Roleplay is great but Impact Play is a new height of orgasmic pleasure.
Sex can mean whatever you want it to mean.
And contrary to what you may have been taught, it also doesn’t have to involve anything going inside of you or your partner.
If you’ve ever had a partner palm your ass during sex or teasingly whip your hip with the towel after a steamy shower, you’ve engaged in impact play.
And believe it or not, kinky or not, no type of sexual play is one size fits all.
What is impact play?
Impact play is any practice that involves one person receiving impact — for example, being spanked, punched, whipped, or flogged by another person for the sake of gratification and pleasure.
The gratification can be explicitly sexual but the gratification can also be about nonsexual feelings. For instance, stress release.
Impact play is typically considered an element of BDSM — that’s bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism play and it’s stable in a Dom/sub relationship
Thuddy vs. Stingy play
As you might imagine, both the implement used and the person behind the implement doling said impact will greatly affect the way that impact feels.
Not to mention factors like the receiver’s pain tolerance, current stress levels, and degree of hydration,
as well as the weather, the relationship between the giver and receiver, and more.
Generally speaking, the sensations of impact play can be broken down into two categories:
- thuddy play
- stingy play
The wider the implement and the bigger the area struck, the thuddier the impact.
So, a paddle is going to create a thuddier impact than a foot, while a foot is going to create a thuddier sensation
than a whip.
You may like one type, you may like multiple — everyone’s different
Impact play could incorporate your hand or feet or a wide range of kinky tools.
Each tool brings new sensations, and as you explore each, you’ll likely find a favorite you choose to return to often.
Enjoy whatever forms of impact you and your partner(s) find gratifying, and don’t worry about the rest.
If weeks, months, years, or decades down the road romp you find yourself interested in types of impact play you’d formerly side-lined, you can absolutely return to them then.
It’s completely normal for your sexual interests to evolve over time.
Safety First
Whether you want to dabble in some light spanking or full-on flogging, it’s crucial that all impact play adheres to the RACK principle — that means it’s Risk Aware Consensual Kink.
As a reminder impact play *without* consent is not impact play at all, but rape and assault.
Where to strike
The meatier the area, the safer it is to hit.
Ass, legs, and thighs are all ok.
You can also engage in a little light tapping of the genitals or breast, too.
You want to stay away from major organs, as well as your spine, so skip the tummy and lower back.
You should also avoid:
- ears
- head
- feet
- calves
Risks to be aware of and mitigate
Yes, there are universal rules of where you can and cannot hit.
But we all have individual preferences, boundaries, and triggers.
To find these out, you and your partner need to communicate, communicate, and maybe communicate some more.
Before play, negotiate the below:
- What do you like your parts called? What names do you like to be called, if any?
- Have you had any experience with impact play before?
- Where do you want to hit?
- What do you want to be hit with?
- How do you feel about marks? If OK, where do you like them?
- Do you bruise easily?
- Do you have any medical concerns to be aware of?
- Do you have any allergies?
- Is this going to be sexual for you?
Safewords and safe cues
A safeword is to indicate that you have been pushed beyond your boundaries, comfort zone, or pain threshold.
You might be wondering, “Wait, what about STOP?” During any ol’ play, STOP should halt all play.
But during certain impact play scenes, stop doesn’t actually mean stop. For instance, during an assault or kidnapping fantasy.
A safeword is a word you and your partner designate ahead of time to actually mean STOP during the play.
So, maybe during use “grandma” or “giraffe” to mean “stop” while you’re acting out a fantasy.
You can also choose to use the stoplight system.
During the stoplight system, ‘red’ signifies stop and care, and ‘yellow’ signifies slow down.
Safe cues
It isn’t uncommon for someone to lose their ability to speak during a moment of bliss, sensation overload, and pleasure.
That’s why establishing a non-verbal safety “word” is just as important.
For example: Maybe four thigh taps or two snaps means stop.
This is especially important if:
- you don’t know how you’ll react with a new partner or implement
- you’re combining impact play with something like a ball-gag that restricts your ability to speak
Pain scale
If it’s your first time exploring impact play with a new partner, use a number scale to communicate how much impact you can or want to take.
One means unnoticeable and ten means to your limit and the most you can take.
Begin with a few light swipes and then have your partner tell you the number of pain they’re feeling, plus what number they’d like to get to in that scene.
7 Consensual Impact Plays
Slapping
Slapping is basically hand spanking that happens on body parts other than the ass.
For instance:
- thighs
- face cheeks
- breasts
- penis
- pubic mound
Try mastering slapping on meatier surfaces like the ass before exploring these (^) more delicate surfaces.
Plus, it’s best to start with light slaps before moving on to stronger ones.
But proceed with caution, If you’re going too hard with this you can potentially knock out your partner.
Punching
Think slapping but with a closed fist instead of a flat palm.
Light to heavy punching of the chest or buttocks is a great way to safely play with this thuddy form of impact.
Be sure to stay away from the face, spine, or any major organs, and any other place that doesn’t have your partner’s blessing.
While other tools tend to be a little better and more exact for impact, kicking involves using the feet to deliver sensation.
You can lightly kick the same areas that are typically safe for impact play.
Light kicks on the ball sack or vagina can be fun if you’re into a slight rush of pain.
Just do so lightly and work your way up to keep from hurting your partner.
Spanking
You already know this can be done with a hand.
Did you also know spanking can be done with implements like a belt, paddle, or slapper? Yep.
For some, spanking provides a feeling of release, plus, it can be a great tool in a Mommy or Daddy fantasy scene.
Flogging
Usually multi-tailed and made in leather, latex, or rubber, a flogger is a great tool for both teasing a partner and for delivering mind-blowing impact.
Draw the long tails across your partner’s body to prepare them for the flogging.
The anticipation for the final release is amazing!
Fleshier parts like the buttocks, upper thigh, and back (but not spine or shoulders!) are best.
But flogging anywhere requires a lot of skill!
Whipping
Definitely reserved for those more familiar with impact play, whips provide a stingy sensation.
When done incorrectly — or correctly depending on the experience you’re looking for, it can result in open gashes on the skin.
Skill and aim are key.
Caning
A cane is a thin to medium stick that can be used to administer super localized sensation. Typically, to a muscle-dense area.
Aggressive caning will result in welts so it’s important to be measured in your approach to this tool.
Go light your first time and slowly work your way up to more impactful strikes.
Just like any “regular” sexual experience, aftercare is very necessary and important.
Cuddling may work for some people after impact play but you can also add these to the mix.
Aftercare as needed
This should include debriefing what happened, sharing what you each liked, and communicating how you’re feeling now.
It should also include tending to each other’s physical needs. This could mean:
- icing any bruises
- tending wounds
- rehydrating
- preparing and eating food
Whether you want to try some light spanking or learn more about how to practice impact play in BDSM, there are some things you should know to do it safely.
