{"id":1020729,"date":"2026-08-24T10:08:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T10:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1020729\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T10:08:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T10:08:29","slug":"inside-swordplay-la-the-burbank-gym-blending-game-of-thrones-with-cardio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1020729\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Swordplay LA: The Burbank gym blending ‘Game of Thrones’ with cardio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While we might look to other eras, or, you know, epochs (hi, Paleo people) for wellness inspiration, none is quite as dramatic and as \u201cPrincess Bride\u201d-esque as LA.\u2019s <\/a>fencing community. At its center is Swordplay LA. The Burbank-area club is sporty but approachable, leaning into fencing\u2019s cultural impact \u2014 and its fantasy \u2014 by extending a pointed invitation (see what I did there?) to make friends, be merry and break a sweat.<\/p>\n

\"Alex <\/p>\n

Alex Blugerman suits up with protective gear before a class at Swordplay LA. <\/p>\n

Since the 12th century BC, fencing has been a source of both combat and entertainment. Egyptians in antiquity engaged in sword combat for warfare,<\/a> but also for competition \u2014 Romans utilized swords<\/a> in gladiator events, rituals and duels. During the Renaissance, Italians refined fencing<\/a> into its modern form, and soon fencing schools began popping up all over Europe. Fast forward to the 1800s, when fencing\u2019s popularity was so widespread that it became one of the five original games at the 1896 Olympics,<\/a> where it continues to be a beloved summer event.<\/p>\n

And yes, while the Olympics are one point of public familiarity, that\u2019s just one small part of our collective cultural consciousness around the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has some kind of relationship to fencing,\u201d said Mary Sola Spohn, the owner of Swordplay LA. \u201cIt\u2019s mostly like, my kid saw this movie, or I love this character. It\u2019s the stories around fencing that bring people in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spohn cites \u201cGame of Thrones,\u201d<\/a> \u201cLord of the Rings,\u201d<\/a> \u201cDungeons & Dragons,\u201d<\/a> \u201cStar Wars\u201d<\/a> and even \u201cThe Parent Trap\u201d as some of the more popular cultural inspirations for newbies. While clearly rooted in some serious history and tradition, according to Spohn, fencing\u2019s representation in media is its most powerful draw.<\/p>\n

\"Swordplay <\/p>\n

Swordplay LA owner Mary Sola Spohn shows off the gym\u2019s fencing gear. Spohn has trained the likes of Academy Award-winning actors and Olympic athletes. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd \u2018Wednesday,\u2019\u201d Spohn adds, of the influx of interest after the Netflix series debuted. \u201cI\u2019m not gonna say that \u2018Wednesday,\u2019 you know, saved the day, but, it is very interesting how certain things in pop culture kind of influence the interest level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spohn should know. As a 7-year-old, she was mesmerized by the swordplay in \u201cHook\u201d and \u201cPeter Pan.\u201d A native Angeleno, she started taking classes at Swordplay LA and soon became a nationally-ranked fencing youth. She participated in the U.S. Olympic trials and was recruited to Northwestern University\u2019s Division 1 fencing team. After college, she worked as a stunt actor, fight choreographer and action designer specializing in European weapons. Spohn was training famous actors, athletes and Olympians (one of her favorite experiences was teaching Charlize Theron rapier for the film \u201cOld Guard 2)\u201d when she was given the opportunity to own the very business where her love of the sport began \u2014 and she took it.<\/p>\n

Seven years later, Spohn is less interested in high competitive stakes than she is in fostering an all-inclusive, supportive community for her students at Sportsplay L.A. Participants come from all over Los Angeles and range in age from 7 to 85 years old. And she\u2019s succeeded: nearly 170 members and hundreds of classes later, Swordplay LA is now one of the longest established fencing clubs in Los Angeles, with diversified offerings like stunts, pro-wrestling and historical European martial arts (or HEMA, for short) that offer some of the most unique workouts in the city.<\/p>\n

\"Alex <\/p>\n

Alex Blugerman, left, and Aiden Kelly duel during a class at Swordplay LA.<\/p>\n

En g<\/b>arde! Inside the sword-fighting gym <\/b><\/p>\n

Entering Swordplay LA\u2019s large Burbank headquarters, I was worried I was in over my head. Like many beginners, I had no idea about the reality of fencing: the rigorousness, the gear, the clientele. Would I be the only woman there? Would I injure myself, or someone else? Should I have dressed preppier, like the quick-reflexed, collegiate fencing villains in the movies?<\/p>\n

Immediately, my worries were assuaged \u2014 there were, in fact, women there. There was also a weapons wall, \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d-style wood accents and a prominently placed map of Middle-earth. While it\u2019s definitely sporty, Spohn has carefully curated Swordplay LA\u2019s atmosphere to be about storytelling \u2014 acknowledging the books, TV and films that inspire the club\u2019s clientele.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put a lot of thought into the way this place looks and feels. I wanted it to still feel like an athletic facility, but with a creative, artistic side to it. Leaning into what brings people here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Everyone was extremely friendly and on the fashion front, no popped collars in sight \u2014 only gym clothes and cool-looking fencing gear: mask, chest protector and underarm protector.<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan <\/p>\n

Swordplay LA participants Jonathan Proft, left, and Traviss Nguyen strike their weapons. <\/p>\n

I did, in fact, feel cool when I put on said gear. I felt even cooler holding my sword, knees bent, feet wide, ready and waiting in my \u201cadvance\u201d stance.<\/p>\n

While we see lots of depictions of fencing, the rules are, in fact, fairly intuitive: Staying in the narrow playing area, or \u201cpiste,\u201d two athletes wield their swords, trying to be the first to make contact with the other while avoiding being hit (and yes, you do get to shout \u201cen garde,\u201d before you advance). Like yoga or dance, the experience is a workout that feels in alignment with the body\u2019s natural movements, at an intensity appropriate to wielding an ancient weapon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many natural elements to it,\u201d Spohn assured me during our lesson. \u201cYou know, in a very basic sense, how to hold it, what to do with the sword. Everyone has a vision of what that looks and feels like, and people get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the end of our 30-minute intro class, we actually engaged in combat. Empowered, I leaned in, like a sweaty extra in Nolan\u2019s \u201cThe Odyssey,\u201d feeling none of the danger but all of the drama.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Vibe: <\/b>Boxing gym meets \u201cGame of Thrones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Effort: <\/b>It\u2019s an hourlong full-body workout that, for beginners, can be a bit more intense on the hands and wrists; the gear can be hot and take some getting used to. But the combat happens in short spurts, allowing a fair amount of downtime for recuperation, conversation and enjoyment of the sport.<\/p>\n

X factor: <\/b>It\u2019s uniquely cool to be wielding weapons with so much history, whose use has been perfected over thousands of years. There\u2019s also an immense amount of drama to the sport; leaning into that truly transports the student away from a club experience and into a kind of delicious, LARP-y fugue state.<\/p>\n

Swordplay LA<\/b><\/p>\n

Where: <\/b>130 W. Isabel St., Burbank<\/p>\n

Cost: <\/b>$40 for a single drop-in class, memberships range from $50-$450 per month<\/p>\n

Info: <\/b>splafencing.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Swords