system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: how does sword swallowing work?
gpt
It's one part illusion and one part a lot of practice.

First of all, they don't use battle-ready swords. They're not at all as sharp as a weapon should be. Half of of the trick is making them *look* like swords.

Second, your neck needs to be straight as an arrow and, after a lot of practice, you can just kind of slide it down and hold it down.