Curious about bondage? Get inspired with some of the snappy rope work as seen on CrashPad. Here’s ten episodes and rope ideas featuring queer, knotty kink. (Safety is paramount! Scroll down to find safety resources and rope starter kits.)

CrashPad 220: Freya French & Johnny Starlight
A quick tie to the couch (Watch)

What’s sexy about bondage? Restraint is a fairly common and healthy fantasy for many people. Perhaps the idea of trying to ‘escape’ turns you on. Or maybe it’s fun to see your partner struggle and squirm in delight.

CrashPad 24: Cyd & Ex
Ankle ties (Watch)

Safety First! Leave a little space in your knots, enough to be able to work one or two fingers between the skin and rope so it is not too tight. Avoid putting rope around the neck, especially if you are a beginner. Check your tied-up partner regularly for circulation issues like cold hands or white/blue skin, or the feeling of ‘pins and needles’ or numbness. While knots are beautiful, they are difficult to untie in a hurry. Keep a pair of safety shears with you in case you need to get your partner out quickly. Surgical scissors have a flattened blade edge to protect skin. Always best to play safe! Beginners learn the dangers and how to avoid them so that you can enjoy risk-aware consensual kink.

CrashPad 205: Rue Griskot & Namira Rot
Strap-on Harness (Watch)

Versatility! Ropes are handy because you can use them for a variety of ties! You can tie arms, legs, or create a chest harness. You can even create a strap-on harness out of rope! And it’s machine washable.

CrashPad 24: Ex & Muscle Beach
Chest Harness (Watch)

Communication is essential in kink. If any of these ideas strike a chord with you, talk to your partner first about the idea. Share what you are curious about and see how they might feel about exploring it with you before getting started.

CrashPad 141: Lady Evadne & Kiva Nightingale
Foot torture (Watch)

In it together. Just as it’s important to keep a pair of safety shears nearby in the event of worse case scenario, it’s also important not to leave someone tied up all alone. Use bondage to restrain a partner for all the wicked things they want you to do to them.

CrashPad 176: Indigo Bleu & Viceroy
Strap-on Bound (Watch)

Slow can be soooo sexy. Don’t be afraid to take your time, especially starting off. Let your partner soak in the sensations. Blindfold them to add to the element of surprise — and hide any jitters you might have if you’re fumbling with your rope.

CrashPad 48: Tina Horn & Casey Grey
Roleplay rope play (Watch)

Know your safeword. If you are roleplaying a scenario that involves pretending there’s a lack of consent, make sure there’s a ‘safeword’ you both can remember to signal that one of you wants to pause or stop the scene. If your mouth is gagged, shake your head “No” to signal that you need to speak, or come up with another physical cue to communicate nonverbally with your partner.

CrashPad 31: Dallas & Jiz Lee
Puppetry of the fist (Watch)

Keep connected. If it’s your first time and you’ve yet to try getting tied up, or tying up someone else, it will be hard to know for sure how you’ll actually feel about it. It’s completely okay to go slow and check-in with each other frequently. Don’t be afraid to stop or use your safeword, talk it out, change things up, and have fun!

CrashPad 36: Stacey Staxxx & August
Birthday candles and rope (Watch) 

Do your homework. Porn is a great way to get ideas and see how things can be done, but nothing beats taking a workshop with a sex educator, or at least watching an instructional video or reading a guide written by one. Don’t have a partner handy? Practice on an upside-down chair, or even your own ankles!

CrashPad 219: Chocolate Chip & Eros LaFemme
Silent seduction and aftercare (Watch)

Aftercare Talk with your partner to negotiate aftercare needs before starting a scene, but remember aftercare needs can vary and be unpredictable — and aren’t only for bottoms. After the scene, the top can help remove rope while the bottom slowly moves their body. Share validation (“you were so great!” “even though you just did ‘bad’ things to me, I still love you and know you’re not a bad person.”) and enjoy some food, water, and cuddling! Warm up in some blankets and share reassurance (“you looked so sexy being tied up” and “you did a really good job communicating throughout the scene”). And enjoy your rope marks!

Want to play?

Learn the basics for safety and fun with Twisted Monk’s instructional videos. You can purchase a starter kit that contains safety shears, information, and the perfect lengths of rope for basic ties.

This post was originally published August 12th, 2016 and updated for relevancy.