Katya Saturday is all up in\u00a0arms.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the no-nonsense New Yorker isn\u2019t angry \u2014 she\u2019s empowered through \u201csword yoga.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And a steel, 30-inch, double-edged blade, named \u201cGolden Hour,\u201d is her preferred instrument of independence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a tool of self-expression and freedom,\u201d Saturday, 25, exclusively told The Post. \u201cThe sword is like a magic wand that gives me a sense of graceful power.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I hold it, I feel like a force of femininity, beauty and strength,\u201d added the force-to-be-reckoned-with, one in the rising army of everyday dynamos leading the sword yoga fitness charge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a girl-powered movement aimed at getting in shape while getting their\u00a0slice\u00a0of the action.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Katya Saturday holding a yoga pose with her sword. Tamara Beckwith\/NY Post<\/p>\n
Sword yoga is a fusion of tai chi and kung fu with a touch of intuitive movement, slow breathing, paired with vinyasa yoga and sculpting movements. With the help of a kung fu jian, an ancient Chinese straight sword, this non-combative workout helps women build strength and confidence.<\/p>\n
Saturday, who suffers from chronic panic attacks, lauds sword yoga as her firm foundation during trying times, such as the recent death of her grandfather.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I feel an attack coming on, I rely on the training and breathing techniques,\u201d she said, boasting a mixed collection of 10 swords, daggers and light sabers. <\/p>\n
Saturday is one of the many women who credit sword yoga for being able to handle life\u2019s many challenges. Tamara Beckwith\/NY Post<\/p>\n
Before amassing her heap, the sword yoga enthusiast of two years trained with a kitchen soup ladle, but \u201cnow, if I\u2019m feeling anxious, I\u2019ll grab Golden Hour or a light saber and get into a sword yoga pose,\u201d she said. \u201cIt forces me to get out of that negative space and get present in my body.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026 I\u2019m proud of how far I\u2019ve come, physically and mentally,\u201d gushed Saturday. \u201cMy confidence gets dangerously high at times because I possess the power of the sword.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI walk around the city feeling like the cool princess in a tower \u2014 but, in reality, I\u2019m the dragon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saturday is one of many women proving that swordplay is no longer just for the boys.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the fearless heroines of fantasy novels to the never-say-die divas of Disney, such as animated battle-angel \u201cMulan,\u201d the notion that women can be weapon-wielding warriors, too, has captivated worldwide audiences for decades.<\/p>\n
However, the inclusive idea has struggled to move beyond the movie screen and into the real world. <\/p>\n
Women often remain severely underrepresented in the sport of swordsmanship, as less than 10% of global tournaments in recent years featured women\u2019s events,\u00a0per reports<\/a>. And they\u2019re only slightly more visible in the martial arts world,\u00a0according to February 2026 data<\/a>, which found that just 25% of US practitioners are female.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Sabina Storberg, founder of WeaponUp, a sword yoga fitness platform, the first of its kind, is cutting a new path.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFemale martial artists aren\u2019t widely portrayed as dainty, graceful women or Pilates princesses \u2014 they\u2019re often portrayed as hardcore, tough girls,\u201d Storberg, 34, a married mother of one, based in South Florida, explained to The Post. \u201cWe offer sword yoga classes on drills and basic, sculpt, balance, flexibility and grace that help women feel fierce, confident and beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n Sabina Storberg leading a WeaponUp pop-up class in Miami, Florida. @theweaponup<\/p>\n An alumna of Qufu Shaolin KungFu school in China, where she spent four years under the strict tutelage of martial arts instructors, learning lessons in dignity and discipline, Storberg officially launched WeaponUp in May 2024, swapping a position with UNICEF in women and children\u2019s health for a full-time sword yoga career.<\/p>\n To learn Storberg\u2019s pearls of principled wisdom, sword-swinging subscribers pay $24.99 per month for the 30 to 60-minute on-demand virtual sessions. While WeaponUp currently does not offer in-person studio services, Storberg routinely hosts live sword yoga events in major cities nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n @theweaponup<\/a> <\/p>\n We don\u2019t train to shrink ourselves or chase exhaustion. We train to move with intention. To feel grounded, capable, and powerful in our own bodies. WeaponUp blends vinyasa flow with straight sword practice to build strength, coordination, and presence. This isn\u2019t about pushing harder. It\u2019s about moving smarter, standing taller, and embodying power that\u2019s calm, controlled, and unmistakable. Your sword is a tool. YOU are the weapon. Step into a practice designed for women who move differently. Join us at WeaponUp.com we will ship the sword to your door! \u2694\ufe0f\ud83c\udf3f #weaponup<\/a> #swordyoga<\/a> #femininestrength<\/a> #valkyrie<\/a> #fitness2026<\/a><\/p>\n