There is a subject that only a few have written about in the Shibari/Kinbaku scene. It’s the important one related to those who deliver all their willingness, their bodies, their minds, so to let the rigger express through this art. They are crucial part of this equation. Model’s quality is important to let the performed shibari tie look good and to let the rigger show talented.

But. What is needed to become a good rope model?

Shibari/Kinbaku as a practice is based on the intimate and fluent non verbal communication between the rigger and the model. It’s based on how the rigger gets these energy exchanges to shine and how he manages the model to experience and enjoy that rope embrace. Shibari/Kinbaku should be able to be practiced by any pair willing to let themselves flow through those particular feelings this practice inevitably would awake in them. Rigger and model may or may not have any sentimental or emotional bond before even uncoiling the first rope. It does not matter. But it’s crucial that the rigger takes some time so to get to know the person who is going to deliver intimately to the ropes. Those minutes, sometime full of conversation, sometimes based on non verbal and postural communication, on attitudes and other feelings that rigger may perceive through the experience, are essential to know which way the rope journey they’re about to start together would go.

There are some occasions, especially when you’re about to do an improvised performance in front of an audience, where this preparation would be quicker. Nevertheless, in those special occasions its usual to have experienced models. Those are people that have been tied so many times that are known as experienced models and are well known in the rope scene. It’s also good to remark that what you may see on stage, in front of a large audience, may differ from what you can get on a more private environment or even alone. It’s all up to the rigger and the model, their exhibitionist tastes, on what they are willing to show and what they would rather keep for themselves.

A correctly performed Shibari/Kinbaku does not necessarily need to be painful or uncomfortable. This is unless the rigger lacks from knowledge or skills, or unless he uses some semenawa technique (a very advanced technique achieved after long training and practice). The use of semenawa would depend on rigger’s previous agreement with the model, along with the perception on model’s sensibility and tastes on the subject. There may be some masochistic persons who like to submit to a highly sadistic rigger using semenawa. Others may look for a more warm and sensual rope embrace. There may be others who would love to be surprised with new sensations, and willing to explore new ways. There are techniques for all kind of tastes, and everything is able to be agreed between rigger and model. Not all riggers have the same style. There are very sadistic ones, others with a more soft and sensual approach, others may have a more spectacular showbiz vision, or may be focused on a photographic vision. There are also others more flexible and able to switch between one style and the other.

It’s usual to hear Osada Steve Sensei state in his teaching classes: “Rigger’s honor is shown and perceived in the pattern and type of tying he proposes”. It’s the model who should be the center of the attraction in a Shibari/Kinbaku session. Never should be the rigger. It’s considered an honor for the rigger to be known by the reactions he achieves from the model through the ropes. Honor is perceived in those ways of tying that manage to show his skills to achieve the balance between restriction, lightness of the suspension and the beauty of the whole, all these through the model’s expressions.

Unfortunately, nowadays, there are many rope enthusiasts that claim to know about Shibari/Kinbaku, but lack of the needed knowledge about safety and basic skills that protect the model. Keeping that in mind it’s crucial that you, as a model, or simply as a rope interested person, be always aware that you’re leaving your safety, your life and the possibility of any permanent injuries in hands of your rigger. Thus you should question yourself. Where did that rigger learn? Who is his sensei? Did he personally assist to any classes, workshops or whatever… ? Or did he just learn from Internet? You should keep in mind that those questions should be asked before any rope even touches your body.  You should also find the answers to those questions within a thinking of self respect and on behalf of your health, or even on behalf of your own life.   Ropes, as I’ve said many times, may seem innocent and harmless, but can surely provoke injuries that may last from a few hours, some days or your whole life.

How to start as a rope model?

You only need your own decision to start as a Shibari/Kinbaku model. You need to be clear on what you’re looking for and have an open minded will to start a sensual journey though the guide of that rigger you have chosen. As any other thing in your life, the first step is to dare to experience it. It may happen that after your first experience you could feel this is not your piece of cake. There is no flaw in that. Maybe it’s not your moment to try it.  You may need to re-experience it sometime later, maybe with another person. Maybe you need to question yourself what drove you to ropes in the first place, and what are you looking for now in the ropes.  Maybe you have to start developing within yourself what you feel about this, how you feel it, and you may also need some time to allow yourself opening your mind to this world. Once you begin as a model, it may also start an inner journey of self discovering of your own sensations, of your own desire. Every session, every rope tension, every pattern the rigger would deploy on you would be a self discovering adventure, leading you through a new road, letting you know yourself more deeply. You may start from feeling only physical sensations to more mystical journeys where your inner self energy would be involved.

You may find a strong rigger and model culture over those places where Shibari/Kinbaku is more developed. It’s usual that, in those places where there are many well known riggers, you would also find a number of willing rope models.  It may be because Shibari/Kinbaku practice is more popular in those places. It may also be because of the numerous Shibari/Kinbaku workshops, shows and rope peer gathering that those places have. Final line is that Shibari/Kinbaku is being more popularly and confidently practiced there than in any country in Latin America.  You shouldn’t be surprised of that fact, if you have the chance to know or witness the results of pseudo Shibari practices on the damaged bodies of some models like I did.  Nobody in their right mind would wish to practice again after those abuses. Nobody would wish to experience something that brings no pleasant sensations or delivers anything to themselves.  Nobody in their right mind would get involved in  practices where the rope, the picture taken or the spectacularity is more important than their own well being.  To raise the awareness to those who wish to experience “the embracing rope harmony” and not “the tortuous result of being tied” is something I feel will take some time and uncountable hours of talking and writing about.

