Techniques of Striking Sensation There is a world of difference between someone who is dominant in personality and life and someone who is "a" Dominant. For those who are just starting on their path, yes you were born dominant, but the techniques a Dominant uses to "top" must be learned. Others who have been in the life for a long time may be expanding their repertoire into new areas of sensation (just a fancy term for pain). Sensations covers everything from whips and floggers, to ice and violet wands. This piece will focus on "striking sensation," specifically whips, floggers, quirts, scourges, cats, straps, and crops. First, though, a few words of caution. Each tool or implement on this list is a dangerous weapon, all the more so in the wrong or uneducated hands. YOU are responsible for their use, and for the well-being of your submissive/Bottom. YOU are the only guard between a wonderful experience and a trip to the emergency room. If your submissive or bottom is seriously hurt, you will be the one explaining it to your local police, ER and/or in court. This kind of practice may be considered abuse in the eyes of the state so be sure as to what you are doing and who you're doing it with. "Safe sane and consensual "are not magic words, they are a mandate. If you have any plans to use a whip in anger, put it down, close this text, and walk away! Anger has no place in this. Even hard core sadists who enjoy the pain of others know that it is for the pleasure of both parties involved. The worst punishment a submissive can receive in most cases is NOT to be whipped. In my household sensation is a reward. It is my displeasure that is a punishment. Tools There are many kinds of striking tools designed to control, correct, discipline, and punish. We often use the word "whip" as shorthand to include a wide variety of implements. A whip consists primarily of a handle and tail(s), and often a striker at the end of the tail. The handle or "grip" may be rigid and a distinctly separate section from the lash, or it may be a flexible continuation of the lash itself (most common in single-tails). The material most commonly used for whips is leather, because it is both flexible and durable. A wide variety of other materials may be used for the lash, creating a wide variety of sensation. There are many distinctive types of implements:  WHIPS are specifically single-tail lashes: signal whips, snakes, dog whips, and bullwhips. Although the most dramatic type of whip, a single tail is also the most dangerous. Specific training is recommended and extensive practice is necessary to use a whip safely and create the intended effect. On a bullwhip the striker is usually a flat single lash of leather between 3 and 8 inches. at times more. Shorter american bulls usually have a wide striker, sliced down the center to allow air to pass through. Some say that allows more sound for "cracking" the whip, others say it allows the air to pass so that the lash does not "wobble". Either way this is the piece that "cuts" air, and allows the "Crack". Note: For the single-tail primer, continue on to the next page by pressing NEXT on the bottom of this one. Some whips have a piece of nylon or kevlar string braided into to the tail itself. These are referred to as "signal'' whips because sound is the intended result, which is used to drive beasts of burden by sound more than sensation. The nylon string (or "popper") is essential because the lighter material moves faster and makes a tighter turn. A snake whip is crafted much the same but instead of a nylon popper it has a long slender leather thong. A dog whip has a rigid wooden handle which is shorter than a dressage whip but longer than a bullwhip. Sometiems these pieces are refered to as Australian stock whips.These whips will usually include a string which is an integral part of the whip and not removable. Because it is thin and strong, (meant to get the attention of a thick-skinned animal) it can cause cutting and extreme pain. Most bullwhips will have a popper tied to the thong striker.  QUIRTS are a type of whip, but deserve their own category. There are both single and double-tail quirts. They generally have short tails (15-36" is common), often with a long Double striker at the end of the tail.  FLOGGERS is a broad category which includes multi-tailed flat lashes (and flat braided lashes), in a wide range of materials and weights. Leather floggers run from the very light (pig or goat skin) through the general purpose lashes of cow and game hides (deer and elk) to the heaviest bull, buffalo and oil tan leathers. More exotic (and expensive) leathers may also be used to create specific effects. Flexible non-leather materials, such as rope, rubber, vinyl, cord, and ribbon may also be used.  A SCOURGE is a nine-tailed flogger made of stiff rawhide or hemp cord, knotted at the ends, and soaked in water. No two of the nine lashes are the same length, and the lashes are very stiff and hard, putting this evil piece in it's own category. CAT (or Cat-o'-nine tails) are most often a nine leather or rope tails attached to a rigid handle. The number of tails may vary from as few as three to as many as eighteen. The tails themselves may have a blunt or knotted striking end. Often the tails have a small knot with a large number of slender strands falling from it.  STRAPS are wide lengths of flat leather, such as razor strops and belts. The strap is sometimes doubled to add weight and severity.  A CROP is a rod, typically encased in leather, with a striker at the end.  CANES are a length of hard but flexible material such as rattan or fiberglas. (You may remember the case of the American boy who was caned in Singapore as a punishment for vandalism.) An interesting variation has been the introduction of Animal Phallus canes. PADDLES and hands are a separate category of striker, and will be discussed elsewhere. A hand-crafted whip of any kind will have a unique "hand" or feel. The style of whip, materials used, length, weight, and balance combine to create an individual personality for each piece.  