Feeling helpless, vulnerable, and exposed is what makes Subs all around the world to fall in love with bondage. Once you discover those feelings and learn how to let go, you never get to go back.
And what makes bondage even more thrilling is the specific type of physical and psychological torment it can provide. The kind of pain you’ll discover when experimenting with bondage is nothing like getting whipped or spanked. It’s rather a sweet kind of torture any masochistic Sub would enjoy.
But bondage, especially when it involves uncomfortable positions, isn’t a BDSM activity you should take lightly. Even though it may not look like that, it comes with a lot of risks. So, it’s of crucial importance to study the techniques and be knowledgeable on which BDSM activities are tailored to your preference, to be aware of all potential consequences, and to keep safety your number one priority.
What Is Predicament Bondage?
Predicament play in BDSM refers to a type of activity that forces the Sub into a challenging pose, for example, standing on their tiptoes. That requires the Sub to try hard to maintain the position and please their Dom. It’s not that much about physical pain, but about emotional and psychological struggle.
However, pain is a powerful tool to put the Sub in a hot spot. It’s a win-or-lose type of situation. The Sub is stuck between doing something painful or uncomfortable and stopping the action and disappointing their Dom.
Even though the Sub’s movements are limited, they can still shift around and change positions. However, predicament scenarios make sure that any movement results in more pain. For example, if the Sub stops standing on their tiptoes, they will get choked by the ropes around their neck.
So, while the Sub has to endure pain or even to hurt themselves by making certain movements and switching positions, the Dom is there to make the scene more intense and challenging for them. At the same time, they often encourage Subs by praising them for doing well. They can also promise them rewards if they hold the position a bit longer.
It's worth mentioning the different BDSM toys you can use to achieve this kind of experience. The type of bondage rope you use will determine the level of comfort, intensity, and sensation for the Sub. shibari ropes are strong and durable and they can beautifully hold intricate knots (note: shibari here literally means "to tie" but it is also a type of bondage play). For those new to rope play, a softer bondage rope can deliver a gentler experience but it still depends on how rough you are when tying down your Sub. While it isn't necessarily predicament bondage, you might also consider using an under-the-bed restraint system, which is less demanding if you want bondage in bed. For more extreme scenarios, there are toys that can be used to forcefully keep the Sub in a certain position, which anal hooks are the best for.
Sometimes, predicament bondage has power exchange as its goal, but it’s also often used for disciplinary purposes. The frustration of having more than one choice, but all of which are causing pain and discomfort, is what makes this activity a perfect punishment. Either way, the psychological struggle that predicament bondage creates is an excellent tool for demonstrating power.
Example Positions
When it comes to predicament bondage, there are numerous ways of creating a stressful situation for the Sub. Just think about all the positions you don’t like holding for an extended period, and you’ll get the idea. Standing on tiptoes, keeping your arms up, and squatting come to mind.
So, once you force a Sub into a stressful position, they become willing to do whatever it takes to get out. In those situations, the Dom gets to sit down and watch them get more and more desperate. That is perfect for making a Sub a pathetic little toy who’s eager to please in any way.
And such a scene isn’t difficult to create at all. It requires only a certain amount of creativity and cruelty.
Mental Bondage
You don’t even need ropes to perform predicament bondage. Since this play is about psychological torture, you can always simply order your Sub to take a certain position and do whatever you want to make them motivated to stay still.
For example, you can force your Sub to take a kneeling position with their arms stretched in front of them, and their palms placed up. Then, you can place something in their hands, maybe a glass of water or, if you’re more sadistic, a lighted candle. In case they move, you can hit them with a crop or use an electro toy on them. So, if they’re holding a candle, the movement will possibly cause the hot wax to drip over their palms.
When putting the Sub on their tiptoes, you can make them hold their arms behind their back and stand facing the wall. Then, you can place something between the wall and their face — perhaps a coin, or if you want it to be more interesting, a belt you would gladly use on them — and order them to keep the object from falling with just their mouth.
That will be more difficult for them and more pleasing for you if you place them at a distance from the wall so that they have to bend their back a bit to reach it. And to spice things up more, you can order them to hold their legs open. That way, you can occasionally play with them while they’re struggling to keep the position and to accomplish their task.
More Difficult Positions
In case you want to take the play to a higher level, and you have various tools at your disposal, then you can perform predicament bondage in more intricate ways. However, these scenarios are much riskier, and you should always be extra careful when planning them.
