Some have thought that sword fighting was a thing of the past. However, the ancient art of the sword fight and swordsmanship is actually alive and thriving these days. Much of this is due to the fact that the use of swords is seen greatly in various forms of popular culture.

Nowadays, it is quite easy to see examples of sword fighting in movies, novels, television series, cartoons, video games and even in comic books. In some ways, it seems as if people have never really lost their interest and fascination with the swords of ancient, yet brutal, civilizations. In fact, there has been such ongoing attraction to the art of the sword in fighting, that fencing is a thriving sport which has even attained the level of being included in the Olympic games.

Sword fighting simply indicates a close quarters conflict that is undertaken blade to blade. Throughout history of many civilizations around the globe, this was the main way that battles were decided. In addition, swords were the main weapon that people relied on in order to defend and protect their lands and their families. In the scope of history, it has only been quite recently that swords were relegated to symbolic purposes as guns and ammunitions took center stage in warfare.

While watching sword fighting in a movie, it is easy to get the impression that it is a fun and engaging activity that probably is not too difficult. But, in reality, fighting with the sword is a physically grueling and very demanding undertaking. While those who have been trained in swordsmanship in order to do a scene in a movie might seem graceful and make it look easy, it really does take a great deal of strength and practice to handle a sword.

First of all, the steel blade swords that are used in sword fighting are very heavy, so the first thing one has to do, if interested in swordplay, is to develop the strength to hold and wield the blade. This requires a great deal of strength in the arms, shoulders and back simply to lift the sword, let alone defend those coming at you with rival swords.

The next level of strength then comes into play with the ability to maneuver the weapon with the agility and speed needed. This involves not only the upper body strength as mentioned before, but also strength from the torso and legs while moving quickly with light-footed steps.

Then comes the reality of an opponent coming at you with his metal blade. This requires you to block, duck or quickly reposition. If maneuvering a heavy sword, then ducking and blocking is enough to quickly wear you out, but remember, you will also be dealing with the impact of one steel blade clashing against another. This kind of impact literally rattles every bone in the body. In battle, there was no time to rest and one would have had to step into an offensive posture immediately.

There is no doubt that the act of sword fighting has become romanticized by filmmakers and writers, eliminating much of the savage realities of doing battle by the sword. However, many people enjoy recreating legendary battles and taking their hand to the blade. Renaissance fairs are a good place to see good-spirited swordsmanship in this day and age.