The Live Target Now that we know more about the implements, let's look to the subject of our passion for a moment: your submissive/slave/bottom/lover/mate/friend. These guidelines assume your target is a normal, healthy adult, with no previous injury or other physical limitation. You have, of course, already discussed these matters with your intended target and will make the necessary adjustments to avoid specific problem areas. Caution and good judgment are required. Visualize his/her back, and draw an X. Start at about two inches below the shoulder blades and end at the top of the buttocks. This is zone 1, an area of mostly light play. This is not like the movies; harsh strikes in this area will cause damage to the skin and underlying structures. In some cases serious and irreparable damage. AVOID THE HEAD AND NECK AT ALL TIMES. I don't even like face slapping unless the person knows what they are doing because both the strike and the subject's reaction can cause damage to the neck (whiplash) if done incorrectly . Starting at the top of the X is the shoulder blades. On most people, this area is lightly muscled and can be struck with care. You can flog upon the back, and you can also use whips, if you are accurate and controlled in your strikes. Adjust your distance and throw to guard against "wrapping" over the shoulder or around the body. Draw an imaginary line 2 to 3 inches down from the shoulders and concentrate landing the ends of the flogger or whip on the top points of the X, avoiding the center of the X for hard flogging or whipping. An occasional miss strike may land in the spinal area, but the spine should never be the intended target. The bottom of the X should be avoided completely by most. A good rule of thumb is to feel the bottom of the rib cage on the back and avoid the area below the ribs where the muscle starts. Under a very thin layer of muscle and fat lie the kidneys and other vital organs. With time and skill you will be able to lightly work the surface of this area. I have saved the best for last! Zone two.. The buttocks, bottom, butt, tush, fanny you know that cute thing your pet sits on, but not for long! This is an area of muscle and fat and you can use a much heavier strike with far less fear of damage. Remember the best sensation is built up slowly, light to heavy. I have found that the best technique is to find the point where it's just starting to hurt, and hold it right there.Hitting the same spot repeatedly may cause your subject to squirm more, but it also leads to deep bruising. Try to avoid repeated strikes in a limited area. Other areas for light play include the chest or breasts, the belly, the inner arm, the inner thigh and back of the thigh, and for the most extreme sensation, the bottoms of the feet. There are more nerve endings in the bottom of the feet than most anywhere in the body (with the exception of the palms of the hands and the lips) and they are very close to the surface. Remember that the feet are made up of dozens of small, delicate bones which are easily damaged. The same nerve endings which create those delicious sensations may also be damaged by improper or excessive sensation play. I will not go into CBT or genital flogging, as they are topics in and of themselves.But before you think of play you should practice. And practice. And practice some more. Practice Okay, so now you have a whip and you're feeling powerful and masterful. If you want to keep that feeling, a) be careful, and b) don't let people watch until you've gotten in some practice. And c) Practice on something that cant tell anyone if you make a mistake. So what are you going to practice on? If your answer was " HER"or "HIM" and a silly grin -- you better think again!!!! I recommend a teddy bear or a pillow, the bigger the better, not too furry. Naming it is optional . Beginners should wear protective clothing when practicing. Full length jeans or pants, long-sleeved shirt, even gloves and eye protection are a good idea. You should remove earrings, bracelets, or other dangling items. Floggers Place a target pillow about the height where your submissive's bottom will be. First take a comfortable stance - you will be here awhile. Again, a good stance is a modified fencing stance or a Martial arts "ready" stance, with one foot pointing at your target, and the other foot behind and at an angle. Practice swinging to get the feel and balance of each piece. I like a Cross swing alternating Sides. Stand directly behind the submissive pillow or bear bottom of your choosing . This is your first position. Now watch closely, as it will not tell you in words (pillows rarely cry out) if you are doing it wrong. You need to concentrate on the changes in the surface of the pillow after each swing Swing your arm out straight in front of you, and move forward until you see the tips just brush the pillow. This is the outside of your swing. You should extend your arm fully at this time to reach the pillow without leaning at all. Now lean forward a bit until you can see the lashes fall a little flatter in the middle of the pillow. This is the inside of your swing. Any closer and you risk "wrapping" the tails around the side of your subject's body, which is very painful. In this position, you want to practice brushing the sides of the pillow but not allowing the tails to wrap around the edge. You will wish to bring the lashes overhand at a slight angle. Brush down from the outside to the inside, on first the right side of the pillow (right buttock) then the left, using a figure eight pattern. Start by just brushing lightly with the tips. As you get the feel of the movement, increase speed