By Gothi Trent East
Asatru is often called a “warrior faith”, and there is some truth to this. Our male ancestors often fought with sword, shield, axe, and spear to protect the things that mattered to them, and that still matter to us. They were almost all required to have some sort of martial bearing, and to be able to stare conflict in the eye without taking a single step backward. We, those warriors’ descendants, live in a time where comfort is king for many people, in the deepest and scariest sense of that phrase. Martial prowess is no longer expected from us, or seen as necessary. There are not currently any physical battles to fight; no need to smash through a shield wall, no need to plant some archers in that tree line over there, etc… However, as humans, we have a physical need to exercise that aggression. And as Aryan humans, we have a need to exercise that aggression in a HEALTHY way. The best options for this are weightlifting, and combat sports. We will never feel the rush of smashing a war axe through someone’s shield, but you CAN feel the raw power of lifting iron off of your chest, or from blocking another man’s left hook. This is a call: if you want to call yourself a warrior, get in the gym. Put on the boxing gloves, or the ace bandages around your joints, and get to work. Face that fight. Make yourself solid in a world of mush. If you need tips on a decent but simple workout routine, get in touch with me at teast@runestone.org!
