat by itself system wouldn't be as complex as modern systems which has its advantages and disadvantages. the only problem that I really see with the system is it relies almost purely on strength and explosiveness.it would be great for someone who is large fit and in their prime like viking warriors. but this system would be difficult to pull of by someone who is 40 years old against someone who is 20. Now you could say that this is true about almost all martial arts because its young men game but its more so in this case.

[@RomeoG_DMV]

If you like Glima, look up Laamb or Senegalese wrestling! Sand wrestling with punches allowed!

[@davidrolls3094]

Glima is tuff asf especially the hell fights

[@oldnatty61]

Good shit! Good channel!

[@outrageousalan7780]

As a direct descendant of Vikings, I approve this video.

[@miguelangeldiaz9380]

Looks like lucha leonesa ...from Spain.

[@lonknight3197]

I seen alot of Glima videos on YT but this is the first one about belt/ pants wrestling really dont think this would come from a combat fighting system, this is more of a friendly sport system, Glima was COMBAT wrestling with added kickboxing of the time period plus weapons.

[@jaleelkahn9647]

I really don't enjoy watching people sneeze. But anyway one thing I can see being very important is that they seem to break falls from pretty high up. Even in MMA today you'll see some people who manage to pick the opponent up and neither of them really knows what comes next, lol

[@inside_fighting]

Hahaha the sneeze was very important to the video though.

[@gnos1s171]

Do you know about the wrestling and swordfighting techniques in the icelandic sagas (retellings of ancient Scandinavian history from the viking age)? From what I know there's been an entire book written on it by a man named Antony Cummins who mainly has experience researching ancient Japanese martial arts I think he even revived an old style of Japanese swordsmanship that dates back to the samurai it was pretty cool when I checked it out and from what I know there might also be some of this stuff in Greek Legends as well especially with Heracles I know there's a myth where he wrestled with an African demigod (Anti/Antaeus) in which they displayed both stand-up and ground grappling, I don't know I just thought this information was interesting especially the stuff with the sagas do with it what you will

[@inside_fighting]

I’ll research it. Anthony cummins is the ninpo guy that was previously mentioned here i believe. Sounds fascinating

[@gnos1s171]

@@inside_fighting yeah he's really well known for researching stuff related to ninja and Samurai I think that style of swordsmanship that he ended up Reviving was called like Natori Ryu or something and apparently it has like a legitimate lineage going back to Japanese feudal times

[@sirseigan]

Anthony Cummins is a arrogant twat with a overly inflated ego in my experience. If you want to take a deep dive into old Norse martial arts as the are portrayed in the sagas the look in to the society/club called "Hurstwic" who over many many years have done extremly deep research into the subject. Everything from analysing and recreating the scenes described in the sagas to analysing archelogical finds, recreating steel manfacturing and mapped out common battle wounds found on skelletons - and so on and so on. All with a very serious scientific approach. Just search for "Hurstwic" and you will get to it.

[@bennyvontrap5843]

Are you aware of Cornish wrestling ? It's a legit sport that's still competed every year , invoice in Cornwall I've done it before it's great fun and uses a canvas jacket made from sales, it's linked to Breton wrestling

[@inside_fighting]

Ohhhh i will research it

[@bennyvontrap5843]

@@inside_fighting I'm in Cornwall now it's where I live if you want any information about it msg me anytime I might be able to help

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

Glima does have a history going back to the viking age but "Combat Glima" I am hesitant to believe has a history of more than 20 years at most. Researching it I couldnt find any records of it prior to that. The founder claims he learned older techniques from old masters; most (if not all) have aparently passed away. CG feels like its a modern hodgepodge trying to make it more akin to things like medieval wrestling or jujitsu. That's my opinion and I'd love to be proven wrong.

[@viking_training_system]

Johannes Joseffsen , famous Icelandic Glima fighter fought bouts in the US against all comers..Judo, catch, boxers etc and armed opponents too. He certainly didn't use the belted style to do that! Tyr Neilsen, who came from Norway to teach us, learnt from his father in law.I was sceptical at first but what he does and says makes sense.Also, he is a decent and honorable person, so I'll take his word for it.The 3 day seminar was full of professional fighters and multiple black belt holders who would say the same too.Tyr does admit that he has modernised certain elements, as the head of the Norwegian Ju Jitsu Federation and direct student of Dan Inosanto, why not.The same was done with Sambo, Judo, Kyokushin, BJJ, Escrima Concepts etc. Interestingly, Tyr and Lars (who learnt from old Icelandic masters and he has documented it well) have exactly the same ruleset and set up but do not get on or share knowledge.The Losetak form of 'sport wrestling' is pure, it has too many weird idiosycracies to be otherwise. Watch the video link I posted above.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

@@viking_training_system the loose grips Glíma that Josephson used is not the same as the system known as "Combat Glíma" As for decent person I'm sure he is. As for telling the truth...well a lot of George Dilman's students swear he's an honest man too. You admit the system was modified; to what degree and in what areas? For example if a system were 10% Glíma & 90% Ju-jitsu someone could say it's modified Glíma but is it really at that point? Like I said I'd love to be wrong but just because someone is from Iceland, has trained actual Glíma & added elements doesn't mean it's how Viking age warriors fought. It could be, but since no Viking age manuals exist uunless someone has a proven, unchanged & unbroken lineage going back to the Viking age then claiming to be a Viking age art is suspect. In the 70s Jim Arvanitis started teaching "Greek Pankration". At the time he strongly implied it was the same as ancient Pankration & said he learned various techniques from older men in Greece in their neighborhoods & such. He also studied various arts such as wrestling, boxing, savate, karate, etc. Really it was a modern art based on the principles of ancient Pankration. Now a days he says his is a modern type of Pankration. This doesn't mean he's a bad guy, that his art isn't good or any other negatives. It does mean it's not truly an ancient art. Which is fine as long as one isn't trying to claim an art is ancient when it's a modern art that contains some elements of old but adds techniques from other arts; especially arts from very different times & locations. So while Combat Glima may be effective & worth learning my issue is in people claiming it is the way Vikings fought. The admission that it has elements added from other arts from other countries & cultures definitely undermines the "it's how Vikings fought" argument. I'm glad to hear people feel he's a good man & I do wish him the best. I just want people in general to be honest about what they are selling.

