Negotiation before play.. do you always do it?

Contributor: (k)InkyIvy (k)InkyIvy
My partner pays attention to my reactions, so he can tell when to stop. If he does happen to go too far, I tell him I don't like it and he changes what he's doing. We're very good at communication, so negotiating beforehand isn't always necessary.
12/04/2011
Contributor: switzerland switzerland
we discuss, but sometimes the things we do are just in the moment. and if it's too much or we are uncomfortable, we are able to speak up. it's not a big deal to us
12/04/2011
Contributor: Jake'n'bake Jake'n'bake
Not always. Usually never beyond a base plan, actually; spontaneity is a big part of things.
12/12/2011
Contributor: (Re)tired Stripper (Re)tired Stripper
In an ideal world I would have little negotiation and just a safeword. I imagine I'd have talked about my limits with my partner long before play began.

I had one partner who had no negotiation and it was the most amazing experience ever for me. Ravishment/takedown play without negotiating is awesome. The only other partner I've done that sort of thing with is way too timid about it to not negotiate.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
Quote:
Originally posted by Breas
Again, I'm reading this book and it's talking about the importance of negotiation before getting into a scene in bdsm. I'm wondering if this is a rule that everyone follows, every time... The author says it is dangerous not to, but if you ... more
We've learned the hard way to always have a short run through before play.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Redboxbaby Redboxbaby
We have been together for 18 years. We are monogamous and trust each other; there is no need for negotiation in our minds. We know eachother's hard limits. We enjoy being spontaneous, allowing the other party to explore, experience and get off. We both love ravishment play and find the thought of negotiating it, would ruin it.
12/20/2011
Contributor: 131231e43 131231e43
Rarely. I don't feel like we have too.
01/12/2012
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
I do, yes. Though that probably because, since we're apart, we have to be very flexible with things.
01/14/2012
Contributor: Entropy Entropy
Not very often...kills the spontaneity.
01/14/2012
Contributor: Hallmar82 Hallmar82
If we're going to do something new or different, we negotiate it at least a little if it's outside our comfort zone. If it's something that we've done before, then we usually just keep doing it the way we had before.
01/14/2012
Contributor: panthers panthers
It is nice to talk if you want something specifically done to you, but it is nice to have surprises as well.
01/15/2012
Contributor: tunacan75 tunacan75
Never really thought about it, maybe we do sometimes, albeit subconciously
01/11/2013
Contributor: Cowgirl-Cutie Cowgirl-Cutie
I play with my hubby so no, we don't. He knows my safe word will only come out if it's meant.
01/11/2013
Contributor: Gdom Gdom
If we're trying something new or relatively new, we'll discuss things and negotiate beforehand (although I'm not sure I like the term "negotiate"; it implies that there are two opposed parties lobbying for an outcome closer to each one's mutually exclusive objectives--anyway, putting that aside...). If it's something we have more experience with, we rarely go through the motions of discussing limits and the like again, since we're both well aware of what those are by now. And, of course, we have a safeword just in case someone crosses a line.
01/11/2013
Contributor: SecretKinksters SecretKinksters
Rarely.
01/11/2013
Contributor: shorejen9 shorejen9
We've been together ten years and we have a safe word so unless its something new no negotiations needed. I like surprises!
01/11/2013
Contributor: carenautilus carenautilus
I think it's a good idea to negotiate every time. Avoids, y'know, traumatizing your partner.

