In an Instagram interview with fans, when Winnick was asked what her toughest scene was to shoot, she replied: "swimming in the freezing water with pounds of armor on," according to the UK's Metro. For another scene, outdoors, in cold and wet conditions, "We had a medic on set and he was checking us [to see] if we would go into shock because your body would literally be frozen. And we'd get into this little hot box to warm up and then go back out and shoot because it was a very, very intense shoot in below zero temperature," she told TV Guide.

Period dramas are notoriously tough on actors, who must endure unwieldy costumes, animals, weaponry, and often filming conditions that are almost as primitive as the times they seek to depict. Vikings is no exception. The geographical settings are stark, and the costumes aren't something you'd necessarily pick out for back-to-school from Target. It follows then, that the cast for such a show should not only be qualified dramatic actors, but also physically prepared.

For her part, Winnick is a trained actor, but more than that — and especially helpful in becoming Lagertha — she's a highly skilled and accomplished martial artist. Vanity Fair reports that she holds a third-degree black belt in taekwondo, and a second-degree black belt in karate. Not content to simply study and excel, by the time she was 21, Winnick owned three martial arts studios, all while completing a degree in kinesiology (the study of movement) at York University, Ontario, Canada, per her fan site bio.

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