If you have a pulley, a hook, or something similar on the ceiling, you can tie your Sub’s hands with a rope in a position that keeps them standing with their arms held up. The rope should go around the pulley or a hook and get attached to the nipple clamps you put on your Sub. By doing that, you give your partner a choice between holding their arms up and getting tired and pulling the nipple clamps and hurting themselves.
Another idea for torturing your Sub with predicament bondage is suspending them in a way they have to hold themselves with their arms, but are still able to put their feet on the ground. Of course, you should place something that they don’t want to step on beneath them, like a pile of legos. Then, you can sit down and enjoy the show.
Is Predicament Bondage Safe?
As long as you perform only mental bondage, stick with completely harmless positions and keep track of time, it’s highly unlikely your play will become unsafe. But, any type of rope bondage comes with risks, especially if you’re into more difficult things, like shibari.
So, before engaging in any hardcore bondage activities, you need to learn everything about the Sub’s health. For example, some positions may cause a loss of breath, and if the Sub has asthma, maybe it’s better to avoid such positions.
Rope bondage, in general, can result in nerve damage. For that reason, it’s important to learn how to do it properly, which areas on the body you should avoid, and for how long it is safe to keep a Sub tied up in the given position. Some positions that can seem harmless, like holding your arms up, but staying like that for too long can result in cutting off circulation. It’s important to stop before you start feeling numbness in more vulnerable areas of your body.
And if you want to do any form of extreme bondage, like suspension, you can seriously hurt someone or get hurt if you don’t do it properly. The suspension can result in soft tissue, muscle, even bone damage. In extreme cases, it can cause retinal damage and a stroke.
There is no gender limitation as to who can enjoy predicament bondage. Straight and LGBTQ BDSM communities may participate, but just like any other kink, it is not for everyone.
How to Make Predicament Bondage Safer
When it comes to any BDSM activity, communication is of crucial importance. Learning about your partner’s soft and hard limits and setting a safe word and a gesture is a must before starting any sort of play. And that’s just the beginning.
A Dom who enjoys performing bondage should understand their Sub’s body language perfectly. Also, checking on the Sub, taking breaks, and asking them about how they feel is a vital part of BDSM.
In case you’re doing something more challenging and physically more demanding, the Sub should stretch beforehand. Besides, the Dom should always be aware of their Sub’s abilities, and should never make them do something they can’t due to their lack of flexibility or other factors. It’s best to try out a few things before starting the session for real and to start with simple positions. Also, don’t make the Sub hold the position for too long right away!
Before engaging with predicament bondage, do research. Read about other people’s experiences, find tips and ideas, and educate yourselves about potential risks. And always keep in mind that, no matter how many times you did it, there’s always more to learn.
Sex Toys to Use for Predicament Bondage
Using toys during predicament bondage is a great way to make an experience more intense. And the best part is that you can use different toys for different reasons and make the scene take unexpected turns.
For example, if you want to create a sexy bondage scene, you can use anal hooks, collars, vibrators, butt plugs, and such. Then, you can make a scenario in which the Sub is forced to hold a position that arouses them, but which becomes quite hard to maintain once they’ve come. So, for example, if they move, they’ll pull the anal hook attached to their collar.
So, predicament bondage goes perfectly with orgasm control and any other type of sexual torment and domination. And, if the Sub is male, you can add cock and ball torture by using chastity devices or cock rings.
Doms often use toys to increase the stress their Subs are experiencing: nipple clamps, electro sex toys, whips, etc. By doing that, Doms are usually helping Subs stay motivated to hold the position. And at the same time making them feel even more helpless and at their mercy...
But sometimes, the Dom prefers to make it impossible for the Sub to keep the position. In fact, they force them to break it. For example, they order someone to hold a squatting position without falling. But then they make the Sub move and eventually fall by inflicting pain on them. Then they punish the Sub for failing to hold the position and please their master.
Additionally, a range of gags can also be used to heighten the predicament of the submissives. From tape gags which are straightforward and simple to inflatable gags which are more challenging and restrictive, a Dom has plenty of options to tease their Subs with. An inflatable mouth gag or an inflatable ball gag is perfect for generating intense feelings of vulnerability within the Sub since the Dom gains another layer of control with the option to expand the gag wide open while it's inside the mouth. The more classical approach is to just have the Sub's mouth wrap gagged with tape.
So, you can practice predicament bondage in various ways and with different purposes. But no matter how you do it, it is perfect for those who are into the psychological aspects of BDSM.
