The Fighting Sword

My fiance and I have a small collection of swords at home as my fiance's father used to teach martial arts, he left the country and left them with us (or more correctly, we bought his house and and he left everything in it!).

I bought 'The Fighting Sword' by Dwight McLemore a couple of years ago with the intention of actually using the swords but life got in the way and I didn't do anything with it.

I have discovered over the last day or so I am woefully unfit and have been neglecting my physical aspect and am thinking that I would quite like to revisit my previous intentions (and also the book stares at me daily from my bookshelf).

Has anyone used this book or anything like it or have any advice as to the direction my practice should take?

Yeah, it's physical stuff. Last night I quit Skinkendo after (just) a month of lessons, admittedly more because I wasn't enjoying the additional Aikido aspect, but my basic level of fitness being too low was definitely a factor.

No advice as such, other than to raise your level of fitness in more general ways so you won't experience similar frustrations (I run, cycle and do bodyweight exercises). Best of luck with it!

While books are good learning sources I'd recommend finding someone that knows a sword art to learn from....with many martial arts you can pick up the basics via book, but will still need instruction or actual experience using the techniques to properly master them. The sword arts are a bit different simply because the sword is incredibly dangerous in inexperienced hands. If you have a daito(wooden training katana) or other wooden sword, even a shinai, it would be best to begin training with that until you get the hang of it, then gradually move to a real sword...swordsmanship isn't just about using the blade, but maintaining it, as well as knowing when to draw it...plus you need to hone the body,mind, and spirit....the sword becomes an extension of you, not just something you hold and swing around like a madman...

We have a couple of training blades, one is wooden, one from memory is a blunt tai chi practise sword.

I have tried to find people who teach what I'm after but with not a lot of luck. I was intending to start alone and keep looking in the hope of finding someone eventually.

not just something you hold and swing around like a madman...

That is definitely not my intention!

The shame is that my fiance's father would have been a good teacher, but by the time I decided I wanted to do this he'd already left the country.

Is a sword art the only art you want to learn?

If not, I would suggest looking to other arts and approaches.

Better to be doing something than nothing at all.

It's not the only art I want to learn; I've been looking up different ones this evening, seeing what's close to me.

I did kickboxing for a while but getting a class that takes women seriously (and that the women themselves take seriously) is hard. When you go to a mixed (read: man's) class, they don't want to partner with you because they're bigger than you. I got stuck in a bit of an annoying place.

You're right though, doing something is better than doing nothing.

start slow. 5 minutes every day. and build up from there.

remember the saying " i fear the man that does one kick a thousands times verses the man who does a thousand kicks once" . we all want cool and exciting moves - but its the basics that win over all.

tzb wrote: Last night I quit Skinkendo after (just) a month of lessons,

Where/with whom did you train in Shinkendo, if you don't mind my asking? I also trained in that for a long time but ultimately left for a variety of reasons.

Also, every year I read The Book of Five Rings By Miyomoto Musashi. I read the translation by Steven Kauffman. It's not great as a step-by-step sword fighting book but it blows my mind every time. I think we have it in the library here but I'm not sure as to which translation. Yagyu Munenori also wrote a great book that is more step-by-step. It's frequently translated as Family Traditions on the Art of War. I highly recommend them both as philosophical martial arts books.