Spinning sabre is very similar to spinning rifle in many ways. Firstly you never wrap the thumb unless you're doing work that calls for it. Like with rifles when spinning a sabre the thumb should be pressed flat against the side of the blade. Doing this will actually help you to keep the sabre from wobbling, and give you more control.

If you find yourself traveling down the blade place a piece of colored tape over the spinning point (This is the part of the blade, about mid way down from the handle/hilt, where the sabre has been balanced to spin from). While spinning try to grab at the colored piece of tape until it feels natural. It also helps if when just starting out you do single flips with the sabre to get a feel for how it's weighted before you try to do actual spinning.

People have a tendency, when doing something complicated with their hands, to stare directly at their hands. The best way to watch your grabbing technique is to stand in front of a mirror or anything reflective and watch that way (window, tv, etc.). Doing this will help you to improve your technique as well as help you to look forward and up.

When you first begin spinning a weapon, try as hard as you can not to favor a hand. It will be natural to pick one hand, usually the right, over the other. To avoid doing this force yourself to practice equally or even more so on your weaker hand until you even out the strengths or at least the coordination. I suggest you try and spin 20 on your right then 30 on your left to build up basic strength in your left hand(or vice versa if your left is stronger). Do this repeatedly before you start any actual practice.

Written by: Amanda Allon