Simple Physics for Advanced Rope

Anya Demure

Replay Available Until November 10th, 2026

The science of suspension

Class type: Lecture & demo
Level: Advanced
Duration: 60 minutes
Props: Suspension kits and suspension point, safety shears, optional note-taking tools

This class explores the basic principles of mechanical physics as they apply to rope suspension.

Guided by Marceline VQ and Anya Demure, topics such as force, torque, center of mass, and torsion will be discussed in theory and demonstrated in practice. “We wish to give people language and understanding of the physical laws that govern their rope skills, and to improve their intuition about the physical scenarios they interact with when they tie.”

This class is aimed at advanced tying pairs with a confident suspension practice and plenty of experience. Please be guided by your own skill set before applying any of the techniques you learn in this class.

* Captions available for this video: English

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Comments (4)

  1. Andrew W.September 12, 2026

    I'd also like to hear more from Anya the nurse on tips/guidelines/physics of how to move peoples bodies in ways that are safe for you and for them, especially if (god forbid) they go limp and can't help. Some nurses have to lift patients often; I bet we have a lot to learn from them. I've lifted people in dance... a lot... but they're always active/helping. 

    Show replies (1)

    1. Tyr P.September 15, 2026

      I frequently experience, paralysis or seizures, and the tips that I’ve gained from people teaching my parents how to move my body and the things that I’ve learned from Shibari crossover hugely. In fact, the things I’ve learned from Shibari have been more useful.

  2. Andrew W.September 12, 2026

    Nice class! Which relationship are you're referring to with the T= tau / d? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capstan_equation is very relevant here; when you hoist by pulling on your upline tails, the capstans mean that the outer wraps have way higher force than the inner ones, so they jam their way between the lines with less tension. I don't do suspensions, but I suspect the jam can't happen if you lift your model as you hoist just enough  that the tension on the inner wraps stays higher than your tails, so the capstan equation is applying in the other direction.

  3. sheng X.September 11, 2026

    我来了。