ABOUT the ACADEMY of VIKING MARTIAL ARTS
ACADEMY INSTRUCTORS
Laustak Master Tyr Neilsen
Combat Laustak and Sport Laustak Senior Instructor Norway
Tyr Neilsen is a master of armed and unarmed Laustak. He is senior instructor for the Academy of Viking Martial Arts and President of the Norwegian Laustak Federation.
Tyr started his martial arts training with Ju Jitsu in 1973 and has been taught by many world famous martial arts masters in England, France and the USA. Tyr has trained Jeet Kune Do, Kali, and Escrima with Guro Dan Inosanto, Wing Chun Kung Fu with Sifu Nino Bernado, Savate with Professeur Salem Assli, Grappling with legend Larry Hartsell, and Shotokan Karate with Terry O'Neill (voted by Black Belt Magazine as "deadliest fighter on the planet").
Experienced in many martial arts styles, Tyr has taught various types of martial arts since 1980, in Europe, Norway and USA and was senior instructor for Drammen Ju Jitsu Club, a member of Ju Jitsu Norway.
Tyr was first introduced to Viking swordfighting in the late 1970's in England, and started Laustak training in Norway in 1989. Tyr has been teaching armed and unarmed Laustak since the early 1990's.
In 2005 Tyr was co-founder of the Viking Hærkamp group Víkvarir and was Sverdkamp (swordfight) instructor there until 2007.
Tyr has participated in many of the largest steel weapon re-enactments in Europe, including the Battle of Hastings. He was the first Norwegian to have taken part in the Viking/Slav battle in Wolin, Poland, an annual event where over 500 Viking/Slav warriors have a 'real' Viking battle with hard hits from the weapons.
Tyr has unique knowledge of Viking history, culture, philosophy, mythology. For a whole year in 2011, Tyr trained and lived as a Viking, including traveling over 15 thousand miles, to 9 countries in Europe and Scandinavia to document the Viking Martial Arts, and how it is to live like a Viking.
In 2013, Tyr co-wrote the book 'Viking Wisdom - HÁVAMÁL - the Sayings of Odin’. Whilst working on the book, Tyr traveled to Iceland and had exclusive access to the original 13th century Hávamál manuscript.
In 2015 Tyr was the first Norwegian to be invited to Jorvik, Europe's largest Viking festival, to demonstrate Laustak - The Martial Art system of the Vikings.
Tyr is President of the Norwegian Laustak Federation and has been responsible for arranging the Norwegian Glima Championship since 2012.
Lars Egil Gulbrandsen
Second Level Sport Laustak and Combat Laustak Instructor
Lars Egil Gulbrandsen is a second level instructor for Sport Laustak and Combat Laustak at the Academy of Viking Martial Arts. Lars has a red belt in sport Laustak, red belt in combat Laustak, and first level in Historical Viking Weapons. He also has several years of martial arts training, with a green belt in Ju Jitsu.
Lars has assisted in AVK Laustak demonstrations and instructing basic Laustak in Norway and the UK since 2014.
Bjørn Braathen
Second Level Sport Laustak and Combat Laustak Instructor
Bjørn Arild Braathen is an second level instructor for Sport Laustak and Combat Laustak at the Academy of Viking Martial Arts. Bjørn has a red belt in sport Laustak and red belt in combat Laustak, as well as several years of other martial arts training with a green belt in Tae Kwon Do.
When Bjørn was a student at Rosthaug Videregående Skole specializing in sports, he had Glíma as his main subject, and by doing this he managed to get the ancient Scandinavian martial arts into the Norwegian school system.
Bjørn is 3 X Junior Norwegian Glima Champion (2013, 2014, 2015), Gudvangen Glima Champion 2017, and - 80kg Norwegian Glima Champion 2017 and 2018.
In 2018 Bjørn was responsible for the Borre Glima Championship.
Bjørn has assisted in AVK Laustak demonstrations and seminars in Norway and the UK since 2014.
