Tristan Taormino - The Ultimate Guide to Kink - BDSM, Role Play, and the Erotic Edge

Assignments can be brief and amusing, like “Find ten slang terms for cunnilingus.” They can include more serious research, as in “Read this book on anal sex and fisting.” Or they can consist of directions to practice a technique: “Massage five people at next weekend’s fetish frolic.” They can be geared toward a specific act, or even to a style of behavior. Suppose you and your partners love the fantasy of an Edwardian household, complete with high teas and fancy clothing and strict master/servant roles. Assign your sex slave to find the right clothing, and set the scene for the grand, formal tea-service-and-caning you schedule for your next big date night. Or have them read some nice Victorian porn to you, posed on their knees while you sip your tea or brandy.

When training expands beyond the realm of sexual techniques and encompasses role playing and other behaviors, the world likewise grows tenfold. Suppose it’s not just the sex and play and fucking the top enjoys, but the attitude of the bottom that makes her so much more ecstatic. Maybe you enjoy a cringing, fearful victim for your diabolic schemes as opposed to a fancy-free happy slut! Or, perhaps the formality of the whole “Yes, my lord and master” role play is more to your taste than “Sure, honey, right after I worm the cat.” Either way, giving the bottom an order to behave the way you like for a set amount of time is a great way not only to use that authority of yours but to set yourselves up for some great flirting.

Flirting? Why not? Flirting should not end just because you have an established relationship. And erotic role play, whether full-time or fit-into-your-busy-lives-whenever-you-have-the-time-and-privacy-to-enjoy-it, is flirtatious, sexy, and its own reward. So tell your slave, “On Saturday, all day, I will be holding you captive; tremble and obey!” That is an assignment that should be received with pleasure and anticipation. The worst that can happen is a few giggles. These can be survived.

An important thing to remember when developing training exercises around role playing and fantasy games is to make sure everyone is on the same page. Parent/child role playing is very popular, whether it’s a naughty boy getting spanked over Mommy’s knee or Daddy’s precocious little slut trying to find out what happens when she does this . But if the Daddy in question wants a precious girly partner who will climb on his lap and kiss him shyly and tease him with her white panties, but the little girl in question wants Daddy to sneak into her bedroom at night and hold her down in the dark while saying terrible things—this will not be a good date, let alone an example of good training.

The next step in developing your personal training program is to figure out what to do when your slave 1) does things wrong, and 2) does things right. Both of these are fun and will improve your sex and play and enhance your dominant/ submissive roles.

Your two responses are called punishments and rewards , and yes, I meant it when I said both are fun. If you are not having fun doing something in your relationship, then don’t do it! One thing some people seem not to understand about these ways of enhancing our lives and our partnerships is that they are all optional; none of them should be a burden. And this includes the scary concept of punishment.

Remember, the goal of your training program is to improve your sex life and enhance dominance and submission. Your submissive partner already wants to please you, and already gets pleasure out of doing so, as a volunteer. The ability to punish him for doing something wrong is what shows that you, the top, are the one in authority. It also shows that the top is paying attention , which is perhaps even more important. Everyone likes to be the center of attention—bottoms more than most people, even if they insist otherwise.

Suppose the bottom has been engaged in a strict training program in toe sucking, also known as shrimping . This specific fetishy behavior can be very tricky to master, despite seeming sort of obvious. (Take toe into mouth. Suck. Repeat.) Problems can arise, however, if the toe suckee is also ticklish, or likes specific tonguing behavior, or wants special attention paid to one toe over the others, or wants a massage with the hands at the same time, or, well, anything else. One fine and sexy night, the bottom forgets the vital instruction to cup the top’s heels in both hands while lovingly laving the little piggies. When the top comes out of her postorgasm stupor (if she gets that far without this critical bit of stimulation) she can announce with glee—or dire and stern mien, if that’s her style—that the bottom, having failed to be completely pleasing, is now subject to punishment.

This point in the scene is a good reminder of why partners need to complete their consent and negotiation way ahead of time. But even if the bottom draws the line and says, “Nope, no hitting me or making me stand in the corner. No one puts Baby in the corner,” for whatever good reasons he may have, the top can usually come up with some way to express a negative and dominant reaction to an error or failure that does not bring up bad memories, make the bottom feel dumb or unattractive, or in any other way betray the positive and sexy aspects of their relationship. For some people, it’s as easy as “Do it again, slave!” Or it might require more creativity, such as: “To make amends for your toe sucking catastrophe, you will have to attend the next chick flick/action adventure movie with me and not whisper a single catty thing during the whole show.” Believe me, they’d probably prefer that you spanked them.

If, however, spanking (or other sex and play activity) is on the table, punishment becomes what I call “another excuse to play.” If your relationship is more formal, make the punishments very different from what you use for fun. Bring out the canes if you normally use your open hand, or the steel handcuffs if you normally use the soft leather cuffs. Make it quick and complete, and include a chance for the bottom to beg for mercy (because that’s hot), then offer forgiveness, smooch or otherwise soothe, and move on to greater efforts at improvement. For many people who enjoy the submissive role, being punished is one of the times when they feel authentically submissive—they are accepting something they’d rather not have. This expression of their obedience is paradoxically very rewarding. Many bottoms report that after being punished, the moments of discomfort and embarrassment actually turn to memories they embrace with pride and affection, or even reenact in whack-off fantasies. Just make sure that all your play is not punishment—that will just lead to deliberate disobedience to get sexed up. Not that there’s too much wrong with that— if that’s what you intend . But if you want a more positive training experience, you have to use the next item on the list of training tools: a reward.

The other side of the punishment coin is rewarding your bottom. Rewards can be anything the bottom likes, ranging from “Do it again, slave!” to accompanying them to the next chick flick/action adventure movie and not making too many catty comments during the show. Or, for that matter, a spanking. You can even get tricky and reward him with a new assignment. But whatever reward you use, make sure it’s accompanied by some verbal praise and affection and you will find the light of pleasure and adoration shining all around you. For obvious reasons, rewards are less tricky to negotiate than punishments—you will rarely run into a reward that might stir bad memories of toxic parenting or dismal school days. But it’s always a good idea to know exactly what the bottom likes, lest you announce a reward that he might accept with a raised eyebrow or giggles. Beware of “Homer Simpson” rewards: Don’t give your slave a bowling ball that fits your hand—get him a butt plug that fits his ass.