in Viking Body, Viking Mindset, Viking Tribe

What Does It Mean To Be A Modern Viking?

I’ve spent a lot of time and energy on social media in the last few months talking about becoming a Modern Viking. And today I just hit publish on the first release of a book titled “Becoming a Modern Viking”.

But the number one question I’ve been getting asked is:

“What exactly is a Modern Viking?”

I’ve had interest from people who identify as modern day pagans. I’ve had interest from people who listen to heavy metal music and wear Thor amulets. I’ve had interest from powerlifters and strongmen. 

A lot of people want to know – is this any good and is it for me?

I created the concept of a Modern Viking to become an ideal that a man could work towards. I created it for myself, for my own journey, but part of my own journey was that I wanted to inspire and help other men along their own path too.

So here’s an introduction to what I think a Modern Viking is.

Inspired By Ancient Vikings

A Modern Viking is how a Viking would live today if he’d adapted to modern civilisation. If modern knowledge and resources were at his disposal, but he still had the inner strength, courage and attitudes that had been forged into him by his Viking culture.

I created the concept of a Modern Viking – but I am neither a University PhD Historian, an Olympic Weightlifter or a Doctor of Psychology.

However, I believe I’ve put together a great formula through my own experience, trial and error, and a lot of research!

The lifestyle of a Modern Viking is inspired by Ancient Vikings and Norse culture, but it has nothing to do with cosplay or battle re-enactments! You don’t need to listen to Viking Thrash Metal and you don’t need to wear black t-shirts depicting Odin’s mark.

Instead, a Modern Viking chooses be inspired by the strength and masculinity of the Vikings. By their culture of brotherhood forged by their relentless pursuit of mastery in battlefield tactics. By their focus on self improvement. By the freedom to live life and enjoy life inspired by their religion and mythology. By their desire to be king.

What Got Me Started

It started as a simple theory that my unhappiness and depression came from the fact that I didn’t look attractive to women anymore. I had memories from University when women would look at me as I walked into the bar, when women would approach me in bars and clubs, when attracting women was easy.

But now I seemed invisible to women. I was a recently single guy and all I wanted to do was have some harmless flirting and maybe go on a few fun dates. But I couldn’t even get a woman’s attention.

And I assumed (partly true) that this all came down to my image.

I didn’t care that getting fitter and healthier might improve my career, my confidence or my relationships and attitudes towards friendships. I was in a mode of scarcity mindset – all I could focus on was the approval and validation of women.

So I started to work out, a lot. I started to eat properly. I started to scientifically and methodically plan my days, my meals, my sleep routines. I researched male fashion, turning it into a technical problem that could be hacked.

The magical thing was, as I dove into this obsession with looking more masculine, I started to feel more masculine.

And I totally forgot all about women and their validation! I realised how insignificant they were to my happiness. I wanted more, I wanted to know how much more I could improve myself if I invested further into discovering this Viking masculinity.

Masculinity Had The Power To Improve My Life

I investigated how increased self-assuredness and physical health affected the professional workplace. I noticed that with my energy levels, I could get more work done in less time, and I noticed my passion for leadership increased.

I revisited the world of PUA (‘Pick Up Artists’, an area I’d read into as a young teenager like most guys). Looking at it with older, wiser and more objective eyesight, I realised how hard many of these guys had to work on their tricks and deceitful manipulations, because they were compensating for their small skinny bodies, awkward posture and low confidence. I knew that a Modern Viking could walk into this fight already 50% ahead of the competition, because before he even opened his mouth he was immediately more interesting to beautiful women.

I learned how much my long-term health, ability to fight disease, and even survive cancer, were improved by increasing my overall muscle mass. I learned about the unique biology of the male body, and how important masculinity was to us on a biological level. Low testosterone levels increased our risk of heart disease, liver disease and cancer.

Knowing that increasing a confident mindset was proven to increase testosterone levels, I started to appreciate that simply feeling more confident, and being aware of my subconscious, could literally help my body to live longer.

I started to notice which friendships were conducive to my daily motivation and positivity, and which were a source of negativity or complacency.

Benefits Of Becoming A Modern Viking

If you follow a similar journey to as myself, your transformation into a Modern Miking will bring the following benefits to your life:

  • You will notice that you’re the Alpha male in most situations
  • You will be physically muscular, stronger and healthier
  • You will have stronger and more confident posture
  • You will be more confident and self-assured in yourself
  • You will be more confident and natural when flirting with women, and actually enjoy the process rather than fear it
  • you will have a strong tribe who make you better and more successful
  • You will understand the value and benefits of Brotherhood
  • you will be willing to go into frightening situations, understanding how to handle your fear and how to calmly assess the risk-to-reward
  • You will understand how to dress to project a strong masculine image

Some of these benefits and values may not immediately appeal to you, you might not think your life is “lacking” in those areas. However my own experience with becoming a Modern Viking was that the more I achieved and progressed on my journey into masculinity, the more I wanted!

Starting Your Journey As A Modern Viking

For myself, becoming a Modern Viking is a journey. While I have goals and targets in mind, the journey will be a long one and I’m along for the ride with you. 

I’m not a guru with all the answers, but I have already figured a lot of it out.

I’ve broken down the process of becoming a Modern Viking into a system that works well as a natural progression – leaving a map of my journey so far, if you will.

I started with my physical body. I started to learn the discipline, the attitudes and the simple principles to build a more muscular body.

Then I started to learn about nutrition. I had to create a system of principles and guidelines so that a “Diet” could become just a way of life for me. I looked at my Viking ancestors for inspiration here more than ever – I knew that life was for living, not for following spreadsheets and meal plans!

Then I started to work on mindset work. I started practicing confidence exercises, I researched effective psychological methods and methods used by some of the worlds leading Coaches. I wanted to pull out the methods and techniques that optimised a mans masculinity, while cutting out all of the “fluff” and spirituality that was often clouding fantastic science.

Then I started to think about how I could share this journey with others, how I could get support, and how I could form a Brotherhood of other Modern Vikings.

Upgrade Yourself, Upgrade Your Life

Becoming a Modern Viking is not about achieving mediocracy or an average life. As a Modern Viking, you’re striving for greatness – for something that other men will look upon and dream of!

The beautiful and loving wife and family, the big house, the fast car… whatever it is that’s important to you and you want to achieve, it all needs to be acquired slowly.

You need to achieve those things by investing in yourself, not by chasing them. 

Modern Vikings don’t sprint and chase after wealth and women – they build a version of themselves that naturally attracts wealth and women! Your life upgrade will come only when you make the commitment to upgrading yourself.

The Modern Viking book, Brotherhood membership community and this website are my way of helping you to start this journey. I’m on this journey with you – there are no tricks and no gimmicks. Just hard work.

But together as brothers, we can upgrade ourselves. We can upgrade our lives and become Modern Vikings!

Image credit The History Channel’s ‘Vikings’