Page 47 - Bondage Basics: Naughty Knots and Risque Restraints

If you’re a good top, then it will always look as if you’re breezing through playtime with
confidence and ease, because you are playing with practiced hands and a partner. But, like
athletes, or like a performance at a club or event, there is a lot going on under the surface.
As a master, I am constantly on the lookout for any indicators that my sexy, supple subs are
uncomfortable or ill at ease, and although I may look as if we have every session planned
out to the letter, we will navigate a scene and change tack according to how it’s going.
Performance is different from what happens in the bedroom or dungeon. You don’t have
to be Superman, just a super person, when playing. When approaching soft limits, all these
skills are heightened and we’re attuned to very subtle changes in a sub’s behavior. This is
part of being a top, and if you’re exploring the boundaries of your submissives, you should
be attuned to their mood and needs.

I always communicate with my partner during play. It doesn’t always have to break a scene;
it can be a whisper, a hand signal, or something similar. If you’re making a slave beg to be
tied and roughed up, you can bring the intensity down for a second to see how calm they
become. If he stays agitated, then perhaps you’ve approached his boundaries enough for
one day, and he should be rewarded with something he loves.

The Basics of Rope Safety

All sexual activity has a component of risk, but the very physical nature of rope bondage
means that you should play like an incredibly kinky doctor on his day off, and by that I mean
that you should always keep safety in the back of your mind while you’re acting out your
devilish fantasies. Ensure that you know if your partner is fatally allergic to peanuts, or if
he has metal pins in his legs, or if she’s prone to panic attacks in certain circumstances. You
should also think about getting some basic first-aid training if you’re a top, as some things
can happen out of the blue—and will you really be confident trussing up a delicious new
sub like a Christmas ham if you don’t know what to do if he suddenly has the first seizure
of his life?

ƒAn experienced partner can take you further than you ever imagined.
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