You can find on quora questions such as “how strong was a medieval knight”, or “were the vikings really strong”.
I find these amusing mental exercises, and something you could answer for yourself with fun exercise n=1 self experiment.
Firstly I’m very happy with the results of 8+ months of tree branch mace swinging.
Years back I both regularly hit a tractor tire with, and in another period wielded a sledgehammer inspired by arnold wielding a sword in conan.
I actually discussed the hammer wielding with a swede I hit olys with who had practiced kendo in japan.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
setting the mood with turks rapping in german (bushido – panamera flow)
You could chop trees, you could pound a tire with a sledge, or you could get a relatively thick piece of tree branch (or a sapling), and swing it around like a mace.
I’ve even discovered intensity multipliers like swinging it as hard as possible like a stroke meant to cleave skulls then putting the breaks on it as fast as possible.
The viking stuff I just found online was often pretty corny, yet in the past I have used a concept2 erg inside of a commercial gym, listening to sabaton – “swedish pagans”, imaging rowing to pillage a french village.
I like the concept2 erg, maybe someday I shall own one, it is great cardio, especially for big men where you can get 5k type stimulus.
A concept2 erg is the #1 cardio machine, especially for those with heavier builds.
With my current equipment access, I think my next workout will be a bunch of low rep, probably light, bent rows.
And the mace, since I find forearm pumps addictive. I have one right now from grippers.
I am a work out addict.
Persistence & Tenacity
swedish pagans – sabaton