Intro to Suspension workshop

Learn to fly in rope in this workshop with Parker RopeBoi & Juniper Quinn.

This hands-on workshop covers how to take your shibari practice from ground to air, while prioritizing safety, risk awareness, communication, and consent.

Topics and techniques in this workshop include:

• assessing if a rope harness is suspension-worthy (for a particular person and for a particular suspension) before getting off the ground
• attaching uplines to a rope harness for suspension - multiple means of attaching uplines and when & why to use each of these attachments
• locking off uplines - multiple methods for locking off and when & why to use them, including ways to lock off to carabiners, rings, and horizonal poles (such as bamboo)
• upline management and planning
• reducing the risk of upline rope jams, and unjamming uplines if/when an upline jam occurs
• assessing and communicating about suspension comfort and sustainability while in the air
• watching out for and minimizing impediment of nerves, breathing, and/or circulation in suspension
• exploring one's physical experience of and preferences regarding rope suspensions
• developing skills for proprioception, balance, and micro adjustments while in suspension
• lowering to the ground with control and safety

Prerequisites:

Rope tops (people doing the tying) should be able to consistently, accurately, and quickly tie a Somerville Bowline single-column tie. Tops should be able to tie chest harness suitable for suspension (no specific chest harness is required, as long as the harness is suspension-worthy).

Rope bottoms (people being tied) should have experience being tied in a chest harness and in column ties on the hips, thighs, and ankles, and should be able to communicate sensitivities, limitations, and preferences about rope.

Note: This class is open to experience levels ranging from people with solid rope experience who are new to suspension, to experienced and advanced suspension practitioners who are interested in learning some new techniques to incorporate into their rope play.

18+ event

Partnering: This workshop is designed for tying pairs (with one person tying and one person being tied) and not for self-tying. To fully participate in the hands-on portions of the workshop, you will need a tying partner. Solo attendees are welcome to attend to observe and take notes.

Materials needed: Tying pairs will need at least 8 ropes, with each rope 25-35 feet in length. We recommend 6mm-diameter jute or hemp, and/or 5mm or 6mm POSH as most suitable for this class.

For suspension uplines, synthetic materials such as POSH provide a safety factor far greater than that of natural fiber ropes--though many people also suspend with jute or hemp uplines, cautiously, and with an awareness of that risk. 100% nylon or MFP rope in similar diameters are also acceptable. For this workshop, do NOT use ropes made of cotton, sisal, manila, polyester, or nylon/poly blends, or other hardware store rope or rock climbing rope. If you are interested in purchasing POSH rope to pick up at the workshop, please add it to your order.