There are few in history that can match the courage, honor, and noble bearing of the Anglo Saxon warrior.
Through the span of time when the Angles and the Saxons first conquered the Britons and named that little peice of land "England" all the way to the vast empire that England holds today only demonstrates the superiority of their martial prowess as well as a sharpened
Even the forefathers of the United States were of English blood. The notorious rumor that the reason why the U.S. "won" was due to the guerilla tactics learned by Indians is completely false......these same tactics were known by the Anglo-Scottish border-reavers as well as the Scandinavian ulfhednar (=wolf changers)....both of which developed these tactics through cattle-stealing and later on was able to apply these malicefull arts to warfare.....lets also not forget about that roguish gent Robin Hood! What should be kept in mind is that those that stayed in England were accustomed to being honourable sorts where as those that left England and went into American tended to come from the lowest common denominator.....many of which were crooks (like the reavers) as well as the oppressive puritans (who were actually kicked out for their zealousness)...therefore these churlish wargs would have brought their cut-throat tactics with them.
Recently, the samarai have received alot of publicity due to the recent movie "The Last Samarai" (starring Tom Cruz). Many people were touched by this movie for understandable reasons...the Japanese have their own martial arts, their own language, their own language, their own arts, their own culture, and many other things. In England (as well as the disconnected child called America) this integral culture has been disintegrated. Asian martial arts has replaced our own martial arts, Christianity (a Jewish derived religion) has replaced our native Heathen religion, the New Age mysticism has overshadowed our native mystical arts (witchcraft, runes, ect.), and if the Mexican invasion keeps up then the Anglo-Americans of the U.S. will be speaking Spanish instead of English.
However, in our own imaginations we can go back to a time when we had all of this. Let us think of the English fighting nobleman....what kind of knowledge base and skills did he have? He knew the fine arts of swordsmanship and archery. He was also raised in the anceint Heathen belief and called apon deities such as Woden, Tiw, Thunor, Frija, Ing, Freia, Eostre, and Erce. He was surrounded by the lesser wights as well...the ylfe, dweorg, idesa, etons, thurs and many others. He lived by a warrior code of honor as well as served a lord. Some of them even possessed the secrets of the mystical arts such as the runes...through which they could perform battle magic to improve their combative ability, or leechcraft in which they could heal the wounds that they incurred during warfare. They also knew of the web of wyrd...a invisible force that describes the innerconnection between all things and how they effect each other...and through understanding it they would be able to predict the actions of their enemies. Other skills would be things such as horsemanship and wilderness survival. We obviously cannot turn back the clock....but we can bring back the things that we NEED while maintaining what is positive about our existing culture. For an example, it would be idiotic for the modern Anglo Saxon fighter to reject the M-4, 9mm, and HUM-V and beleive that mounting a war horse and taking up archery would somehow be superior. It is not...we have evolved WAY past that stage. Therefore, the M-4, 9mm, and HUM-V should be seen as positive additions to the modern day Anglo Saxon warband. However, it would be logical to learn study the anceint methods of the arming sword, dagger, and spear....simply because still use those weopons today....only we call it a "machette", "kabar", and "bayonet"....they are still viable. Back then some Anglo Saxon fighters would wear animal skins or chainmail in battle....however it is a pure fact that BDU's, cevlar, and bullet proof vests are far superior....furthermore if a division or a platoon wants to identify with an animal then they should make a special patch with a depiction of the animal to put on the BDU's.
However, lets take a look at Christianity...there is no objective reason as to why this religion is superior to our Anglo Saxon Heathen beleifs.....or that Anglo Saxon beleifs cannot be practiced today. Furthermore, the god of Xianity is Jewish....we are not Jewish...we are Anglo Saxon. In the Old Testement the Jew-God calls non-Jewish blooded people "goyhim"..which means "cattle"...therefore it would be utter insanity to pay heed to this deity. This same god also tells the Jews why they shouldn't worship other gods: "Because if you love the god of another people the how can you come to love your selves?" Therefore, this deity does not desire our worship in any shape or form. We must return to the Gods of our Ancestors. Some might be a little disturbed by some of our ancestors Heathen practices...especially the sacrificing of humans and animals. What needs to be understood is that "animal sacrifice" was nothing more than a sacred barbecue. The folk kills the animal and then drains its blood into a bowl and offers it to the gods. The blood represents the life energy of the animal and the gods take this power and in turn project their own holy and sacred power into the meat of the animal...which is eaten by the folk. Even the Jews practice a similar ritual...they call it "kosher". Its basic logic...in order to eat an animal you have to kill it, and since religion permeated every aspect of our ancestors lives they integrated this into this basic necessity. Human sacrifice was a way to dispatch dangerous criminals and POW's. Even today, when someone is receiving a death sentence a preist or minister reads the bible out loud before they receive their just deserts. Therefore, the practice of human and animal sacrifice is still viable.