As to whether or not it's sexy to negotiate? Maybe it is for some people, but I still maintain you should do it anyway. But also, if you don't think your lover murmuring all the things they want to do to you in graphic detail and asking what you want is sexy, you and I have very different ideas.
01/11/2013
Contributor: phoenixfire phoenixfire
I'm in a committed and monogamous relationship, so I don't have to introduce new people and find out what their boundaries are. Hubby and I do discuss what he is comfy with because he is new to BDSM. (I don't think he self-identifies with this kink. It's mine.) I think, though, that once we've established what he likes and what I like most, we'll only revisit boundaries occasionally.
01/11/2013
Contributor: damnbul12 damnbul12
Quote:
Originally posted by Breas
Again, I'm reading this book and it's talking about the importance of negotiation before getting into a scene in bdsm. I'm wondering if this is a rule that everyone follows, every time... The author says it is dangerous not to, but if you ... more
No, I rarely negotiate with my partner.
01/12/2013
Contributor: hall5885 hall5885
Hardly ever unless we're trying something new than we sometimes do. It really depends I guess on how "extreme" whatever it is we tend to do. But than again we tend to be very in the moment and not know what we'll be doing.
01/12/2013
Contributor: leilani leilani
Quote:
Originally posted by Breas
Again, I'm reading this book and it's talking about the importance of negotiation before getting into a scene in bdsm. I'm wondering if this is a rule that everyone follows, every time... The author says it is dangerous not to, but if you ... more
when i change partner then yes, i do end up making negotiations... but been with this man long enough that he knows what ill i cant handle ect. i never had to really go into the nitty gritty about all it though... usually a partner knows the limits with just basic information. if it is with a spouse, or lover, basic information like for instance, i am claustrophobic, it is good to know. most partners will understand not to cross that line and if some how it is crossed, to immediately stop. My husband knows that as long as i have a few breaks, as he calls them, "save you from a bad spasm" breaks, i pretty much will do about anything. he is a respectable man in this aspect. as long as you get the need to knows outta the way and trust the person you are with, all is good
01/12/2013
Contributor: novanilla novanilla
We don't negotiate certain things. We both know things like I love being spanked, so that is something that is always okay. If it isn't for some reason, then I will say beforehand "I don't really want to be hit at all today." But that's just for regular sex that has bdsm elements to it, like pinning and such.

However, if we're acting out a scene with a story and some elaborate resistance, like a kidnapping, that we negotiate beforehand.
01/13/2013
Contributor: Roz W Roz W
You can set basic boundaries for a relationship, including which activities are always OK, and which require asking first.
01/13/2013
Contributor: xcapricax xcapricax
ON acasion we do but most of the time we dont.
01/13/2013
Contributor: indiebutt indiebutt
I always negotiate boundaries before playing with new partners because there are certain things that I know trigger me. While playing, I check in frequently ("Is this okay? Do you like that?" etc.) and communicate when I like or don't like what's happening. I want to get better at negotiating with long-term partners... that's more challenging for me, for some reason. Thanks for the great discussion.
01/13/2013
Contributor: Violet October Violet October
Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. I'm always with the same partner. And sometimes....we just go with the moment.

We know how to read each other and definitely talk while we're playing to let the other know where we're at and what we want.
02/05/2013
Contributor: gwenevieve gwenevieve
Quote:
Originally posted by Breas
Again, I'm reading this book and it's talking about the importance of negotiation before getting into a scene in bdsm. I'm wondering if this is a rule that everyone follows, every time... The author says it is dangerous not to, but if you ... more
My husband and I rarelyyyy negotiate things. We pretty much just know what the other one wants/can handle so it's really not been necessary thus far.
02/08/2013
Contributor: WordsmithingImp WordsmithingImp
Other.

With my regular partners, we do not negotiate every time. We negotiated early on in the relationship that certain things are okay to do all the time, some need warning in case I'm in a bad headspace for them, and some are off limits. Whenever one of us wants to try something that we did NOT negotiate, then we ask and see which of those three categories it belongs in.

With people I'm not regular partners with yes, I negotiate every time. Too many bad experiences with people who like to take liberties.

Besides, I actually don't think it spoils the mood all the time. Sometimes talking about things that we're planning to do is half of the fun--gets us all wound up anticipating.

Edit: Should throw in, it helps when you're deciding how often to negotiate to know how able you are to safeword when stressed. Some folks freeze up and panic and then can't get safewords out--for those people, negotiation and check-ins during the scene are super important. If you have no hesitations safewording though, then it's possible to be more lax.
02/09/2013
Contributor: nosrslylol nosrslylol
I try to negotiate with him first. We're both very passive and if there's no talking about things first, it'll be very awkward.
02/10/2013
Contributor: BrittaniMaree BrittaniMaree
Sometimes we do, sometimes we do not.
02/11/2013