Table of Contents
Impact play
Have you ever been spanked while being fucked doggy style? How about giving your lover’s rear end a little tap when they bend over? Then you’ve tried impact play! Well, you’ve dipped your toe in the water, anyway.
But are you ready to jump in? The water is fine, I assure you!
If you’re ready to explore, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll take a look at everything you need about impact play to help you get started. Let’s dive in!
What Is Impact Play?
Impact play refers to someone receiving any type of ‘impact’ from their partner and enjoying it. This can include spanking, flogging, caning, and even punching. The enjoyment may be sexual or may be more about stress release.
Impact play is a type of BDSM. BDSM stands for ‘bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism and masochism’.
Impact play is a staple in the world of kinks and fetishes and is loved by many (including me). It’s often about power dynamics. The partner giving the impact is in the dominant role and the person receiving the impact is the submissive.
Techniques and styles of impact play vary. For some people, it’s a light spanking or paddling as foreplay or during sex. For others, it’s more in-depth and requires a fair amount of skill. If you’re like me, you may vary on that scale depending on the person you’re with and your mood.
It’s really important to note here that impact play is completely consensual. It’s not the same as assault or abuse.
Any consenting adult can try impact play – it’s completely inclusive.
Why Do People Like Impact Play?
If you’re quite new to the idea of impact play, you might find yourself wondering: “Why on earth do people like being spanked or punched?” That’s a reasonable question and there are more reasons than you might think!
First off, impact play can feel good! Mixing pleasure with pain can be orgasmic – it’s one of my favorite things. So what’s the science? Yes, there is a scientific reason behind it!
When you’re spanked or paddled your body releases endorphins. These are hormones that make you feel good (sometimes called ‘happy hormones‘). They’re the same hormones that are released during exercise. Research shows that when these hormones are released they reduce sensitivity to pain. So, you’re feeling the pain less and the pleasure more!
Lots of people find impact play cathartic! It’s like an outlet for their emotions, helping them to deal with sadness or reduce stress. A lot of people in the BDSM community enjoy it because it’s like stepping out of your day-to-day life and forgetting all of your worries for a while.
Impact play is a powerful way to reinforce submission and dominance. Some Doms will use it as a way to ‘train’ or ‘punish’ their subs.
A lot of people enjoy the taboo or risky nature of impact play. Humans are naturally attracted to things that we aren’t ‘supposed’ to do. We find things that are naughty thrilling (don’t deny it, we all have that in us on some level). This same raw, instinct-driven excitement is what makes primal kink such an experience, tapping into our most primal urges in the heat of the moment.
Some couples find impact play increases intimacy because it requires such a high level of trust and open communication. Others may find it spices up their sex life if they’ve been stuck in a rut.
The truth is, impact play is just like any other sexual activity – the reasons we like it are as individual as we are as people!
Common Types of Impact Play
There are plenty of other tools and techniques that can be used in impact play to create varying sensations. I’ve included the most common forms below:
Spanking: Erotic spanking can be done with a bare hand or with a tool like a belt! In my opinion, a hand is the best tool for spanking. Spanking is great for beginners because you don’t have to spend money on tools.
Paddling: This is a form of spanking using a wide, flat tool called a paddle. Paddles strike a larger area, creating a thud or a thump sensation when the flogger makes contact.
Flogging: Floggers are tools with multiple tails. They are typically made of leather, latex, or rubber. Flogging can produce a range of sensations including more of a thud sensation ranging to a harsh sting. Using a flogger can take quite a bit of skill, especially if you’re using more advanced flogging techniques.
Some kinksters enjoy the physical response of abrasion, where the friction from floggers and other abrasive textures leaves pleasurable sensation on the skin.
Whipping: If you’re after a serious stinging feeling during impact play, whipping is the one for you! Whips vary in length and style. Ones with a single tail produce the most harsh sting! Some people prefer a riding crop while others go for a full-on whip. Whipping takes a lot of skill and practice – it’s something that it took me a long time to get the hang of. But I promise it’s worth the effort if you enjoy being dominant!
Slapping: We all know what slapping is. It’s essentially spanking not just on the ass. You use your hand for this one, which makes it another good option for beginners. Or you can use a semi-flexible leather paddle called a ‘slapper’.
Punching: You know what a punch is – striking someone with your fist. This can be used on other areas of the body too. The sensations produced are more of a ‘thud’.
Kicking: Just like punching, we know what kicking is – using your foot to strike someone. Lots of people enjoy using light kicks to the genitals as part of impact play.
Caning: Last but not least we’ve got good old caning. A cane is a thin, solid stick that creates an intense, sharp feeling when you’re hit with it. It takes more skill than many other types of impact play and is high risk because it can leave welts.
Tips For Trying Impact Play
I’ve included my top tips for trying impact play safely below:
Ensure consent: The most important thing is that everyone involved fully consents. If either or both parties don’t want to proceed, then that must be respected.
Set boundaries: Set clear boundaries with each other beforehand. Talk about what you want and what’s off-limits. Think about how much pain you want and whether you’re ok with techniques that leave marks.
Keep communicating: Communication is vital when it comes to impact play. Talk before, during, and after your sessions. Ensure you regularly check on your partner and speak up if something doesn’t feel right.
Know where to strike: One of the most important things you need to know is where to strike with your impact play. Ensure you’re focusing only on your intended target area. Fleshy areas are generally ok, like the thighs and butt. This is a bit easier if you’re plus sized like me, because you’ve got more fat to protect your body! The calves, breasts, genitals, and lower arms can also be ok when done carefully.
Know where not to strike: Even more important than knowing where to strike, is knowing where not to strike! There are some areas that are strictly off-limits on the sub’s body because they can cause serious injury. You should avoid the ears, head, face, feet, stomach, and lower back. This can result in injury, organ damage, and nerve damage, and can even be life-threatening in some cases. If you’re disabled or live with chronic pain, there may be other areas that are off-limits for you – be sure to voice these clearly to your partner.
RACK: Speaking of risks, it’s vital that both partners can make an informed decision. RACK stands for Risk Aware Consensual Kink, meaning that all parties are fully aware of all the risks and consent to all activities.
Use safe words and signals: Safe words and signals allow either or both parties to indicate that they want to stop at any time during impact play.
Start slow and gentle: If you’re a beginner, start with simple techniques like spanking. Begin with light, gentle strikes to see how it feels, and work your way up.
Spread strikes if you’re a beginner: If you’re just starting out, I would advise you not to strike the same area over and over again. Spread out your strikes over a larger area. You might also want to take a short break every so often to gauge how you both feel.
Keep safety supplies on hand: Always have a first aid kit on hand to deal with any potential injuries.
Seek medical help if needed: I know it would be embarrassing if you had to get medical help and explain how the injury happened. But embarrassment for a short time is better than permanent injury. So, if you or your partner needs medical help, go get it!
Practice aftercare: Always practice aftercare when you’re finished with your impact play. Check-in with each other, reconnect, and tend to any bruises or sore areas. Top tip – I find that using a soothing lotion that you’ve kept in the fridge can feel amazing on sore areas.
Final Thoughts: Enjoy Mixing Pleasure and Pain
Impact play is an amazing way to explore your kinky side and enhance sexual pleasure. For more advanced kinksters, impact play can be a pivotal part of their BDSM dynamics.
If you feel like giving it a try, hopefully, our guide helped you feel more prepared. Just remember to weigh up the risks, follow safety precautions, and of course, have fun!
