I'm not gonna lie to you: it's always best to have in person training from an experienced rigger. A rigger is community slang for one who likes to play with ropes. Some charge for giving lessons and workshops. Others don't. The very first guy that taught me about ropes -- it turns out he charges $500+ for a weekend workshop. But for me, he never asked for a dime.
The internet has some awesome resources with guides on YouTube for specific knots or techniques. They are the next best thing to in person training. The best thing to do is practice. The more you ingrain the knots and techniques into your head, the less you have to think about them and the more you can really enjoy yourself --and get creative.
Get Some Books
I highly recommend “Land" from http://www.CompleteShibari.com. "Sky" is a good followup book to read. Complete disclosure: I have met the author -- and I have even posted some photos of one of his former slaves in a prior post....because I'm bad like that...but his book is totally solid. There is some excellent the rope techniques to be found on Twisted Monk. The most important thing to do is learn the simple ties that perform certain basic funcitons. From there....you just build on your knowledge and assemble like lego.
There is rope bondage and then there is shibari which is the more traditional form that comes from Japan. If you are more interested in traditional shibari, check out Japan Rope
Types of Rope
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| If you're unsure what rope is best, pick the hand dyed purple ones because they be pretty! |
Some people swear that there is only one right thickness or a best material that the rope should be made of...but it really depends on what you want the outcome to be. I don't believe in one 'right way' but exploring and creating new ties on the fly.
To get you started, check out some of these simple ties.
But you can go from the functional to the masterful...here's a couple examples of AWESOME:
There's more tutorials that here But don't worry, I'll post more videos and resources later.
Meet Experienced People
There are lots of experienced people offering seminars and workshops. Attend these to meet like-minded folk. Some you have to pay a lot of money to attend while others are very informal places to practice. Look for rope workshops in your city or go to play parties and talk to the riggers. You can tell who they are as they will be busy tying people up. (Don't interrupt them while they are tying. )
If you want to go to something really awesome, check out Shibaricon.
For now, I'm just wanting to give a taste and outline some of the areas that I will write about. Then I will come back here and link to them later.
SAFETY
Rope bondage is one of the most risky BDSM activities you can do. It's fairly easy to cause nerve damage and serious injuries -- even though it appears safer than other activities. So make sure you understand how damage can occur from rope bondage. Also, make sure you have tools handy that can safely and rapidly release you rope bunny (cut the damn ropes...her safety is way more important.) Make sure you understand how to tie safely before beginning.
I'm going to post lots more on safety to be sure to read and understand those posts. Also, suspension is NOT for beginners. Any type of suspension should not be done until you understand everything else and have lots of practice. DON'T START WITH SUSPENSION! Start with something like a simple rope dress:
Disclaimer: I'm not a medical doctor nor do I claim to be any form of expert. Using rope is dangerous and you do so at not only your own risk but at the risk of the person you are tying. If you're not sure about how safe a tie is...don't do it.
Meet Experienced People
There are lots of experienced people offering seminars and workshops. Attend these to meet like-minded folk. Some you have to pay a lot of money to attend while others are very informal places to practice. Look for rope workshops in your city or go to play parties and talk to the riggers. You can tell who they are as they will be busy tying people up. (Don't interrupt them while they are tying. )
If you want to go to something really awesome, check out Shibaricon.
For now, I'm just wanting to give a taste and outline some of the areas that I will write about. Then I will come back here and link to them later.
SAFETY
Rope bondage is one of the most risky BDSM activities you can do. It's fairly easy to cause nerve damage and serious injuries -- even though it appears safer than other activities. So make sure you understand how damage can occur from rope bondage. Also, make sure you have tools handy that can safely and rapidly release you rope bunny (cut the damn ropes...her safety is way more important.) Make sure you understand how to tie safely before beginning.
I'm going to post lots more on safety to be sure to read and understand those posts. Also, suspension is NOT for beginners. Any type of suspension should not be done until you understand everything else and have lots of practice. DON'T START WITH SUSPENSION! Start with something like a simple rope dress:
Disclaimer: I'm not a medical doctor nor do I claim to be any form of expert. Using rope is dangerous and you do so at not only your own risk but at the risk of the person you are tying. If you're not sure about how safe a tie is...don't do it.
