The Art of Restraint – Rope Bondage as a fetish.
from
Recon News
08 September 2011
Rope bondage features in both Eastern and Western cultures whether it is a cowboy lassoing a villain or a samurai restraining his prisoner. Why rope though? Well, it’s a relatively cheap material, easily accessible and incredibly versatile, making it ideal for the purpose.
The guys at Recon Towers are bondage freaks and we will be the first to admit it. We love to use straitjackets, handcuffs, sleep sacks, cages, leather restraints and all the rest of it, but for me the greatest buzz I get is from rope. Expressions such as “tying the knot” and “getting hitched”, show that rope, like marriage, is about a connection. It’s about a connection of two (or more) people, the tie-er and the tie-ee. A connection they both have with the rope and each other. That connection may only last for a one-off session between those people, but it’s always there.
Look at the ropes as an extension of the Top’s hands, of his will and control. See them embrace the rope bottom, holding, caressing, embracing and restraining him. Connecting him with the Top and giving the feeling that the ropes were made for him and that they fit him perfectly. For me as a Top, there is little I like more than watching a good-looking guy tied in rope, watching him struggle against his bonds.
One of the most common misconceptions that you hear about rope bondage is “It takes too long”. Rope can indeed be slow, but it can also be as quick as handcuffing someone. But why assume slow is a bad thing? You have in front of you a man who you want to tie up, so surely he is worth some of your time? You can enjoy a fast roping, but equally a slow sensual session, taking the time to feel your way around your partner’s body and feeling how it reacts to the restraint, teasing him gently and changing the pace from slow and steady to sudden and hard. Many rope bottoms enjoy the feeling of rope gradually encasing them, slowly restricting their movement, increasing the bondage bit by bit. The same is true when the ropes come off, the rope bottom enjoys keeping the ropes on for longer and gradually getting mobility back rather than being rushed back to reality.
Rope bondage can be simple, functional and restrictive. It can be complex, ornate, artistic and hard. It can be everywhere in between. Rope is versatile and that’s what I love about it. Different ropes give different sensations from the softness of cotton rope or manmade ropes to the rougher natural fibre ropes such as hemp, sisal or jute.
The main difference between Western and Eastern rope bondage is how the rope is applied. Typically in Western bondage it is used in multiple wraps of single-width rope which is then ‘cinched’ and knotted to secure it. Japanese Rope Bondage, the more popular of the Eastern methods, uses rope which has been folded in half and wrapped in opposing directions, and then wrapped, weaved or knotted to secure.
Traditionalists say that Japanese rope bondage in particular should only be done using 25 foot ropes (about 7.5m), but given the larger frame Western men have most people use 30 foot lengths of rope, with longer lengths still being used for a full rope body web. Japanese rope bondage, also known as ‘Shibari’ is based on the Samurai martial form of restraint called ‘Hojojutsu’, but adapted to avoid permanently harming one’s rope partner. Again, some traditionalists will say that it is only ‘Shibari’ if the practitioner has been taught by a rope master (or Nawashi) from Japan and that other people practice ‘Japanese influenced’ rope bondage.
Most people however call it all ‘Shibari’ representing the style. Western bondage has no such hang ups about tradition, it is effective, functional and just as erotic as Shibari. Like all forms of bondage you should avoid playing when under the influence of alcohol, drugs or otherwise distracted and never leave anyone unattended if they are unable to get out by themselves.
It has to be remembered that rope bondage can be a form of edge play and although there are great rewards there are also risks if you get it wrong. You need to make sure that you apply ropes correctly as to fail to do so can lead to nerve damage and circulation problems. This goes even more so with suspension, where using rope that is too weak or stretches can add further to the risk of injury, and nerve damage is a greater risk still if you don’t know what you are doing. Do you want to drop them or paralyse them? Whilst rope bondage can be enjoyed by almost anyone, please don’t move onto suspension until you have had some proper training and help. Keep your bondage/ safety shears handy just in case you need to get your partner out of the ropes quickly, avoid knives or normal scissors as you want to cut the ropes, not the person!
Recon is home to many skilled rope bondageTops and many more skilled rope bondage bottoms around the world. The following keywords may help you find their profiles: rope, Japanese rope bondage, western bondage, shibari, kinbaku. The keywords will also help you find more information through web searches.
The best thing about rope though and why I would urge you all to give it a go, is that it looks good with almost anything. Leather, rubber, uniforms, skingear, suits, lycra ...
by DogTrainer1974
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