Rope Podcast

We interview associate Professor of Sociology and kinkster Dr Julie Fennell shares with us why she thinks people need to care more about rope bottoming, especially given the challenges of some of the issues in the rope community today. Listen to this fascinating interview to hear about: * Rope escape games * Why she shifted her energy from mostly rope bottoming to mostly rope topping   * Skill versus talent in rope bottoming * How she did an unusual (and dangerous?!) quest for a year to gather ideas for a rope bottoming curriculum in * Some of the skills she believes rope bottoms benefit from, and some examples of exercises she can suggest that can help them  * The difference between concrete and soft skills in rope bottoming   And a lot more!

For many bottoms, one top sounds good, but TWO sounds even better - and tops can often feel the same about bottoms (ahem!). In this episode, listener and Patreon supporter @Happy_Tortoise, and his partner Dragon ask Fox and Mya to share some of their favourite multi-player scenes, and they talk through some of their learnings and most fun experiences when they’ve been playing together with another bottom (or two!) Fox and Mya discuss combinations of: • Two bottoms - one top • Two tops - one bottom • A top - a middle - a bottom • A top - a bottom - a switch • And more! They also discuss their learnings from this kind of scene, and the factors that make them more complex that you might need to manage if you decide to play in this sexyfun way.

Another one of our rope erotica pieces. Mya’s turn to read one of her rope stories, which contains rope for restraint, orgasm control and predicament, impact and ass play. So far, the rope erotica pieces are some of our most popular episodes, so we hope you enjoy this sexy story from us!

We interview @Kinky_Engineer, a kinky educator who has been practicing elements of BDSM and kinky play his whole adult life. His personal play style draws on a professional and martial arts background, and is imbued with a strong focus on safety, Risk Aware Consensual Kink and a joy of playing near the edges. We interviewed him about his experience as an engineer designing and creating kink gear and equipment. Essentially, what’s useful for doing rope bondage - besides rope?! He tells us: * How growing up on a farm makes you kinky! * His Western bondage versus Japanese bondage experiences * Why he prefers a suspension ring to carabiners and how that led him to design a better suspension ring * The best cutting tool to buy * His very surprising choice to answer ‘if you could only have one piece of non-rope gear in your kit, what would it be? * Where suspension equipment tends to fail most, and how to prevent this * How best to check hard points in a new venue to you

Fox and Mya rope tourist in their own town! Some highly experienced Japanese and other international rope bondage enthusiasts come to Bangkok, and your podcast hosts were lucky enough to be invited to an event with them run by the Thai community. Fox and Mya attended a public event at a new dungeon opening up who hosted a rope salon, and then a private event with a lot of rope - and they share their personal experiences (whilst noting they really did feel like tourists this time as they had no idea what was happening for most of the time during the events!). (And Mya shares she still has no idea which part of Bangkok Fox actually took her to the event!) Hear from them about: * What they think is the difference between a Rope Salon and a Rope Jam (listener comments invited!) * The incredible new RedRoom Dungeon they visited, with fantastic furniture and other equipment (Mya liked the cages especially, Fox more the giant anal toys) * Which animal the majority of the latex masks in the dungeon were of * The t

Mya has been both a naughty and a nice bunny and has been working with Fox to bring you a Christmas present - new bonus material from our interviewees this year, where they tell us about some of the favourite scenes. We share our thoughts on the themes that come out, and the lessons and ideas that we can all put into our scenes even if we’re not as experienced as the illustrious interviewees. The episode includes: @Raiju telling us how she tied up, beat and humiliated a germophobe in rope - and the catharsis that experience brought @Belle- telling us about two very different scenes that pushed her to new levels of intensity @ChristianRed telling us about his favourite takedown rope and forced exhibitionism scene (includes neck rope, yay!) @-EM- telling us how one of his rope/drowning scenes might have saved his bottom’s life @IpCookieMonster talks about the most powerful, intense rope scene of her life - one that took several days to decompress from and included sex and rope magic

We interview associate Professor of Sociology and kinkster Dr Julie Fennell exploring her background into rope and kink, and her research on rope subculture, one of her key areas of interest. She tells us about: Her first rope scene * The tie that actually got her into rope (despite her having tied several times before) * Why she doesn’t feel she fits into ‘ropeworld’ * Circus Bondage and how contrarty to many people’s opinions, performance can still be connective * ‘Expectations’ in rope and how she likes to mess with them * What her research has taught her about rope subculture * How sex and rope connect in American shibari Listen now for a fascinating insight into rope subculture!

Fox and Mya discuss the Strappado. Originally a torture method, the rope community adopted the position for a tie. The episode includes discussion of shape, function, variations, difficulty level, safety and risk, what it feels like for the bottom, as well as some ways it can be used in floor work or suspensions. They also discuss two example scenes where they have used the tie.

Trying to develop your edge-play in rope? Fox and Mya talk to experienced edge-player -EM- on the podcast this week in the second part of their interview with him, to understand more about how he has built up his experience in the collection of ‘abnormally horrible’ things that he does to his partners, and the many sadistic activities which he blends with rope. Among the many interview highlights, you can hear: - How he built up his experience to be able to safely (as much as one can) do many high risk activities, from suturing to waterboarding, from cutting to whips, along with his rope. - How he deals with injuries - How he has amazing photos - but doesn’t do photoshoots - How he approaches the first scene with a new partner to make sure they’re a match with him We got so engrossed in chat with -EM- that we had to cut the interview into two parts. Check out the previous episode to hear part 1 of this interview!

