Suspension Bondage Is Dangerous

We love suspension bondage and we’re excited to share it with you. We want to be very clear, however, about the risks involved.

1. Suspension bondage involves unavoidable risk. Like rock climbing, suspension is a risky activity. Good preparation and training can reduce your risk, but even if you do everything right there is still a chance that you may be injured or killed, or that you may injure or kill another person.

2. We don’t have all the answers. Unlike rock climbing, suspension bondage has no professional standards bodies and no expert consensus about best practices. This book is based on years of study, practice, and consultation with outside experts. Nonetheless, you should be aware that suspension is still a developing field, and our understanding of the best way to do things is still evolving.

3. You can’t learn suspension from a book. The only safe way to learn suspension is to work with a qualified instructor or mentor. This book is a valuable adjunct to expert instruction, but not a substitute for it. Without a skilled teacher to guide and evaluate you, you cannot learn suspension without placing your partner in tremendous danger.

4. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Suspension is fun and exciting, and you will likely be tempted to rush ahead and try activities that you aren’t yet ready for. We can’t stress enough the importance of proceeding slowly and methodically, and always working within your skill level.

5. Always use good judgment. Your best defense against mishap is your own common sense and good judgment. Always be mindful of what you’re doing, and err on the side of caution.

Your partner is placing tremendous faith in your competence and judgment. If you are careless or overly ambitious, they are likely to pay a heavy price for your foolishness. Make sure that you are worthy of their trust.

Suspended Animation accepts no responsibility for any injury or death which may occur as a result of the activities described in this book. By reading this book, you agree to take full responsibility for your actions and their consequences.

Introduction

This book grew out of Suspended Animation’s internal rigger training program. As we began recruiting new people, we found that there were no comprehensive resources available for training new riggers to the level of skill that we needed. Consequently, we began an informal training program within our organization.

That small program has grown, and we have trained numerous expert riggers over the the span of almost a decade. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about suspension and about teaching. This book is the resource we wish we’d had when we were starting out—we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Be safe, be kind to your partners, and have a ridiculous amount of fun.

Sections

1. Safety and Mastery

This book has two primary goals: keeping you safe, and enabling you to thoroughly master the fundamentals of suspension.

2. How People Get Hurt

Although there are many ways to injure someone in suspension, most serious injuries are caused by one of four fundamental problems. The good news is that all four of these problems are almost entirely preventable.

3. Bondage Styles

There are two main styles of suspension bondage: shibari and fusion. This is a book about fusion style.

4. What’s New in 2016.1

We’re constantly updating and refining our curriculum. If you’ve read a previous version of our books, here are the most significant changes.