The Best Ways to Connect with Fellow Sword Enthusiasts (Without Starting a Secret Society)

Here’s the thing no one tells you when you first pick up a sword: once you start, you never really
stop. Sure, your muscles might need a break. Your wrists might file a complaint. Your neighbors might
question the shadowy lunges in your backyard. But mentally? You’re hooked.

Which is why staying connected with fellow sword enthusiasts is basically essential. Because no one else in your life wants to talk about bokken wood grain or how to roll out of a side parry without looking like you tripped on your shoelace.

The good news? The Sword Experience makes that connection easy, whether you’re attending in – person tour events, grinding through lessons at the online academy, or just lurking in the background in full SXP swag, judging everyone else’s footwork.

Here’s how to keep the spark alive between swings:

1. Stay in the Loop (and the Tour Van)
Let’s start with the obvious: keep showing up. Whether it’s a local session in your city or one of our
destination – style workshops in castles, wineries, or probably a spaceship someday — every Sword Experience event is a chance to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new kindred sword nerds.

2. Train Together, Apart
Can’t travel? Don’t panic. The SXP Academy was built for that exact reason. It’s a full – fledged online training system that speaks the same language as the live events, so you’re still part of the same choreography, techniques, and inside jokes. Plus, it gives you structured progression and actual skills — which is great, because randomly swinging a sword in your living room is only charming for so long.

3. Gear Up Like a Local Legend
Look, you don’t have to match your training partners. But you also don’t have to show up underdressed
to a duel. Repping your bokken, Pro Trainer, and SXP logo gear sends a signal: “I’m here. I’m serious. And I didn’t buy this from a Halloween store.” Gear creates shared identity, and shared identity makes connection easier. (Also, people will ask you where you got that shirt.

4. Connect Online (Yes, Even You, Forum – Lurker)
Behind the slick videos and epic events is a community that lives online — chat groups, video
submissions, feedback loops, and yes, the occasional battle reenactment over Zoom. It’s not just about
accountability. It’s about feeling like you’re not swinging into the void. So get onto one of our Facebook pages, where you can share stories and see the latest updates, or on to Our Youtube channel, where we upload videos on a regular basis that you can watch and comment on, while sharing your thoughts with other members.

5. Don’t Be Weird About It
This part is important. People who train with swords are already a special breed. You don’t need to go
full medieval fantasy at the grocery store (. But if you do, share the pic with us, we’re always in the mood for a good laugh). But seriously, just keep sharing. Show your progress. Ask questions. Talk to the people you meet at events. You’ll be shocked how quickly someone becomes your sword buddy for life.

In the end, sword training is a solitary craft performed inside a shared mythology. And what makes it
stick — what makes it unforgettable — is the people. Whether it’s someone who helped you master a
move, gave you a spare glove, or just laughed with you through a wildly off – sync choreography drill,
those connections matter.

So go to the events. Keep training online. Wear the gear. Say hi.

Because no one wants to fight alone — not even the lone wolves. (Especially the lone wolves. They’re the chattiest.)