[@ZainAhmad-jl4vt]

I don't know icelandic but the name of those pants sounds a lot like "Lederhosen" which in german just means leather pants.

[@timothywilliams2252]

I think there is a similar grappling art in northern England. Cumberland wrestling, or something?.. I wouldn't be surprised as much as northern England was colonized by Vikings during the Dark Ages. I guess the two could be related?

[@warriorlifemartialarts1972]

Hey man, if you want to come give it a try, visit us. The free hold guys in your video are friends of ours.

[@inside_fighting]

I would love to come visit and shoot a video even if you wanted!

[@loganus9114]

Glima failed horribly when the Vikings got demoliahed beaten and traumatized so badly by Native Americans on Canada armed only with wood, bone and stone weapons 😂

[@hb9145]

The Norse were outnumbered by 50(?):1, and the Indians didn't even manage to finish off a few farmers, women and children. Thank God for smallpox.

[@bjorndag2497]

its ruleset (at least the norwegean system) teaches essential principles of combat (just like sumo) and its training methods are very smart in a number of ways......Greets from a viking wrestler

[@ertankalyoncuoglu6684]

U check out turkish oiled wrestling (yağlı güreş)

[@inside_fighting]

I will 🤔

[@rudigerbodenseher4879]

Looks a lot like the national swiss wrestling style

[@lewieanderson6579]

Looks like grundy wrestling, trying to give eachother a grundy

[@Autonomous_617]

Could you do a video on kudo?

[@luxurybuzz3681]

So I could use this in BJJ or Judo grabbing a persons belt then using a Judo style trip?

[@vyderka]

grabbing a belt always was a thing in judo in eastern Europe, Georgians (country, not state) were especially specializing in it, it's kind of out of the box from gi grips and as such can be surprising. I'm not sure about modern Olympic judo rule set, though.

[@luxurybuzz3681]

@vyderka I think I'm gonna start giving wedgies in bjj. Wedgies = grabbing belt You do same thing in sumo.. Bullies do the same thing to other kids

[@inside_fighting]

I used it all the time in sambo. I grabbed the belt. I’d always go for an overhook or undertook and take it but my throws were a bit different than what you see in glima as i always went paralallel

[@nekogammi2943]

What's you thoughts on comparing it to sumo?

[@KurtisJoseph]

I love ya and your content bro. Thanks for the video. I loathe this though. I spite and have severe disdain for people who make shit up and call it ancient. The modifications are people who realize the made up bs and so they try to make it more "real" when no one knew anything battle tested EVER beyond some fantasy of being a martial artist while being too indigent to pay for training. Like that Russian dude always being trolled. It is just bad. As a competitive sport fine. People can compete at being better at whatever they want for fun. Bujinkan has scrolls too. Lol! Liars irritate me. Integrity is EVERYTHING.

[@KurtisJoseph]

I love Vikings! I am going to watch the video and see what is up. I just had to throw in my two cents because the guy I watched is no martial artist. I mean you know... if you are a martial artist you can see bs from a mile away. It is confidence in structure and movement that give it away. This usually looks like a bunch of shirtless guys doing what I did at 5-9 yrs old with buddies on the trampoline to simply increase the danger. LMAO! Maybe you stumbled upon something better. This art would not even get these kids to Valhalla. It is not combat. Abwahahahahaha! Freya would be like.. "This one died fondling man boobs, not going to Valhalla. Next."

[@KurtisJoseph]

I simply must bring up a point regarding the statement "Once they lock the fight is on at 100%". Okay. Not close to true. There is nothing happening combat wise other than guys trying to get leverage. No punches they'd be eating, no blades sticking. UNLESS you are talking about physical exertion. The exertion will get you killed though. You know BJJ. I can take a nap rolling (definite exaggeration) because we train to relax. You go 100% when you know you can take him out. Any sensitivity training, even systems like Keysi will capitalize on the unintelligent use of exertion. IDK. I gotta scrap one of these fellows. I just look at it like... meh.

[@montagistreel]

There's a large overlap of BJJ lovers and those weird YT supremacists who like to cosplay as vikings/pagans. To me this just seems like those types finally found a marketing approach that allows them to grapple without the pesky problem of paying respect to the asian and brazilian roots of bjj lol

[@uberdonkey9721]

Can you give wedgies with this trouser wrestling?

[@KurtisJoseph]

Honestly bro, I think it is bs. Vikings fought to train they did not train to fight. Listen, I am a JKD Concepts guy (TONS of Viking blood) who was brought out to TX to run a school. I worked with the owner of the building for 6 months until he asked me to give him the keys. Then a month later he is teaching PFS stuff as "Rumi Maki", and ancient Peruvian system of combat. Did he change it at all so that people would not recognize it as team Vu stuff? No he didn't have to. He sucked so bad no one would ever know. Looked Nothing like FMA of JKDC. Lol! I think that is what is going on here. Have you watched their "footwork". LMAO! The old chub looks like he is going to topple over doing Kali triangle WRONG.

[@lewisciceron8635]

That Haitian Machete, not Colombian

[@stevenlowe3245]

Glima was a viking age wrestleing sport, not a martial art.

[@drivebye2709]

Looks like a bunch of larpers playing grabass.