ROPE BONDAGE (SHIBARI)
Introduction and History Shibari originated as a way to restrain and also to torture captives, originally known as HojoJitsu. The techniques were deliberately developed to be adaptable in order to hold people securely but in relative comfort or at the other end of the spectrum to place stresses on the body. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries the practice had evolved into Kinbaku (literal translation ‘the beauty of tight binding’) and Shibari as we know it was born. To develop a basic understanding of the practice is relatively easy but to master it can take years. Assuming you do not have several free years with nothing to do but research and master the practice we have built a basic beginners guide here for you, giving basic techniques which can be easily practiced.
Remembering back to when we started there were several things that surprised us, firstly how few knots are involved, the trick is to let the rope do the work rather than constantly be adding knots. Secondly how much rope it can take to complete a tie, it is not unusual for us to sell 30m lengths to more advanced practitioners although most stick to the 10m lengths and just use a second rope when the first one runs out. The other thing which struck us when we began and still does is how the rope can be so supportive and comfortable for the willing victim and then with a tiny amount of effort apply a strain giving the dominant utter control. What you can be sure of is even if you learn the very basics anything you do with rope will feel much more secure and give you more control at the other end of the spectrum Shibari is an art form as the term Kinbaku implies.
So lets get started In our first video we explore different types and thicknesses of rope, like most things using the right tools for the job is the key. The video will also show you how to create single knot as well as explaining why we use the ropes we use.
We always use a 3 strand cotton or synthetic rope, all our ropes are British made and we prefer them to the widely available Chinese made cotton ropes as they offer less stretch, slightly more weight and have thickness variations. Added to that because they are not travelling half way around the world to reach you they can be supplied for about the same cost as the Chinese alternatives.
Single Knot wrist cuffs In this video we follow on from the first video to create a single knot wrist cuff, easy to follow but effective.
Moving onto the Hog Tie Having learnt about the bite point, box knot and the basic writ cuff in the first video our second video uses these techniques to bind the ankles and wrists, we then show a second form of know to bind the two into a hog tie, at the end of the video you will also see the control the dominant has, a very gentle pull on the rope tightens everything and puts a strain through the wearer, releasing the pull places them instantly back into a more supported position. Video coming soon
External Links You can find a lot of video and written guidance when it comes to Shibari, some of it great and some of it not so great, below are some links to some external content we like. Take a look at the Wattsthesafeword You Tube channel, they have lots of great, easy to follow, fun videos for beginners through to the experienced.
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