So you have decided to try crops. Maybe you’re new to the BDSM scene or maybe you have just never played with this particular toy. Either way, there are some basic do’s and don’ts that every crop wielder should know. Let’s start with some basic safety tips. No matter what kind of play you have dabbled in the past, this experience can get a little intense and it involves a lot of trust. Make sure that all participants discuss safe words and that certain things are off limits before you begin. If your submissive is not too sure on how far they want to go or if they don’t have a safe word they feel comfortable with, give the traffic light system a try. When your bottom is enjoying themselves, they can say “green” just to let you know all is well. If things are going smoothly but your bottom isn’t comfortable with anything more intense, they can indicate this by saying “yellow.” And if you have hit their limit, they will go with “red” to let you know it’s time to stop.

Let’s Get Started

“Different types of riding crops”

The first bit of crop play is almost a tease. You want to warm your bottom up, both physically and mentally. To do this, you want to start by rubbing the tail of your crop lightly over the areas you intend to titillate later. You may also want to rub the shaft of your crop back and forth over the crease between the bottom of their butt and the top of their thighs. If you like to play mental games, this is the perfect time to tell them exactly what you plan on putting them through.

To get a little more involved, you can start to tap lightly on your bottom in a rhythmic pattern over the areas in play. This will often include the butt, backs of the thighs, and if you’re playing a softer game, the inner thighs or the breasts. The latter two, you have to be more careful so as not to cause any nerve damage.

Bringing the Pain

“There are women who love the pain associated with a riding crop”

Once we have had it with the teasing, it’s time to get a little more intense. For this, it is important to know what kind of tip your crop has. If your tip is floppy, you need to know where it’s at all times. If you’re using the shaft of your crop on your bottom, your floppy tip could wrap around and cause pain that is undesirable. If it’s a stiff or hard tip, which is recommended for beginners, you will have less to worry about.

As far the actual strike goes, you can be as creative as you want. You can use the shaft of the crop (though this is only recommended on a few areas, such as right below the butt) or you can use the tip. You want to vary the stroke between soft and stiffer to really amplify the experience for the bottom. You can also try pressing the tip to one spot and holding it there until your bottom starts to squirm. Once they’re writhing, give them a swift whack.

The most important thing to remember is to use your safe words and communicate openly. Both top and bottom should enjoy their time together, and if your bottom is new to the wonderful world of BDSM, go slowly. You don’t want to scare them off, you want them to come crawling back for more.