Because of this same subject is that several well known people usually related to the rope world have devoted some time to write and enlighten the wannabe models and newcomers to this rope world. We must stand together against the misconceptions that these people would carry to this art.  We must be together to enforce the good practices and the good lessons in this scene. This is something that all those who love ropes would have to commit to.

Tentesión is a friend of mine from long time ago. He’s a very well known photographer that lives in Barcelona and he had already published many photo books portraying some delicious works of Shibari/Kinbaku bakushis. I’ve recently have the great honor to be the objective of his lens in my last year visit to Barcelona where I performed among other well known international bakushis in the Club Social Rosas5. He had also published this soul touching letter to the wannabe models which I thought may be helpful to translate here for anyone interested in reading it.

Each day I feel that is more obvious that Shibari and Bondage are getting mainstream. This brings many models and photographers to the point of wanting to do some photographic sets about it. I find it OK that everybody may try, one way or another, to play with ropes, to taste sensations and to experience the feeling of being tied. What I can’t find logical (and yet extremely dangerous) is that some newbie people dare to perform suspensions given the high responsibility and risk that this kind of practices involve.

Shibari is an ancient art. Everything in Shibari has it’s reason and has been studied thoughtfully: from weight distribution, the kind of rope pressure against the skin, the type of knots performed… Suspensions themselves require the rigger to have very special and technical skills. All the body’s weight falls into specific body parts. If the ropes that distribute the weight are badly placed or if they happen to press on some ligament, tendon or muscle, they might injure the model’s body (it can range from a muscle spasm, a sprain, or any kind of injuries that might last from a few days to a lifetime).

You can see one of Alberto No Shibari’s work in the picture above. He’d spent more than ten years learning ropes, among many practice hours and he’d traveled through all Europe in occasion to assist to several master’s workshops. Thanks God nowadays anybody who wants to learn bondage or Shibari can do it with a warranted teacher. Not like it used to be in the past. There are bondage workshops, dojos, masterclasses… so whoever wants to learn, is able to do it.

This letter is devoted to all those models who want to practice shibari and bondage. I’ve spent many years (so many I feel old…) devoting myself to portray this art. I’ve seen some suspensions photos lately that got me nuts because of how dangerous they were and how badly they were done. It’s because of this that I feel in the need to make this statement. After several sessions where I saw models giving everything from their side: hope, effort, time (and even sometimes their own money), then I feel this letter is something I owe you. Keep in mind that the picture you’ve uploaded today, the “likes” it received and it’s comments tomorrow will be forgotten. The injury that a poorly performed suspension done by someone who does not know how to do it may leave on you and it’s consequences may not be worth it. Keep in mind that he’ll have his photo and you’ll take the worse part. Nobody will take responsibility for what had happened to you.

Just a last piece of advice: When someone happens to propose suspending you, make the rigger some questions about his experience. Who had taught him. What symptoms reveals a bondage is not going well. If he has any first aids knowledge in case a rope snaps provoking an accident or the model faints. Or just as simple as if he has any emergency scissors to cut the rope (those with rounded nose to slide between the rope and the skin). These kind of questions might let you know what kind of rigger you have in front of you.

Girls. Photographer’s word: Sometimes a photo is not worth it.

Next I think it’s important to let you have rida’s words. She’s a friend of mine and a known private model in the rope scene in Tokyo, Japan. She’d had the chance to model for some great rope artists and decided to share her model experience in this post she titled: “Musing #017: Rope Bottom Safety Decalogue” AKA “Rope is more dangerous than it is given credit for”

1. Know your rigger.
Just because he/she is someone famous is not enough for you to say you know him/her. Talk with him/her yourself. Knowing who you are letting tie you is very important. Talk and ask questions and get to learn his/her approach to rigging and his/her stance on emergencies.

There are many other people I respect that have written on the subject of model’s safety in a rope session. Some texts need to be translated to be put here. With time and highly focused on respecting the author’s spirit in the translation I’ll be posting them here also.

Meanwhile I’m glad to share with you the new addition to this page. I’ve opened a space here where I’ll be sharing Students’ and Models’ Experiences about my work. Once again I feel we need a place where to share and comment those things that are well done, to share the sensations that someone who offered to be model can experience. It would also be nice to read from model’s own words how they feel their riggers evolution as they grow in their own rope path.

We all know that Shibari/Kinbaku path is not fast, nor simple. But there itself you can find the difference between those who really had decided to face this path, to humbly learn, to respect this ancient art… from those who always have a futile excuse and lies to justify their poor tying techniques. It’s up to us to decide if the new competitive rigging style, the search for the highest popular picture would prevail leaving aside model’s care. Or if the legitimate Shibari/Kinbaku and the search for this art essence would rather be.

If you happen to be interested in being a Shibari/Kinbaku model or have any question about this post, don’t hesitate to contact me

Copyright 2015 by Haru Tsubaki. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher

Haru Tsubaki