The blade is the instrument, the breath is the steady drum that keeps its rhythm. When you inhale, you fill the chest with air, giving the body a cushion of calm that lets your muscles stay relaxed yet ready. When you exhale, you pull tension out of your shoulders, making every swing feel like a release rather than a strain. In a fight, that means you can draw a sword with the same smoothness you would inhale a breath, and you’ll find the blade reacts to your rhythm instead of your panic. I say it because I’ve tried to match a breath to a strike and watched the timing tighten—if the breath is off, the swing feels clunky. So, practice breathing in sync with your cuts, and you’ll find the blade becomes an extension of your pulse, not just a metal object. It’s a little experiment—try it tonight and see if the sword feels lighter when you inhale fully before you strike.