Hello everyone!
Here's a video of my student and I working on the
Obi-Ani manipulation with actual striking mechanics. I know it’s dark and you can’t hear the audio very well, but I repeat and break down the movements enough where you can kinda follow what’s happening.
Most video tutorials, particularly the
Obi-Ani spin are often done with no footwork whatsoever. That’s fine if you’re doing lightsaber choreography or just twirling in place, but in the context of fighting or dueling, then you need to combine weapon mechanics with proper footwork; meaning you have to understand how to move in and out of range to deliver that particular tactic with correct timing and speed. This is why I always practice and teach every weapon skill with footwork.
Obviously this can be challenging early on, so what I like to do is teach it at
walking speed - you literally just walk as you move your weapon. Not quite
tai-chi speed and you’re not trying to do it fast, but it’s still dynamic in a sense that you’re engaging you’re entire body in the process. Emphasize proper form and focus on being smooth. As you can see at
00:27 I’m showing my student how his upper body needs to move in order to make the
Obi-Ani more like an actual strike versus just a “senseless spin,” as it’s often depicted.
The partner drill towards the end teaches you two things; 1) How to execute aforementioned correct body mechanics and footwork while moving towards your opponent and 2) How to gauge distance and timing without interrupting the flow of your weapon. As far as whether or not is it a viable tactic or will it work in those “what-if” scenarios, those things are addressed AFTER you’ve learned how to at least move at a foundation level. I know how people like to talk like they know alot about fighting strategies and techniques, but the bottom line is if you can’t physically do the basic movement dynamically, then it invalidates what you think you know about fighting principles.Gotta crawl before you can run.
Give it try! Practice at your own pace, then perform it as part of a basic combination with partner feedback if available, gradually speeding up as your coordination improves. Remember to MOVE YOUR FEET! I hope you like it. ^_^
Let me know if you have any questions!
- S37n