If you've ever watched riggers at kink events or in videos online, you've probably been entranced by their rope skills. A good shibari or rope bondage rigger knows how to tie a submissive in a way that is aesthetically beautiful, secure, and leaves them begging for more.
If you’re wondering how to skill up as a kink rigger, here's a few suggestions to develop your BDSM rope skills.
What is a kink rigger?
Before you can start tying, you first need to understand the finer details of BDSM rope bondage and what makes it such a fascinating past-time.
Rope bondage is the practice of tying your play partner using rope. Sometimes it's a matter of simply using rope to restrain someone during a scene, but often the term refers to the more elaborate shibari or kinbaku, a kink practice originating in Japan. Shibari involves complex knots, restraining the bottom or submissive in elaborate and aesthetically beautiful poses.
A much more advanced form of rigging is suspension bondage – tying someone in such a way that they are partially or completely lifted off the ground using a suspension point.
The person doing the tying is known as a rigger, or rope top. The person being tied is often referred to as a rope bottom or rope bunny. Rope bondage is often used as part of a power exchange scene, one where participants assume dominant/submissive roles. But rigging isn't always about d/s, or even about sex – it can also be practiced on its own as an art form.
How is shibari different to regular bondage?
Kinky couples might use restraints, collars, silk ties, or even specialised bondage furniture when enacting a kink scene. The main difference between bondage in general and rope bondage and shibari is that the focus of the scene is the sensation and aesthetic effects of the bondage. Rather than using kink equipment to enhance play, an experienced rigger creates a scene using only their rope, their hands, and a willing rope submissive. You can find out more about shibari history in this great article by renowned Dominatrix and educator Midori.
Why do people enjoy rope bondage so much?
The artistic and sensual elements of rope bondage are key reasons why kinky players enjoy this art form so much. Being bound (or tying someone else) can evoke strong emotions of trust and vulnerability. And with so many options for poses and techniques, ranging from easy to advanced, it can be endlessly challenging.
Is it hard to learn to be a kink rigger?
Shibari is a very popular practice, both in Japan, where it originated, and around the world in kink communities. An experienced kink rigger is often in demand at kink parties, and some riggers even work as performance artists at mainstream events.
Being an accomplished kink rigger isn't easy. There are a lot of technical skills to master, as well as extensive knowledge of the human body. However, a lot of people do learn to tie well, and many say that the process of learning is both enjoyable and rewarding.
How to become a kink rigger
There's no shortcut to being a rope expert. However, there are definitely things you can do to maximise your progress while ensuring you have the know-how to safely progress your skills. If you're just starting out, here are some tips for 'learning the ropes':
Decide which style of rope bondage you enjoy, and focus on it
Why do you want to be a kink rigger? Do you need some quick, easy ties to use during sexy kink sessions? Do you want to learn intricate knots and positions? Or do you fantasise about bonding with your rope submissive, using your skills to leave them weak-kneed? Figure out what motivates you before you begin, so you can focus on the techniques that are best suited to what you’d like to achieve.
Understand rope safety and human anatomy
Before you begin attempting to tie, make sure you've learned as much as possible about safety. There are places on the body that are unsafe for rope, and ways of tying that can minimise the risk of injury. Before you lay hands on another person, you must understand the signs of nerve damage, and what to do if your sub looks distressed or becomes injured. This is why the best way to learn is from an experienced professional! It’s important to never tie above your skill level.
Research different types of rope
Research different types of rope, being mindful of their various uses and the sensations they provoke. Bondage rope comes in both synthetic and natural fibres, and each variety is suited to different purposes.
Learn from many sources
There are plenty of great ways to learn about rigging: books, podcasts, websites, instructional videos, and in-person classes. The best way to learn this art is to read as much as possible, watch as many expert riggers as possible, and learn from people who are good at what they do. If you're involved in the kink community, approaching expert riggers or attending lessons is a great idea too.
Practice, practice, practice
The fastest way to become good at rope bondage is practice! Many rope tops use chair legs or sewing dummies to practice until they become confident. Once you feel ready, spending time working with real models will also help.
Work with an experienced rope submissive
Find a partner who is familiar with rope bondage, and spend some time learning from them. Many dominants are reluctant to play with a more experienced bottom. They worry that every mistake they make will be noticed. But learning to be great at any BDSM activity is a lot like becoming a chess master – it helps to play with people who are more experienced, so you can learn from them! A good submissive will give you invaluable feedback and are often safer to play with, since they know the signs of injury to watch out for.
Practice good communication
Scene negotiation is an essential skill, and rigging gives you an invaluable opportunity to practice your communication. It builds trust when you talk about what you both want from the experience beforehand, plan positions, and discuss what to do if things go wrong.
Connect with your local BDSM community
If you want to learn how to tie knots well, then you need to know where to look. There are lots of resources available online, but the best way to learn is to attend workshops, classes, or ask experienced people for advice. Many people find the kink community to be really welcoming, and building your network of skilled, kinky friends comes with so much more than just instruction!
Become a great kink rigger, starting now
Although shibari is a complicated and challenging art, there are so many resources out there! If you do your research, practice, and learn from the experts, you'll be on track to develop your kinky rigging skills.
Are you a kink worker, BDSM or fetish provider with a story, opinion, news, or tips to share about kink, fetish or BDSM? We'd love to hear from you!
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