People need to eat and dangerous criminals need to be eliminated (does your immune system let germs eat away at your body? Of course not.).
The subject of clothing is a controversal subject. One would think that the use of clothing made from organic and natural material is much better than those made from synthetic plastic. It probobly isn't necessary to change the way we dress, and it might be pushing it to show up to your work place dressed up like you live in the 5th century. However, it could be benificial to dress this way privately and among like minded people during a Holy Day (like Yule or Litha)....the Japanese and Indians also wear ethic clothing during their religious festivities.....however it is definitely not necessary (but it can be fun) and may not be appropiate for all groups (thus the difference between the Traditional Heathen and the Modern Heathen.....this could be compared to Catholics and Lutherans, or Orthodox Jews and Unorthodox Jews). Some may say that Heathenism is somehow "weird" or "abnormal"....most of these critics being of Christian upbringin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why would the belief in trolls and thurses be any stranger than the beleif in demons? Why would is be perfectly normal to beleive in angels but "crazy" to beleif in elves? Why is it strange to praise Yahweh (or "God") and his Archons (or "Angels") any stranger than the praise of Woden and his
fellow Gods? I hold that the real abnormality is an Anglo Saxon worshipping a Jew-God......and a return to normalcy would be to once again honor the Gods of our Ancestors. Now lets talk about boxing. This art might of been introduced to England via Roman occupation in 3 C.E. It is well known for its hand striking, versatile body movement, as well as footwork (much of which cognates the footwork of swordplay). Its main strikes are the jab, hook, cross, overhand, and hook.....however in older times the "back fist" (which usually followed after a hook), "shoulder butt" (usually when someone is backed in a corner) and elbow (executed in a similar manner as a hook, overhand, and uppercut). They were also allowed to clinch and strike their opponents at the same time as well as even kick...the most common being what we would understand as the roundhouse kick, knee kick, front snap kick, and push kick
(one only needs to read the legends about Figg to understand). The bodily movements that are typically used would be the slip, bob, and weave. The slip is when you move your head to one of the flanks of your opponents...usually to avoid the jab. The bob is when you move your head back and forth to both confuse your enemy as well as dodge potential strikes...most commonly the jab and cross. The weave is a u shaped ducking movement of the head and torso (with a bending of the knees) that is used to dodge a hook. It would, however, be misleading to assume that such body movement is only used for dodging blows....if combined with a reposite the momentum of your body movement will greatly enhance the power of your punch.
