Even if you’re new to the world of impact play, you’ll have probably heard a few of these terms before, but we’ve created a list of the top 5 terms we believe are most important to know when engaging with this fetish. A lot of this is based around safety, but when engaging in anything that can cause bodily harm, safety is important!
AFTER CARE - It involves taking care of your partner (or yourself) after the activity has ended, making sure that everyone is comfortable and well. This can include checking for any physical injuries, such as bruises or cuts, and providing emotional support to ensure that no emotional harm was inflicted. Aftercare is crucial for maintaining the health and well-being of your body and mind, and it helps to ensure that everyone involved in the play feels safe and respected.
EDGE PLAY - Edge play refers to any kind of activity that pushes the boundaries of what is considered to be safe. This can include activities that involve bodily fluids or blood, sometimes using thin single tail whips that have a greater potential to break the skin, or other similar tools. It's also advisable to have a safeword, a signal that the activity should stop immediately if one of the partners needs it.
HARD LIMITS - These are activities or practices that are completely off-limits and will not be engaged in under any circumstances. These can vary from person to person, and it's important to communicate your hard limits to your partner before engaging in any kind of activity. Having hard limits is completely normal and it's important to respect them - they should be non-negotiable and should not be pressured to be changed by anyone.
SAFE WORD - This is a word or phrase that is agreed upon in advance by all parties involved, and used as a signal to indicate that the activity should stop immediately, either because a participant is uncomfortable, in pain, or in danger. The safe word is typically a word or phrase that is easy to remember, and that would not naturally come up during the activity.
SAFE CUES - This follows the same idea as a safe word, but is useful for when either participant may be unable to speak for any reason. Examples of a safe cue cue could be 3 taps of an arm or 4 finger snaps - anything that will allow your partner to know that they must stop right now.
STEP 2: THE IMPACT
Impact play can be divided into two main types: thudding and stingy. Thudding impact involves the use of wider or larger areas of impact, such as a wide paddle or a foot, which creates a thudding sound upon contact and tends to produce a more diffused sensation. Stingy impact involves the use of thinner tools such as whips, which create a more intense, localized sensation on the receiver. Some people can have a preference for one over the other, or even a preference for particular toys or equipment.
There are certain areas of the body which are prime areas for impact, most commonly the bum, but many fetishists enjoy impact on the thighs, face cheeks, breasts/chest, pubic mound and even the penis. It is important to focus on causing enough contact to feel a sensation but not enough to cause too much damage in the more sensitive regions - we recommend mastering the meatier bum surface first before moving to more sensitive places.
STEP 3: THE TOOLS
The most basic tools are your own body - usage of the fists, palms and feet can create some incredible sensations through means of basic spanking and slapping, or even kicking and punching, which some people enjoy. When employing harsher bodily impacts such as kicking and punching, it’s vital that you stay away from any major organs, the spine and the face as these can receive sustained damage and cause health problems if you’re not careful.
If you’re looking to move on from your own limbs, or it’s simply not for you, a very simple place to start is a paddle or flogger as these can easily be controlled and both cause different sensations depending on the material. Softer floggers can be quite gentle, but can also provide a wonderful sting when used correctly, and paddles can be tapped lightly to get into the fetish, ot thwacked at speed for a wonderful ear-splitting clap.
The next step up would usually be whips, crops and even canes. These will all give a stingier sensation and leave some gorgeous red lines across the recipient’s skin. The sound of a whip crack can be erotic by itself for some, so work on teasing and building up the tension before delivering the strike for maximum pleasure.
The most important part of choosing your tools is communication and exploration, discussing which materials and kind of pain you wish to experience, and not worrying if you don’t enjoy something, as it might not be for you. We have put together a collection of our favorite impact play tools for you to explore, so don’t be afraid to give something a try.
