Predicament Bondage

1. Isn't all bondage a predicament? Perhaps in the most literal sense, but predicament bondage refers specifically to situations in which a physically difficult position brought on by bondage can only be relieved by moving into another physically difficult position. Think of it as bondage catch-22: you hurt if you do and you hurt if you don't.

2. What does it look like? By now, you know the drill: there's no one way to do much of anything in kink. However, a classic example of predicament bondage is that of the bottom straddling a sawhorse just tall enough to force the bottom to stand on tiptoe, hands bound loosely over their head. To find relief from the pain of standing on tiptoe, the bottom must settle their juicy bits—and a little body weight—onto the unforgiving sawhorse. To get away from that pain, the bottom must return to standing on tiptoe. There is no escape, and thus a predicament is made.

3. You don't need a sawhorse, or even your toybox. Feel like trying out predicament bondage when you have five minutes, a willing partner, and not much else? Tie the bottom's thumbs to the headboard with thread—the thinner and more delicate the thread, the better. Inform the bottom that if they break the thread, the game is over. Then, commence tickling, giving head, or anything else bound to cause the kind of thrashing that a little piece of thread can't possibly withstand. It's a little more cerebral, but it still counts.

4. Predicament bondage is as much mental as it is physical. Reactions to predicament bondage vary. Sometimes it's frustrating or darkly funny. It can trigger inadequacy issues and feel like a reinforcement that the bottom can't do anything “right.” Some interpret it as a hardcore challenge and will spend more time than you'd ever anticipate locked between the two horns of the predicament, stubbornly trying to “work it out.” Some find a completely different kind of free or even spiritual headspace when faced with the certainty of pain no matter which way they turn. As with all things kink, enjoy exploring, but be aware of the multifaceted reactions that may bubble up.

5. More ideas, please! Well, all right: try trussing the bottom up on tiptoe by the wrists and also clover clamps (the kind that tighten when pulled) in tender places. Resting the feet means succumbing to a nasty squeeze-and-pull. Many classic rope bondage predicament tricks involve binding the bottom while standing in some manner that leaves only one foot on the ground. Asymmetry is a powerful trick here; tying your bottom with one leg canted behind them as if they were doing a fancy figure-skating move, pulling the opposite arm over their head, and tying ankle to wrist would do it. No muscle group will happy there. Happy hopping!