The kind of footwork that is used is the same as swordplay: advance (six inch step forward), retire (six inch step backward), volte (a pivot on the leading foot....one can pivot as far as they choose...in rare cases one can use the full volte as a means to execute a spinning technique...which is very powerful BUT greatly exposes the fighter who uses it), traverse (moving side to side with a six inch step as a means to exploit your opponents centerline while preventing him from exploiting yours by trying to flank him...usually combined with a volte), a pass (when you step forward with your rear foot....not commonly used but is sometimes combined with a bounce as a means to close the distance and hit with a very powerful strike), pendulum (this is a quick shuffle that is used to close the distance and increase the power of your kick....by taking your rear foot and putting it the same place as your front foot and creating a momentum that pushes your front foot foward again), bounce (this is combined with the advance, retreat, traverse, and pass for a multitude of purposes, sometimes to close the distance very quickly...especially if the opponent has a longer reach, or to quicky move out of measure when the going gets a little too tough. This can also generate enough momementum to increase the power of your strike). As I mentioned before boxers used to hit each other while tied up...they had great knowledge of how to control the head, arms, and body as a way to create openings to direct crushing blows...they also knew how to move the body one way and then quickly pull it back while directing a blow towards the body...this is like creating the effect of two trains hitting each other. Fighting from this position is the gateway to the ground...which brings up the topic of lancashire wrestling. This form of wrestling is the grandfather of folk-style wrestling (which is done in high school, college, and the olympics) and when it came to the United States it was renamed "Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling". The major difference between Lancashire Wrestling and Folk Style Wrestling is that in Lancashire Wrestling the win is secured through submission (making them cry "uncle") and in Folk Style wrestling the win is secured through the pin (putting them on there back). Lancashire Wrestling has an entire family of skills: takedowns/throws, riding/positioning/control, and "hooks" (leg locks, arm locks, neck cranks, strangulations and spinal stretches). Physical training is also an important topic. A common Indo-European way of increasing strength, power, and endurance is through club swinging. First the club swinger would start out with small clubs and then gradually take on heavier and heavier clubs. Such training hits every muscle in your body. Running and swimming are timeless ways of building cardiovascular endurance. Acrobatic (or "biomechanical") exercises such as rolls (neck, shoulder, ect.), spinal rocks (straddle, pike, ect.), and a few others are great for balance, agility, and mobility. A not-so-modern method of planning and organizing (mentioned by a Greek philosopher, magus, and athlete named Philostatus) called Periodization is also very, very helpful. In basic terms it is divided into the following components: AA (anatomical adaption phase), MS (maximum strength phase), P (power phase), P/S-E (stength/power endurance phase), H (hypertrophy phase), and T (transition phase). This allows the fighter to develope each type of strength independently (you can't do everything at once). In the AA phase the person works with light to moderate loads. Everyone should start here. The purpose of this phase is to strengthen the tendons and ligaments and prepare them for the harder and more difficult phases. Skipping this phase could prove to be very dangerous as injury will result if one takes on intense loads without the adequate preperation. In the MS phase the fighter works with very heavy loads and focuses on slow grinding movements. Very few repetitions are done. This will cause the muscles to tone and density because of the great amount of muscular tension that is generated by this training.
Usually 2-3 sets of 3-8 repetions are done. There is a common misconception that such loads are used to build muscle...this is NOT the case. Muscle growth occurs when the full range of muscle fibers (fast and slow twitch...and everything in between) have be worked till muscle failure. The MS phase only works the fast twitch muscles and causes them to harden and become more dense. The P phase is a somewhat similar phase....using heavy loads with 2-3 sets and 3-8 repetions. There is, however, one fundamental difference: the exercise movements are done very quickly and explosively.
The P/S-E phase is very interesting. It combines both the "strength" and "power" movements but they are done with very high repetions 2-3 sets of 15-100+ repetions. Usually a slow grinding movements will be quickly followed by explosive and fast movements. This method is often called "maxex training". An optional phase is the H phase. In this phase usually 4-8 sets of 9-15 repetitions are done..usually in a "pyramid", ie doing 2 sets of 15 reps with a 10 lb club, 2 sets of 12 with a 15 lb club, 1 sets of 10 with a 20 lb club, 1 sets of 8 with a 25 lb club, and 1 sets of 6 with a 45 lb club (don't let the light sound of the clubs fool you.....because of how the weight is distributed the factor of leverage needs to be considered, thus it is very heavy to hold). The T phase is the resting phase.....after a long period of intense training your body needs a chance to rest and regenerate. This is a great time to relax in a sauna and see a massage therapist....this will aid in your physical regeneration. The "training pyramid" should also be taken into consideration: General Physical Preparedness (GPP), Skill Specific Preparedness (SSP), and Mental/Emotional Preparedness (EMP). I would also add Transpersonal Preparedness (TP). GPP is essentially the foundation of ones Training as a fighter...working on basic and fundamental exercises that build strength, power, and endurance. Examples of these would be dips, pull ups, bridges, sit ups, crunches, dragon flags, push ups, tabata sqauts, medicine ball drills, wind sprints, sumbo deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, side press, clean and jerk, swing, and snatch. SSP are training drills that improve or directly transfer to skills and talents such as club swinging, biomechanical exercises, as well as the martial movements themselves.
