There are probably
as many
sword
fighting
techniques that have been practiced throughout history as
there have
been different swords. The sword has after all been used in many
different cultures almost since the dawn of time.
While the methods can differ to
some–and even to a great–degree, there are a few
basic fundamentals that will serve you well no matter what type of
sword it is that you are carrying.
Breathing is an important part of many
physical disciplines–combat or otherwise–and it is
the same in the art of sword fighting.
Obviously, breathing properly
will give you several benefits in terms of keeping your wind and
stamina while engaged in sport, but it is particularly useful in sword
fighting as a means of initiating and anticipating an attack.
The most
effective sword fighters will time their strikes to coincide with the
exhalation of air from their lungs, in order to produce more power in
their blow.
Conversely, you can also train yourself to
determine this
action in your opponent, and therefore predict the precise instant when
he is moving in for the attack.
Balance is another important component of
sword fighting techniques. It is easy enough to take this for granted;
after all, you simply have to remember not to fall, right?
Well, there
is a lot more to it than that. Remember: sword fighting is made up of
several different moves and countermoves.
All it takes is for you to be
put in a position of imbalance for a split second before your opponent
can move in and take advantage.
At the same time, you should also be
aware of the necessity of being off balance when it can be beneficial
to you. You may have to get in a particularly tricky blow for example,
or you may have to dodge a sudden attack.
Finally, timing is probably one of those
sword fighting techniques that can most often spell the difference
between victory and defeat. Unfortunately, this is also one of the
hardest skills to develop consciously, and in this case experience is
probably your best teacher.