At 55, Amanda Holden remains constantly active, juggling a busy schedule that includes early morning radio shows and her role as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. Surprisingly, she has managed to carve out time for fitness by adopting a smart and efficient approach to her workouts. What’s her secret? The Viking Method, which she discussed with The Times a few years ago.
In this article, we will delve into why the Viking Method is such an effective training regimen for building practical strength and how you can integrate it into your daily routine.
What is the Viking Method?
Developed by trainer Svava Sigbertsdottir, the Viking Method incorporates principles from a variety of sports, including football, handball, ballet, contemporary dance, yoga, and kickboxing. Importantly, its focus is not on achieving a particular aesthetic.
Svava explains, “I wanted to create a method that emphasizes enhancement rather than deficiency. You train to gain strength, health, stamina, flexibility, skills, power, confidence, and overall well-being.”
The Viking workouts target the entire body, with a particular emphasis on core strength. A typical session includes plyometric exercises (such as jumps), weighted exercises for both upper and lower body, and core workouts that incorporate both compound and isolated movements. Much of the core work is inherently functional, simulating how we use our core in daily life as a stabilizer during various movements.
Sigbertsdottir, who has trained Amanda, describes her as embodying the Viking spirit with her resilience, enthusiasm, and willingness to tackle any challenge. “She embraced all aspects of training, whether it was crawling in mud or attempting difficult exercises,” Sigbertsdottir notes.
Essentially, the Viking Method elevates functional training, focusing on the body’s ability to perform various tasks efficiently. “My method encourages you to be adaptable and ready for anything. Carry boxes? Simple. Jump over obstacles? Easy. Run to catch a bus? No problem. Even if an unexpected situation arises, you’ll be prepared,” says Sigbertsdottir.
A 30-minute Viking workout
Ready to give it a shot? Here’s a five-move Viking workout you can fit into just 30 minutes.
Complete three rounds of these five exercises, resting for two minutes between rounds (feel free to take shorter breaks as needed). Choose weights that challenge you, especially during the final repetitions.
Each exercise should be performed consecutively, resting only when necessary, before starting the next round.
1. Curtsy Squat to Shoulder Press
Start with weights at shoulder level. Perform a wide squat, followed by a curtsy squat where your knee drops to the floor, then return to a wide squat and finish with a shoulder press. Complete 8 repetitions per leg.
2. Standard Shoulder Press
Perform a traditional shoulder press for 8 reps.
3. Single-Leg Squat into Weighted Circle
Holding one weight with both hands, perform a single-leg squat while keeping your raised leg off the ground. After squatting, draw a circle with the weight from your abdomen to above your head. Alternate the circle’s direction, completing 8 reps per leg.
4. Squat Jump into Single-Arm Snatch
With one weight in hand, squat with the weighted arm between your legs, then jump forward into a deep squat before jumping back and performing a single-arm snatch. Complete 8 reps on each arm.
5. Squat into Plank
Begin in a squat position, walk down into a high plank, lower down to one elbow and then the other, before returning to plank and back to a squat for 8 reps.
Explore Svava Sigbertsdottir’s online Viking Method programs available on her website.
Radio 4 presenter Emma Barnett is reclaiming her strength and body confidence after years of grappling with endometriosis and undergoing multiple IVF cycles. Her journey with personal trainer Frankie Holah has significantly impacted her relationship with fitness. Download the Women’s Health UK app to access Frankie’s complete training plan.
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.