Mental and Emotional Preparedness would be a combination of things, knowing how to deal with and reduce fear, staying focused, tacticle intellegence, and so forth deals with this part of the pyramid. The last one, which is rarely mentioned but is ever so important is Transpersonal Preparedness. This is two fold....preperation of your unconscious and hyperconscious....this is dealt with through religeo-spiritual developement as well as through the mystical internal arts such as Runes and "going under the cloak" (=meditation). A prayer, or a "bede" as the Anglo Saxon Heathens call it acts as a key that opens the doors to the hyperconscious so that an Archetype can be contacted....this will in turn cause a release of intense psychological energy, and a sense of empowerment follows. This is usually accomplished through strongly visualizing a deity or some spirit while reciting a prayer to the deity. Sometimes this is done to music and/or incense to create the necessary mood. Keep in mind that the Archetypes that live in the transpersonal realms are VERY REAL.....this is not a game nor should such practices be taken lightly. Furthermore, also keep in mind that nothing is for free.....you will suffer a loss for a gain. It should be kept in mind that the Transpersonal, or that which is outside of your immediate consciousness, would involve the Spiritual and the Instinctual. The spiritual realm, symbolized as Esegeard (yard of the gods) and the instinctual/primordial realm would be Hell (realm of the dead, the deep primordial past). When you visualize a God, such as Woden, and invoke his power you will enter an exhaulted state of consciousness and enter a fearless state. This is one of the many ways you can remove what the Russian martial artist Scott Sonnon calls "fear reactivity". Another way is to visualise something that will tap into the more primordial aspects of the psyche.....like an animal, or a tornado. In fact, the anceint Northern European berserkers used to wear animals skins to tap into the instinctual part of the psyche and call apon Woden to tap into the spiritual part of the psyche.
The key is to deeply immerse yourself into one or both of those things until you feel an intense realease of psychological energy pouring forth from both realms. This can be thought of as "psyching up".
An approach that synthesizes all of this is through the use of internal art known as Rune Galdor. This highly sophisticated energy/enlightment system is highly valuable to the English fighter. First, one must learn about the Nine Worlds and how they integrate into the lyke (body), and how they act as centers of energy as well as gateways to the different parts of the psyche. Then, the fighter must learn about the subtle lines of energy that flow between these centers...the "roads and rivers". Third, the Runes are learned, and how specific chants relating to the Runes are used to open these centers/channels. In the Indian system these are often referred to as "nadis"(channels), "chakras"(wheels), and "mantras"(chants). The training of the breath, or aethem, is also important as it aids in this process. The Indian tradition calls this "prana". In the alps a body was recovered and revealed that the Germanic people may have known a doctrine of pressure points, or as the Indian calls them; "marmas". Layered into this practice is the fine art of Leechcraft, which is a mixture of herbalism and "shamanic" poetic chants. There are many different variations of this, but some schools of thought believe that the herbs, or "worts" are directly linked to the channels and centers that flow through the body, and by preparing them in herbs, salves and/or ointments and administering them to the patient that the body and mind are restored the wholeness. Other techniques include the use of poetic song that is used to pinpoint and remove harmful intrusions....especially elf-shot, dwarves, and wyrms.
The poetic song, or "galdor", can be used in a great number of ways. Sometimes a created magical creature, or wight (usually a spider) is described in the magical song as going into the body and removing the intrusion. Other techniques would be the song describing the intusion being transferred into an object (such as an arrow), which in turn is disposed of..perhaps sent back to its realm (such as Etonham).
The use of a knife in Leechcraft is also important. It is often used to make small cuts into the body so that the intrusion has a way out. It can also be used to attack the intrusion itself....cutting it out entirely.
Stephen Pollington linked these three components (organic components, the knife, and the use of magical commands) to the Dumezillian ideas of the three functions of Indo-European society (generative/regenerative, martial, and sovereign).
It should be noted that in norse mythology, Jormungander (OE:Yrminwand), or The World Serpent, has spawned many children. It could be said that this giant serpent is the mother of disease and stress.
The same theories are found in the Aujuvedic medicine of India.