While my journey in all this started with Rope Bondage (more on that later) – the thing that really gets my hot and bothered (in both senses) is Impact Play.
For those unaware Impact Play involves hitting people with, well, hitty things. From paddles, crops, canes, tawse, floggers, whips and various bits in-between.
This kind of play has a lot of appeal for me, firstly it helps people figure out where they lay on the masochist scale. Someone who likes a bit of pain will respond naturally to this type of play.
Hitting with floggers is a great way to start. Floggers are often known as whips, basically long tails of leather, rubber or other material attached to a handle. Flogging doesn’t have to be about pain, it can quite easily be about caressing or sensation. However done right it can drop you very easily into a submissive headspace as your body flood with chemicals in reaction to what is going on.
For me Impact Play is primal, masculine and sexy. It combines very easily with things like fucking when someone is spread eagle on the cross (or between my poles in my dungeon).
The downfall of most impact play is the risk of non-permanent marks to the skin. Crops and canes leave noticeable welts, floggers and whips can leave lovely red lines depending on the ferocity they are used with. Paddles and spanking redden the skin (which does go down rather quickly).
If you are going to engage in this activity then the submissive needs to be very aware that if the risks of marks are too high, then not to engage at that time. You can do things without leaving marks however and some activities are far more low risk mark wise than others (gut punching, Bastinado).