Types of Bondage Bottoms

With the all discussion lately on Perfect Subs and Sub vs. Slave I thought this article interesting enough to share with the group. I’ve pulled only a portion but the entire text is worth a read http://www.sledmonkey.com/safety/psychology.html

The table below is copied from a compilation of the topics that have appeared on the flip chart used in the presentation

Bondage Types
• Co-operative – suspension
• Inescapable – control, struggle
• Inescapable – captive, cage, chains
• Artistic - Betty Paige (a pretty girl w/ rope)
• Artistic – Shibari (pretty rope w/ a girl or guy)
• Hugs – comfort, security
• Adjunct to sex, etc.
• Predicament (clever methods)
• Punishment - pain
• 60th of second – photography
• Inner Freedom – “I couldn’t help myself”
• Erotic embarrassment – out to dinner
• Symbolic – suspension of disbelief, command
• Fetish – rope, knots, locks, equipment
• Sensory – rope, chain, leather
• Vacuum bed – mummification

Head Space
• Submissive Slave
• Loss of Control Lover
• Bondage Enthusiast
• Gear Fetishist
• Intensity Freak
• Endorphin Pig

A Top's Guide to Bondage Bottoms
Copyright (c)1997 Michael Nelson. Reproduced with permission.

[Note from the Webmaster:
This article originally appeared in the premiere issue (February '97) of the late online magazine Leather Online, and although it was written primarily for the gay leather community, the author has done an excellent job of "categorizing" the different type of bondage players that one is likely to find in the pansexual BDSM scene, as well as in the leather scene. This article is also an excellent primer for the psychology of bondage. We appreciate Mr. Nelson's giving us permission to reproduce his article here on the Bondage Web.]
….

Types of Bondage Bottoms
If people are into bondage for different reasons, what are they? Why does a particular bottom want to get tied up? It's a very fundamental and important question but one that's rarely asked and often difficult for the bottom to answer. I've indirectly asked the question of nearly every bottom I've played with over the years. Most of the answers point towards a half dozen specific desires or kinds of players. I've put my own labels on each of these "types" as follows:

Submissive Slave - This person is mainly interested in submitting to the top. The act of submission is their main turn-on and the top is their main focus. They enjoy being "used" for someone else's pleasure (although most also expect to also receive pleasure themselves). For a serious submissive, physical bondage isn't all that important for most scenes, as the "bondage" can just as easily be psychological (i.e. the top orders them not to move from a given position).

Loss of Control Lover - This person is very different from the Submissive Slave. They don't so much submit to the top, as submit to the bondage. They want to feel as out-of-control as possible. They view bondage as the primary means for the top to make them feel as helpless as possible, rather than as an end in itself. They often love severe bondage like sensory deprivation and mummification. They might judge a hood or gag by its effectiveness not what it looks like or what it's made out of. They like the bondage inescapable and may play without a safe-word to end the scene.

Bondage Enthusiast - This person enjoys being restrained above all else and often as an end in itself. They voluntarily allow themselves to be put into bondage and usually prefer to have some amount of control over what's happening. The type of bondage, position and aesthetics are often important to this person as they also enjoy the visual aspects of the scene. Many Bondage Enthusiasts are happy to be bound and left alone. The top is usually seen as more of an equal and they differ from the Loss of Control Lover in that it's often a more interactive and sometimes theatrical scene. They may struggle against their bonds but know they can easily gain their freedom. It's more of a game and one they sometimes play with themselves (solo bondage).

Gear Fetishist - This person has a fetish for specific gear. It might be boots, leather, rubber, rope, athletic gear, diving suits, uniforms, hoods, gags, sleep sacks, straightjackets, etc. They'll often get turned on at the mere sight of the equipment or clothing. For them, the interest is more in the gear than the bondage itself or submitting to the top. It's usually about how the gear looks, feels and/or smells that gets them going. Some enjoy solo scenes with their own gear.

Intensity Freak - This person craves sexual intensity. They're after the Holy Grail of sex. For them, bondage is a way to make sex more intense. Perhaps they into tickling and bondage allows them to be tickled far more severely than if they were free to stop it. Bondage is typically one of many things this person enjoys to enhance their sex lives.

Endorphin Pig - This person is subtly different from the Intensity Freak. They crave a very specific kind of intensity most of us call pain. They're unique enough to deserve their own category. For them, bondage opens the door for various pain scenes. For example, bondage may be required to hold an Endorphin Pig in place for a heavy whipping which in turn creates the endorphin rush they desire. The endorphins are what drive them while the bondage is often necessary to get there.

Few things are black and white and while you can categorize most bottoms into one of the above descriptions, they may fit one or more others. For example, a Gear Fetishist may also be a Bondage Enthusiast. Recognize that very different things often drive these players. Section 7 contains more details on each of these types.