and flatten the lashes on your subject. You will hear a satisfying "thud". Try to make the same sound over and over again. Since you can't feel the force of your blows, the sound lets you know how hard or soft you are striking. This is a good movement for warm ups. Figure eights allow you a lot of control. From this position, you can also practice "flicking" the piece for a stinging effect. Practice this until you can strike the same spot either softly or with full force. You need to be able to do this with the tips, and also dropping the falls flat so you can hear the thud. To flick, draw the falls through your free hand and snap the piece like you did towels in that high school locker room. The same movement can be used on the shoulders, with care not to wrap over the shoulders or strike the base of the neck. The second position you will most likely use on the buttocks only or a Subject bending over a spanking bench, as the chance of wrapping is greater. Stand to the left side of the pillow. Draw your hand in an over or underhand circle, and drop the fall straight across the pillow. Make sure the tips do not wrap around the side of the subbie pillow. The force of the tips increase if they wrap, also if you draw back on the whip, again, it will HURT. Practice until you are sure not only where the lashes will fall but also where the tips will land. To switch from the left buttock to the right, you will need to shift your position to the right of the subject. otherwise the tips may land between the cheeks of the buttocks, this is and extremely sensitive area, and any welt there will not only last quite awhile, but will be extremely uncomfortable for your Sub. Not only does switching from side to side give your pet a breather, but the break breeds anticipation, and if you "flail air", alternating the speed from fast to slow while you change position, your subject will not know when the next strike will fall. The first position is great for floggers and cats, the second for floggers, canes, straps, and quirts. I do not recommend the use of quirts or any single-tail lash in a figure eight motion, as these require more control than this position allows. However, the second position, with practice and if care is taken where the tip falls, can be quite a wakeup. If you use a single-tail whip in this position, a backhand motion is recommended. Leave the wrist loose and let the tail do the work. Moving the whip forward faster creates speed at the tail, but it is how fast you bring your hand back that creates the force of the strike. Remember the "crack" you can create with a single tail lash is the tip breaking the sound barrier! This is more than enough force to break the skin, and VERY, VERY painful.  Canes, Crops and Straps First canes, and no, not the type your grandfather hobbles about on. I don't know if anyone really uses those, but I hope not. I refer to rattan canes and synthetic canes, some of which are produced just for BDSM play, and can be found at most fetish stores. The first thing you will notice is that most are extremely light. Don't let that fool you, light equates to fierce in a cane. It is a slight rod and can cause extreme sensation, because it localizes the area of the strike. These instruments can break the skin, and extreme force is unnecessary. It is best to start with soft, quick strokes and build the intensity. Don't strike in the exact same location repeatedly. Doing this will cause deep bruising. By building the intensity and moving the hits, a nice overall redness will result. Or if you and your partner choose, a final hard swat will raise a nice welt. Though some enjoy the increased sensation (pain) of crossing these welts, it increases the likelihood of bruising and cutting the skin. Crops, or riding crops, are much like canes, as they localize the area of sensation. They are also built along the lines of canes, except that they have a small leather or cloth striker at the end. This is what is used for striking purposes. It's much like a small paddle. The difference is since it's on the end of the rod, it can gain quite a lot of speed. These were invented to get the attention of horses who have a thick layer of fat and muscle on the buttocks, and can of course take a bit more than your lover. Again, one of the best techniques is to start with light swats, and build in speed and intensity. Because the striker is leather and relatively flat, it is unlikely to cut the skin. But as with any of the tools mentioned, it is a weapon. With proper force it can do serious damage, so be alert in it's use. Other pieces in this category include the sjambok, a long flexible cane or steel rod, and a hickory switch. I have also found that a fresh willow branch is a useful tool, and quite the cross between a cane and a single-tailed lash. Other implements of this type can be readily found in your home. Examples are a common yard stick, a spatula, a wire blending whip, and the old standby, the wooden spoon. Use your imagination . Straps are pretty self explanatory, like your fathers belt . The same care involved with any piece is advised. One aside thought, all the pieces, I personally feel straps and belts are the most likely to bring up past abuse problems. That is another subject, but I seriously recommend delicacy in how you present this piece to someone with an abusive past. I have written this piece from my experience only. Opinions will vary, and as with all subjects involving this lifestyle, I recommend you get a wide variety of opinions. As for my experience it is going on two decades, Both as a Submissive/bottom and a Top/ Dominant. This is a public "service" For Safe Sane and Consensual Play between adults. We assume No responsibility for use of these techniques on a human target. Nor any injurys obtained in practice. All techniques involve a " Do at your own risk " disclaimer .