Connective Uplines

In this shibari tutorial, Lief and Icky present some fun strategies to use suspension uplines to connect more with your partners during rope scenes.

Once you already have plenty of shibari suspension experience, how can you make your scenes as much about connecting with the person in your ropes as it is about tying them well? As Lief and Icky explain, once you already have a good level of technical proficiency when it comes to tying uplines, you can start using those uplines for more connective tying.

This shibari course is divided into five parts, the first video detailing safety consideration for risk mitigation when you start playing with advanced suspension techniques, while the second offers step-by-step instructions for tying Lief and Icky’s favorite bottom lock-off. The next three classes each look at different ways in which your suspension uplines can do double duty, enhancing how you connect with your bottom. These include using extra upline to incorporate hair or mouth rope, combining uplines to create more compression in your suspension shapes and using extra upline to create lift or support in other areas of the tie. Finally, Lief and Icky demonstrate a suspension using all three techniques for a comprehensive example of how they can be used in play.

This shibari class series is aimed at riggers and bottoms who have studied and practiced secure uplines and feel confident enough to start adding a new element of challenge. As Lief and Icky explain, this type of play can add more risk as it adds extra time to your suspensions and may incorporate delicate parts of the body. They recommend beginning to explore these techniques in partial suspensions first. Allow this course to inspire and guide you only as far as your skill set will allow.

* Captions available for this series: English