Want more ideas on how to be a better sadist in your rope play? Fox and Mya talk to respected edge-player -EM- on the podcast this week, a man whose kink risk profile is pretty out there even compared to the fetlife norm. -EM- considers rope a versatile tool in his BDSM kit, rather than considering himself a ‘rope person’, and yet is definitely a ‘name’ in the world of rope. Among the many interview highlights, you can hear: - How he takes things from the very physical world of whips and sadistic rope to the emotional and mental play space that is his focus - The point at which many Dominants or Tops stop, but which for -EM- signals when play really begins - How he built up his experience with choking his partners to unconsciousness We got so engrossed in chat with -EM- that we had to cut the interview into two parts. Look out for the next one coming soon!

Negotiation and consent is a highly relevant topic in rope bondage, and one of the Rope Podcast’s listeners, @Sensual_Dominant, asks Fox and Mya to share their thoughts on the best way to safely negotiate. Fox and Mya discuss what consent and negotiation is, and the basics of what we’re looking for in the area for a scene, and when it is and isn’t a good idea to negotiate. They share examples of the methods and content of a negotiation, as well as some of their suggestions from their own negotiations as a rope top, and a rope bottom. Also discussed are a number of key points to look out for that might make *you* safer negotiating - remembering that we all have difference preferences, and doing it in the way that suits you is likely to make sure you negotiate in the safest way possible. They also share an important definition about two different forms of consent-based negotiations - and Mya even manages to convince Fox of an even safer approach to negotiation for the future.

Rope bondage is an activity that carries risk. Fox and Mya discuss the different types injuries you can get (including some that Mya doesn’t really mind), how you might get them, how to identify them as early as possible, how to react to injuries, and we how might address and treat these injuries. We also discuss our own experience with injuries during rope scenes, and the learnings we acquired and applied from them, such as the question Fox added to his pre-rope negotiation questionnaire based on one incident.

Fox and Mya discuss the classic rope bondage tie, the Futomomo. The episode includes discussion of the shape and function, variations, the safety and risks, what it feels like, as well as how we can use futos in suspension and floor work. They also share a number of examples of scenes where they’ve used the tie.

Fox and Mya discuss how you know you’re ready for your first rope suspension. They cover: • What are the skills you need for rope suspension as a top, including technical skills, practical non-rope skills, some mechanical principles and safety • What do you need to understand, and what are the things you need to be able to do as a bottom, including around your body in rope, the less-fun possible-consequences so you can accept the risks appropriately, and the concept of active bottoming • The kinds of equipment you might need, from rope to the hard point, and keeping control of the scene • How you might put together a plan for your first suspension

Have you ever been asked to ‘spot’ for someone when they’re doing rope bondage? Here Fox and Mya discuss what it means to spot, what does and doesn’t work well, what can go wrong, and some of their personal experiences. Fox also shares his ‘must-have’ condition he needs to be met if he’s going to be a spotter. In the episode, you can learn the difference between having an audience and having spotters, the one case when you *must* have a spotter, and why it’s not just bottoms who might need spotters.

Fox shares his rope erotica piece on slave Rouge’s first suspension.

*Heads up: This episode contains discussion of CNC elements in rope.* ChristianRed is a rope educator who has led the Nottingham, UK, Rope Group for three years, as well as teaching at various events in Europe. He has a broad rope background, but we chat to him about his expertise in takedown and restraint in rope, an area which isn’t taught by many due to the skills needed for that level of expertise. Christian has studied, competed in and coached martial arts for most of his life. Christian lives with his lovely partner/property EntwinedStar in Nottingham in the UK. In this episode, he shares a bit about his journey into rope, and how he got into takedown rope. He explains what kinds of elements takedown rope contains, and gives some examples of how he integrates it into scenes. We talk about takedown rope practicalities, such as the rope he uses. Fox and Mya share some of their preconceptions about takedown rope, and the team discuss how this style of rope can contradict the usual perception of what a

Rope at parties! For some, this might be their first experience of watching rope, and for others, they might want to try it in a public place. In this episode we examine the topic from plenty of angles. Learn why Mya did her first rope scene at a party, hear about a number of the rope scenes Fox and Mya have either done or watched at parties, and learn the type of rope that Fox and Mya do sometimes that clears a room at parties. Fox and Mya also discuss: How you might connect with others at parties Who to tie with Reasons to do rope in public How rope in public might be different from rope at home What you might want to look out for and plenty of tips to make your rope at a party go well. *How do you feel about rope at parties? What do/don’t you do? What rope scenes have you enjoyed as a participant or a watcher?*

Belle is a rope switch and rope bondage instructor who has also produced a range of wonderful instructional videos and writings on topics such as ‘Bottoming for the Body You Have’, ‘How to Connect’ as well as many ties. Fox and Mya talk with her, and Belle shares: her rope journey; how sex and rope connect for her; how she developed her understanding of what connection is, and how varied that is with her different rope partners; how the style of rope she likes as a top is different from the style she loves as a bottom; how she has adjusted the rope she does as a bottom to fit the body she has; how she started creating her own ties and why; and how she decides whether she’s a good match for other tops’ or bottoms’ styles.

Do you have a strategy to manage rope drop? Fox and Mya have both experienced this as a top and bottom in rope respectively, and share their experiences and suggestions on the topic. They also discuss: what rope drop might look like, the ‘science’ of rope drop (such as it is); how a top can tell their rope bottom might be dropping; differences in rope drop for tops and bottoms; how you might want to address rope drop; and Mya gives one piece of advice on drop that surprises Fox!