How Does Rope Bondage Work In BDSM?

When we think of BDSM, we think of things like chains, harnesses, whips, or clamps, and we may think of different relationship roles, such as dominant or submissive, but however you work, you want to make sure you are doing things safely.

That is why you want to get the correct type of bondage, and if you like tying people up, you can be considered a rigger.

While this process can be fun and satisfying to some, it can be hard to know where to start.

That is why we have compiled this guide to give you an introduction to the activity and what to discuss with your partner if you are trying it out for the first time.

What Is The Role Of The Rigger In BDSM?

In this fetish, a rope is a popular tool in this community.

It usually involves the rigger or dominant person in the relationship who ties up the submissive, known as a rope bottom.

This term isn't gendered specific, so it can be taken up by anyone in the dynamic as long as the submissive gives consent beforehand and knows their limits, as this activity can become intense very quickly.

These people may get sexual gratification by tying someone up or carrying out other sexual play, such as role-play, using toys, penetrative sex, or masturbating.

Still, these actions aren't exclusive, as these categories might be too broad.

The Art Behind Rigging

Some like to be referred to as artists rather than riggers, as using rope in this way can be very intricate and may require extensive knowledge of tying techniques, as they may tie the submissive while in bed, standing up, or by raising them in the air.

You can use many complex knots and patterns, such as the shibari or knots that resemble handcuffs, and you can even use simpler knots like the square knot, prusik head knot, or a one-handed slip knot.

How To Make These Knots

You can find knots that work in many ways and can be tied to many parts of the body, but getting some of these down to a fine art is something that will take practice, which is why we explain the method of making some basic knots that you can use.

Handcuff Knot

With a 25-foot length of rope, you can get your partner to hold their hands out in front of them and lay the rope over their wrists so the middle of the rope is between their hands.

Then you want to cross the ropes beneath the hands and bring them up, and around the opposite sides from where they started, then you want to wrap each end of the rope around, moving towards the wrists.

Now you can lift the last loop on the left side and tuck the rope's end through the resulting circle from inside to out.

You can repeat this on the other side and pull on both ends of the rope, so it's secure.

Lark's Head Knot

This collapsing loop works by forming a loop in the middle of the rope, then taking that loop and folding it down on itself, so you should have two connected loops.

This loop is the larks head, which should tighten as you pull on it, but there is a way you can do this one-handed, so you want to start by draping the rope over your hand.

From here, you want to reach and grab the tail, then you can shake the loop from your wrist and down over the tail, so then you can slide this over something, so the knot has something to latch onto.

Prusik Head Knot

Also known as a shackle, you can get your rope and fold it in half, and the ends should be even, where you want to make a loop on one side and put this around your finger and thumb.

You want to wrap the rope around your thumb and finger twice.

Then you can pinch these fingers together where you'll notice a loop that you can pull over, and bring the rope wrapped around your index finger and move it onto your thumb.

Then you can put the other end of the rope through, so you should have a knot that creates a big loop on the top, which you can use for hands and adjust to match the size of a person's wrists.

Square Knot

This knot can be used to join two ends of a rope to bind around an object, so you want to fold the rope in half and then cross both ends, then take one of these ends and wrap it around the other.

With this knot, you can then pull both ends, so you get a good amount of length on both sides, then take one end and wrap it around the other end again, so you should end up with a loop that closes as you pull on both ends.

Be aware that this knot is primarily used to bind around an object, and if not done correctly, it could make it unstable, which could cause injury if not used right.

Some Considerations When Rigging

With these knots, you have a benchmark to work from, but there may be other aspects that can determine the outcome of your activity, as you want it to be as enjoyable as possible, both for you and your partner.

Some examples of these can be found below as we look at how you may overcome any issues that may arise.

Safety

When you or your partner is tied up for long periods, circulation and injury could occur if the improper rope or tying method is used, which can cause discomfort and may even ruin your experience.

For the rope, you want to aim for nylon bondage rope, which will be more forgiving on the skin and prevent any burns or circulation problems, and with some kits, you can find restraints and cuffs designed for this purpose.

When discussing what roles each partner will play, be sure to set boundaries, as in the heat of the moment, you can get caught up in the activity and risk harm to the other person.

Establish safe words and actions that are strictly off-limits.

If You're New To The Fetish

First of all, if this excites you, you can have an honest conversation with your partner to see how they feel about it, and if they aren't, there are other ways you can spice up your sex life that doesn't involve tying anyone up.

If they are willing to try it, then great, but if you're doing it for the first time, it can be awkward to establish the dynamic and how to establish boundaries.

If it makes things easier, you can use pet names or characters from your favorite shows or films to make the dynamic more exciting, so if you have fantasies in these areas, you can enact them, adding more pleasure to the experience.

Be Present At All Times

During the activity, it can be easy to get lost in all the excitement, but there is another partner in this dynamic that needs to be checked on as well, so once you've tied them up, be sure to keep assuring them and ask if any of the ties are too tight.

If you're using toys, whips, or clamps, be sure you're not hurting your partner too much.

This is why making a safe word is essential, as there are key distinctions between pleasure and discomfort, and through this, you can work out what the other person likes.

Be sure you know how to remove any clamps or cut ropes quickly, as knots like shackles could tighten without you knowing, putting your partner at risk of suffocation, which can lead to death.

Make It Fun

Instead of making the activity feel more hidden or laborious, make it fun by gifting each other rope kits, toys, and affirmations that can deepen your bond and create more intimacy, where the experience will be more pleasurable.

You can also reach out to other people who like this kink and can give you new suggestions, knots, and techniques that you can use to widen your options and make the dynamic more interesting, as experimentation is sometimes required.

If Things Go Wrong

There is a chance that a specific action, like using harnesses or tying someone up in difficult positions, can evoke a negative emotional response, especially if these actions evoke trauma from a past negative experience.

If this happens, be sure to comfort your partner as this can be a difficult emotion to deal with, and if possible, avoid putting them in a position that causes them these feelings of anxiety and stress.

By communicating with your partner during and afterward, you can get an idea of what boundaries not to cross, and you can lower the intensity by doing softcore BDSM, that is more to do with sensuality than sex which can be just as pleasurable.

Sex Outside Of BDSM

Some may assume that there's no point unless the activity is kinky in some way.

However, many relationship dynamics work in different ways, so a couple can still have regular sex outside of any BDSM play.

It may be more beneficial as you have another way to be more intimate with your partner, and you can drop any roles or fantasies you have, and there are ways you can add a bit more excitement to these activities.

You can still tie the other person up to the bed, where they are comfortable and can participate freely without any boundaries you have set for your rigging.

However, there can still be areas that are off-bounds in this scenario.

As long as you both know when the role-play starts and ends, and knowing when to take breaks and be able to check out is the healthiest way to enjoy the kink with your partner.

Closing Thoughts

Now you know how the kink works and how to get better at it to some degree, there may be areas that you're unsure of, which means you can ask someone from the community in the form of a forum.

Not only can you get more pleasure out of it, but you can also do it in a healthy way that doesn't put anyone in any harm, and it may take you some time to get to a point where you have the most optimal way of doing things, but this could be part of the fun for this experience.