A new Halifax fitness course is getting participants to move with grace while wielding swords. Julie Saint-Pierre launched Halifax Sword Fitness earlier this year. She describes it as a movement practice that combines yoga, swords and other disciplines. “The idea is to use the sword as a movement tool to work on coordination, balance and posture,” she said. “It’s more like an art than a workout. “There’s a playfulness to it. As an adult we don’t get opportunities to play and learn new physical things.” Saint-Pierre said she and her husband started practicing sword fighting 14 years ago. She was drawn to the grace and artistic side of the combat, and decided to explore it through movement. “I truly respect the martial art component but it’s not what I wanted to do,” she said. “I’ve been inspired by sword movement practitioners. “The thing I find hard when you go for an activity and drop your kids off, you sit down and watch. It’s not useful to not move. I wanted to move.” Saint-Pierre put the concept together last April and recently started a four-week foundation series at NUMA Judo and JFit in Halifax. “The foundation is to learn the essentials and build confidence,” she said. “When you learn how to move, it’s easier. “Everyone who was there was so into it and so happy. It blows my mind.” Saint-Pierre will also be offering a one-time discovery session on Sept. 25 before launching a weekly program in October. She encourages anyone who is curious about wielding a sword in a fitness class to check it out. “You don’t already need to be fit to start sword fitness,” she said. “You come to sword fitness to help you get fit and move.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