Håkon Neil
First Level Sport Laustak and Combat Laustak Instructor
Håkon Neil is a first level instructor for Sport Laustak and Combat Laustak at the Academy of Viking Martial Arts. Håkon has a green belt in sport Laustak, green belt in combat Laustak, and many years of training in a variety of martial art styles, including Jeet Kune Do, Kung Fu, Karate, Ju Jitsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, boxing and grappling.
Håkon has been assisting in AVK demonstrations and instructing basic Laustak since 2015.
LAUSTAK - THE MARTIAL ART of the VIKINGS
Weekly training, indoors and outdoors, year round
SPORT LAUSTAK - Training
Monday
Sports Laustak training (TBD - New dates and times coming soon)
18:00 - 19:00 New beginner and intermediate training
19:00 - 20:00 Advanced training
COMBAT LAUSTAK - Training
Wednesday
Combat Laustak training outdoors (TBD - New dates and times coming soon)
18:00 - 19:00 New beginner and intermediate training
19:00 - 20:00 Advanced training
COMBAT LAUSTAK - Weapon Training
Friday
Combat Laustak Weapon Training outdoors (TBD - New dates and times coming soon)
18:00 - 19:00 Beginner, intermediate, advanced training
Child (10 - 14 ) kr 190,- per month Teenager (15 - 17 ) kr 250,- per month Adult (17 years and older) kr 350,- per month Family kr 500,- per month
Private instruction per hour: kr 800
Special offer - Personal instruction for 10 hours: kr 7200
Want to learn Loustak ?
The Academy of Viking Martial Arts holds training in Sport Loustak, Combat Loustak, Combat Loustak with modern weapons and Historical Viking Weapons.
This involves teaching the basic sport Loustak techniques, foundation combat Loustak techniques and Loustak self-defense. Basic techniques include throwing, landing, attack and defense with and without weapons.
This training builds strength, endurance, stamina, flexibilty, confidence, self respect for yourself and others and self-reliance.
We have weekly beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. We take in beginners throughout the year and new students don't needs experience or to be in good shape to start. With regular training, our students quickly get in good shape as they learn self-defense techniques.
There is a 2 week free training in which to find out if this is for you.
We have weekly indoor and outdoor training throughout the year, and we are the most merited Loustak club in Norway, with several Norwegian Sport Loustak Championship medal winners to our credit.
Note: At the Academy we provide historical weapon training; Stickfight (Stokkekamp), Knife-fight (Knivkamp), Axe-fight (Øksekamp), Spearfight (Spydkamp) and Swordfight (Sverdkamp). This is not Viking Reenactment or Viking show fighting, it is training with historical Viking weapons.
Email: post@viking-avk.com
Address: Vestfold og Telemark, Norway.
COMBAT LAUSTAK TRAINING GEAR
Hunting was an essential part of life for our ancestors. The Norsemen were great hunters, and for them, the hunt was both a practical and spiritual endeavor. For hunting and combat training, Norsemen and Vikings used specialized clothing that would withstand the weather and the wear and tear of use in rough terrain.
Modern Norwegians also have specialized clothing for hunting and training. This clothing is called either 'Jaktklær' meaning hunting clothing, or ‘Skogsklær’ which simply means forest clothing. Just as our ancestors did, we use skogsklær for Combat Laustak training. It is practical and tough, and exactly what we need for year round outdoor training.
Visit the Academy’s teespring store to buy apparel and support the Academy of Vikings Martial Arts in our mission to bring Laustak to the world.
GAMMELT og NYTT (Old and New) is one of Norways leading specialty shops for modern knives, weapons and outdoor equipment, as well as militaria, historical weapons and replicas.
Gammelt og Nytt has sponsored Viking arrangements including the Norwegian Glima Championship. Gammelt og Nytt is the first place the Academy of Viking Martial Arts goes to for new and used specialist equipment and outdoors equipment, and members of the Academy of Viking Martial Arts recieve a 10% discount on all purchases at Gammelt og Nytt!
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Important Notice:
The Academy for Viking Martial Arts promotes healthy mental, physical and spiritual growth.
We at the Academy deplore racism, nazism, fascist ideology, religous fanatasism, bullying, stalking, anti-human and anti-nature behavior.
Til árs ok friðar - For the year and peace