Glima: The Viking Martial Art Still Practiced in Iceland
More than a thousand years after the Vikings sailed across the North Atlantic, their martial art lives on in Iceland. Glima is a standing wrestling style that was practiced by Norse warriors and settlers and has been maintained as a living tradition in Iceland without interruption since the age of the sagas.
For fans of traditional fighting sports, Glima is one of the most ancient and culturally significant martial arts still actively practiced in its homeland.
Norse Origins
Glima is mentioned in the Old Norse sagas and the Prose Edda, placing its documented history in the 12th and 13th centuries — though the practice is almost certainly older. The sagas describe Glima as a common skill among Norse men, used both in combat and as recreation.
In the Prose Edda, even the god Thor participates in a wrestling match during his visit to the giant Útgarða-Loki's hall, where he is humbled by an old woman named Elli (who represents old age). Wrestling was woven into the fabric of Norse mythology and daily life.
When Norse settlers arrived in Iceland in the 9th century, they brought Glima with them. While the art died out or was absorbed into other traditions in mainland Scandinavia, Iceland's geographic isolation allowed it to survive largely unchanged for over a millennium.
The Three Styles
Modern Glima encompasses three distinct styles:
1. Brokartök (Trouser-Grip Glima)
This is the most widely practiced and recognized form. Wrestlers maintain a specific grip on their opponent's belt and trouser leg while attempting to throw them to the ground.
Key characteristics:
- Both wrestlers must remain upright throughout the bout
- A fixed grip is maintained at all times — one hand on the belt, one on the trouser leg
- Wrestlers circle each other clockwise, stepping around continuously
- The goal is to throw the opponent so that any body part above the knee touches the ground
- Trips, sweeps, and hip throws are the primary techniques
Brokartök is often described as a "gentleman's wrestling" because of its emphasis on technique and sportsmanship over brute force. The continuous motion and fixed grip create a flowing, almost dance-like quality that is unique among wrestling styles.
2. Hryggspenna (Backhold Wrestling)
In this style, wrestlers grip each other around the body and attempt to throw their opponent to the ground. It bears similarities to backhold wrestling found in Scotland and Northern England.
Key characteristics:
- Wrestlers clinch with arms around each other's upper body
- The grip must not be broken during the bout
- Power and leverage are more important than in Brokartök
- Falls determine the winner
3. Lausatök (Free-Grip Wrestling)
The most combative form of Glima, where any grip is permitted and the rules allow a wider range of techniques.
Key characteristics:
- No fixed grip requirement
- Wider range of throws and takedowns permitted
- More aggressive and physically demanding
- Closer to what most people think of as "fighting"
Lausatök was historically the form used in actual combat and self-defense. While less commonly practiced today than Brokartök, it retains a following among those interested in Glima's martial applications.
Techniques and Strategy
Glima's technical vocabulary includes dozens of named techniques:
Core Throws
- Hnekkja: A jerk or snap throw using the trouser grip
- Krækja: A hooking technique using the leg behind the opponent's leg
- Bregða: A twisting throw generated from hip rotation
- Svifta: A sweeping motion that takes the opponent's base
- Hjálmtök: A head-control technique used in Lausatök
Tactical Principles
Glima strategy revolves around several key principles:
- Balance: Maintaining your own stability while disrupting your opponent's
- Timing: Executing techniques at the precise moment of vulnerability
- Sensitivity: Reading your opponent's weight distribution through the grip
- Footwork: The continuous clockwise stepping creates and closes opportunities
- Economy: Using minimal effort to achieve maximum effect
These principles align closely with those found in other traditional wrestling styles, suggesting universal truths about the nature of grappling combat.
Cultural Significance in Iceland
Glima holds a special place in Icelandic culture:
National Sport Status
Glima is recognized as Iceland's national sport. While football and handball have larger participation numbers today, Glima's historical and cultural significance is unmatched. The Icelandic Glima Association (Glímufélaga Íslands) oversees the sport and organizes national competitions.
The Grettisbelt
The most prestigious prize in Icelandic Glima is the Grettisbelt (Grettisbelti), named after the saga hero Grettir the Strong. This championship belt has been awarded annually since 1906, making it one of the oldest continuously awarded prizes in combat sports.
Annual Championships
The Icelandic Glima Championship is held annually, attracting competitors from across the country. The event connects modern Icelanders to their Viking heritage and serves as a focal point for the Glima community.
Training and Practice
Modern Glima training takes place in clubs and sports facilities across Iceland:
- Technical drills: Practicing individual throws and counters
- Sparring: Live wrestling with full resistance
- Conditioning: General fitness work to support wrestling performance
- History and tradition: Learning the cultural context of the art
Training is accessible to people of all ages and both genders. Children often begin learning Glima in school physical education programs, ensuring that the tradition continues to be passed down.
Glima in the Modern World
While Glima remains primarily an Icelandic practice, there is growing international interest:
International Outreach
Glima practitioners have demonstrated the art at international martial arts festivals and cultural events. Small communities of practitioners exist in Scandinavian countries and among Norse heritage enthusiasts worldwide.
Academic Interest
Scholars of martial arts history have increasingly recognized Glima's significance as one of the few European martial arts with an unbroken lineage from the medieval period. Research into Glima contributes to understanding of how combat systems develop and survive.
Connections to Other Arts
Glima shares technical and philosophical elements with several other traditional wrestling arts:
- Kirkpinar oil wrestling in Turkey
- Pehlwani in India
- Laamb in Senegal
- Schwingen in Switzerland
- Cumberland wrestling in England
These parallels suggest that standing grappling traditions develop along similar lines across cultures, even when there is no direct historical connection.
Preservation and Future
Glima's survival for over a thousand years is remarkable, but the art faces modern challenges. Smaller population bases, competition from global sports, and the natural attrition of traditional practices all threaten its long-term viability.
However, Glima benefits from strong institutional support in Iceland, a population that values its Viking heritage, and growing international curiosity about traditional martial arts. Like Bokator in Cambodia, Glima demonstrates that ancient fighting arts can survive — and even thrive — when their cultural communities remain committed to preservation.
For anyone interested in the martial arts of the Norse world, Glima is a living link to the age of the Vikings — practiced today on the same island where it was first brought ashore more than eleven hundred years ago.