strengthing my sword arm

[Hwa Rang Warrior]

I've been looking for some good exercises to strengthen the muscles required to swing a sword properly and make clean cuts.

Any suggestions?

[lordtariel]

Could I ask what type of sword? You'd use different exercises for slashing than you would for thrusting. Techniques you would use a gim with would be different than techniques you would use for a broadsword.

[Hwa Rang Warrior]

Could I ask what type of sword? You'd use different exercises for slashing than you would for thrusting. Techniques you would use a gim with would be different than techniques you would use for a broadsword.

I guess that info would help, its a katana. I pratice with both a strait and curved blade. I'm learning to use the sword at my Tang Soo Do school but I suspect most of the moves I'm learning in the forms are taken from other styles

[bushido_man96]

You could get a heavy bar, the length of your sword, and do slower, more controlled motions to improve the strength.

[Takusankage Soke]

Research Iaido or Iaijutsu. Both of these arts when practiced slowly will greatly increase your sword arm's strength.

[KarateEd]

Suburi training is usually conducted with a wooden sword with a wide, flat-looking blade that is heavier than a bokken or an actual katana and is used to strengthen the muscles used in the course of wielding a sword. You might want to look into using a suburi-to to strengthen those particular muscles.

Ed

[ARADOX]

Some good advice here, here's some more: Dynamic tension, go through your kata but always tense your muscles, especially those you want strengthened, tires the hell out of you sometimes though

[TigerDude]

Lift weights. When baseball players want to be stronger swinging the bat, they don't swing heavy bats, they hit the gym.

[KarateEd]

Lifting weights are great........if you have the time. Using a heavy sword or bar would provide an opportunity to strengthen the muscles while you are training, therefore, one doesn't have to set aside a separate time for weight training or fool with finding/joining a gym.

Ed