You are invited to
the World's first Women Warriors
in Western Style
Online Conference !!!
About the conference
Practical information
After an overwhelmingly positive response to the summer female fighter workshops in 2025 we decide that an event geared towards female fighters was long overdue due. So we made one!
And we want you to come and join us!
The conference will dive into the full experience of being a female warrior—the physical, mental, and emotional sides of training and fighting—while also exploring the science behind it, from biomechanics to neurobiology, so you can get stronger, smarter, and more resilient in your practice.
We’ll also explore the history behind these warriors, with talks on Viking Age women’s graves and how their clothing, armour, and kit are reconstructed so modern fighters can train and fight in historically informed gear.
To end the conference we will have a training focused Q and A with the speakers and other women warriors who will shared training advice that has helped them in their fighting.
For all the talks you can submit questions for the speakers.
Find out how in our FAQs below.
We hope in the future that these type of events can be more than just skills and knowledge: the Shieldmaidens can also be about building a supportive community, celebrating the strength and resilience of women fighters on the western scene, and creating a lasting space where ideas, experiences, and inspiration can flourish. This conference is a small step on that journey so will be foused purely on our goal of knowledge sharing and enhancing the experience of being a female warrior in the western scene.
Basic info below
This event is a live online event on Sunday Feburay 1st 2026 starting at 11:00 CET (Central european time)
The event will last for 3 and a half hours there will be 3 x 15 minute breaks
The event costs 65 dkk/ 8 Euros / £8. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite
This event has been made by volunteer Vikings for Vikings on the Western style scene
This event is about female fighting however it is open to all warriors from the western viking fight scene!
Join us online 1st Febuary 2026
Get your ticket and link for the conference now !
Days
Hours
Minutes
Women Warriors Conference Program 2026
The Female Fighter's Biomechanics: Optimize Your Viking Fighting Style
Fight Like a Valkyrie: The Biomechanics of the Female Fighter This is a presentation on the biomechanics of Western-style Viking fighting. This talk will give you the tools to optimize your performance and health by addressing: The biomechanical considerations unique to the female body. Key injury prevention strategies. Training adaptations for the menstrual cycle. Don't just fight—master your body to fight better.
Fathma Nachir
Jomsborg
Activating the Power of a Woman’s Neurobiology and Psychology in Western-Style Fighting
Warrior Mindset: Discover how to harness the power of your neurobiology and psychology to train like a warrior. Explore how the survival system responds in simulated combat, understand the unique neurobiological patterns of women in battle, and learn to optimize these responses in your training. Cultivate focus, resilience, and strengthen your warrior mindset to fight smarter, stronger, and battle-ready..
Emma-Jane Cross
Valhalla
Dressing a Woman Warrior: An evaluation of the evidence
In a whirlwind tour of the sagas, runestones and a warrior grave or two, we will discuss how best to dress as a female warrior. Our goal is to present what remains and suggest how we can speculatively apply it in a way that's both historically sound and appropriate for our modern-day sport. Balance here is key and we aim to empower our attendees to make their own decisions when levelling up their kit!
Leah De Bernardi
The Eoforwic Project
Each talk will last 45 mins with a break for the full event timings click below to go to eventbrite.
Join us online 1st Febuary 2026
Get your ticket and link for the conference now !
Days
Hours
Minutes
FAQs
Don't worry, we got you. Here are some answers for your questions.
Nope! This event is inclusive. While focused on women warriors, it’s open to any western scene warrior interested in attending.
The conference explores optimizing fighting from the perspective of people assigned female at birth, covering biomechanics, neurobiology/psychology, and sharing knowledge. All warriors are welcome!
All participants are expected to respect our commitment to inclusivity and maintain a safe, welcoming environment at the conference. Abusive, discriminatory, or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Participants exhibiting such behavior will receive one warning via the zoom chat to adjust their conduct. If the behavior continues, the organizers reserve the right to remove the participant from the event without refund.
The fee covers the basic costs of running the conference, with 15% donated to Sletten—an event we support and love! Any leftover funds will either go toward a future conference or increase the donation to Sletten.
The event is hosted on Eventbrite where you will buy your ticket and uses zoom to access it. Just follow the link in your confirmation and you will be sent to the conference link.
YESSSS! This event is so relevant for any trainer teaching western style. This will help you adapt your training for your female fighters and help you to improve their fighting and strengthen your groups overall fighting.
Absolutely! Any fighters will find this event interesting. We don't know 100% if the nuerobiology of warrior who is transitioning would be the same as a person assigned the gender female at birth. Unfoirtunately the research in the nueropsychological field regarding transpeople is currently very limited. So we can only be honest and say we don't know. Have a listen and see if it feels relevant for your journey. It it works yey!If it doesn't you have some information you can give futher when you find a warrior that needs it.
Send us an email with the name of the talk and your question to [email protected] by January 25th.
If your question is for the panel please specify if it is for all the warriors or a specific warrior.
Use the subject QUESTION2026
We won't be able to answer all questions at the event however we will try to make sure the questions we have seem to be the most relevant for all attendees.
Nope sorry this a live event only. It would cost so much more to make that happen which would mean a bigger charge for the event. (We are also tech dinos and cannot work out how to do it.)
We hope so! Our dream is to plant a seed that future female warriors can grow from, improving the experience of women in the western scene. But we’re human too, so we’ll see what’s wanted and what we can realistically manage.
Email us at [email protected] ! Replies may be slow, as this is a small volunteer-run project, but we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
If you’re not a Viking reenactor, this event is probably not for you—it’s created by Vikings for Vikings. Check out the many reenactment groups in the western-style scene and we’ll look forward to meeting you soon!
If you’ve only trained a few times, this event might be confusing but still interesting. It’s aimed at those with at least six months’ experience and an understanding of western-style Viking battles. Please do join us, and don’t worry if some of it is confusing. You have a long future on the western scene. Asgaard wasn’t built in a day!
Join us online 1st Febuary 2026
Get your ticket and link for the conference now !
Days
Hours
Minutes
Meet some of the Shieldmaidens
(Who are overly passionate about Viking history and empowering women warriors in the western Viking scene)
Fathma Nachiar
Jomsborg
I’m a Musculoskeletal Pain Specialist focused on Neurofascial Pain, Women’s Health, and Biomechanics. With 21 years of Viking reenactment on the Western scene, I’m passionate about helping fighters manage pain, enhance performance, and train more efficiently.
Emma-Jane Cross
Valhalla Ulfhednir
I’m a Neuroscience and NLP Life Coach, neurodiverse mentor. During my 25 years as a Western fighter, general and Battle Mom, I've become fascinated by how our brains affects training and battle. I love to help warriors understand their brains, develop warrior mindset, and optimise their fighting
Leah O'Cuinneagain-De Bernardi
The Eoforwic Project
I’m a living historian and independent researcher, exploring Viking daily life, specialising in Viking Age Dublin and York. I’ve reenacted for over a decade and organise conferences across Europe. I love exploring women’s roles in history and recreating clothing.
Join us online 1st Febuary 2026
Get your ticket and link for the conference now !
Days
Hours
Minutes
Our Vision
We are committed to empowering female warriors in the Western Viking scene by fostering an inclusive space for deep learning and resource-sharing. Our mission is to strengthen and optimise the physical (biomechanics, neurobiology) and experiential dimensions of the female warrior, thereby creating a vibrant dialogue that advances the understanding and excellence of women fighters in western viking combat.
© 2025 Shieldmaidens - Women warriors in westernstyle. All rights reserved.
