DVD - Obsesseo - Sword & Buckler

"Obsesseo" is the 2011 I.33 Sword and Buckler DVD by David Rawlings and the London Longsword Academy. Ten years later, it is still an excellent interpretation and a valuable learning tool.

In this beautifully shot DVD, founder and head instructor of the Boar's Tooth Fightschool and London Longsword Academy David Rawlings gives point by point instruction in the art of combat with sword and buckler, as taught in the earliest known sword-fighting treatise, the 13th-14th century manuscript known as I.33 With assistance from LLA senior Toby Manley, David demonstrates the practicality and efficiency of medieval fighting arts. Comprising 57 individual technical sections, David's in depth commentary gives additional tactical analysis to help the viewer understand and cross reference the techniques shown, building them into a fluid, well rounded combat system.

From Kieth Farrell's review :

The DVD looks at the I.33 manual, an early medieval manuscript from the late 13th or early 14th century that depicts combat using sword and buckler. It is not an introductory piece; no time is given to discussing how to hold the sword, how best to relate the sword and the buckler, the context of the manual, how to generate power in the strike, how to stand and step and move; instead the discussion moves immediately to what is shown in I.33 and how Dave interprets the different wards, techniques and concepts in a logical common-sense system. This is not to say that a beginner would not find this DVD useful, but it is clearly aimed at people who already understand the basics of sword and buckler and who want to look at the I.33 system in more detail.The DVD is not an introductory piece; no time is given to discussing how to hold the sword, how best to relate the sword and the buckler, the context of the source, how to generate force in the strike, how to stand and step and move. Instead, the discussion begins immediately with what is shown in I.33 and how Dave interprets the different wards, techniques and concepts in a logical common-sense system. A beginner will still find this DVD useful, but it is clearly aimed at people who already understand the basics of sword and buckler and who want to look at the I.33 system in more detail.

The running time is 30-40 minutes, perfect for the material it contains. Dave covers all the important points and all the plays of I.33 in this short space of time, nothing is missing. Sometimes in the treatise, the same actions are repeated again and again, shown through illustrations and text. Dave has chosen to omit many of these repetitions, merely reminding the viewer that “from this position you can do all the techniques discussed already in this DVD” in order to keep the DVD short and concise and to the point. This is another reason why the DVD is more useful for more experienced practitioners, as beginners may benefit from the repetition.