Bound Together
One couple’s insights into BDSM

Basics

How to be a Dominant in BDSM: A Beginner’s Guide

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Man in a suit slapping a riding crop against his palm

Ever felt the pull to take charge in the bedroom? To be the one who guides the experience, sets the rules, and is responsible for your partner’s pleasure and surrender? You might have a dominant inside you waiting to come out.

Among all the facets of BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism), dominance and submission (D/s) is arguably the most widely practiced, and it’s easy to see why. Giving and taking control (power exchange) doesn’t require fancy toys or gear—it’s mental. And while it may seem simple, doing it well takes more than instinct.

Welcome to Part 1 of our complete guide to D/s. To kick off this series, we’re doing a deep dive into the left side of the slash to explore the dominant mindset. We cover:

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BDSM for Beginners: The Complete Roadmap

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Woman leaning against a car looking at a map

Introduction

When you’re new to BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism), the amount of information available can be overwhelming and confusing. You might find yourself wondering if BDSM is really for you (we did!), if you can call yourself kinky if you’re not into all the letters in the abbreviation (yes!), or if you’re an imposter if you’re not interested in being someone’s full-time, live-in master or slave (you’re not!).

Welcome to Bound Together’s complete guide to BDSM for beginners. What follows is a practical roadmap for people who want to explore BDSM in the bedroom without adopting what’s known as a 24/7 lifestyle. We’ll cover all the basics:

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What’s the Deal with BDSM Energy Play and Sex Magic?

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Cupped palms against a mystical, New Age purple background suggestive of swirling energy.

“Start by pulling magic out of your fingers…”

—“The Invisible Toybox: Incorporating Energy Work into BDSM,” Raven Kaldera 

If you’ve been exploring BDSM for any length of time, you’ve undoubtedly stumbled across references to BDSM energy play, sex magic, and the like. A quick online search conjures up workshops on “exploring energy play in kink,” guides on using sex magic to “manifest positive life energy,” and D/s classes on “conscious energy flow, power exchange, and feeding.”  But what does any of this mean? In this post, we’ll translate these mystical concepts into plain facts.

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How to Find a Long-Term, Monogamous BDSM Relationship

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Woman looking at cell phone with disgusted expression on her face

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“How do you find a long-term partner who is into kink?”; “Having a hard time dating/finding a partner”; “Are respectful, long-term relationships likely or even possible between a dom and a sub?” These are just a few of the many posts on BDSM forums from people who are struggling to find a long-term, monogamous BDSM relationship.

Estimates vary, but according to some studies, nearly 35 percent of adults have engaged in BDSM, and over half have fantasized about it. Further, the vast majority of adults are monogamous. Given these stats, why does it seem to be so difficult for monogamous kinksters to find long-term relationships? One possible reason is that they’re looking in the wrong places.

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Tips for Entering the BDSM Scene as a Single Man

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Couple walking at night with umbrella

About 10 years ago, I became single after a very long relationship and decided it was time to explore my kinky interests in the New York City BDSM scene. As a very introverted 30-something single man, I knew it wouldn’t be easy for me. I was aware that more straight men than women often attend BDSM events, and I had very little experience with BDSM. I wasn’t even sure exactly what I was interested in. I was curious about domination but also enjoyed certain types of “masochism.” Where to begin? 

For my first solo mission, I decided to go to a “munch,” an informal plainclothes hangout of kinky people. I came up with a strategy that led me to a series of kinky successes and might work for you, too.

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What Is Sub/Dom Drop in BDSM and Can It Be Avoided?

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Man and woman lying face to face in bed.

We recently attended a virtual class on sub and top drop—a feeling of depression that can occur after BDSM scenes—and how to deal with it when it happens. The instructor made it sound as if drop is an inevitable byproduct of great BDSM scenes. This struck us as odd, considering we’ve done hundreds of scenes and have never once experienced drop! This led us to wonder what drop really is, what causes it, and how it can be avoided. We address these questions and more in this post.

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5 Common BDSM MYTHS

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Image depicting the idea of a BDSM myth: the Loch Ness monster wearing a spiked collar

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In a previous post about BDSM myths, we tackled common misconceptions that newcomers to BDSM often have, such as “pain is intrinsic to BDSM” and “real D/s dynamics are 24/7.” This time, we’re going to address several BDSM myths that are prevalent within the BDSM community and tend to spur debate when they come up.

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A Guide to BDSM Bondage without Rope

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Woman's arms in leather cuffs with connecting chain between them

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Rope bondage can be beautiful and rewarding, but it can also be time consuming if you want to do anything more complex than basic ties. It requires a level of patience on the part of the top and the bottom that not everyone has, and even if you’re very familiar with rope, you might want to add another dimension to your bondage. And sometimes you just want to cut to the chase! Fortunately, there are quite a few alternatives to rope that are just as effective and fun for bondage. 

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Bound Together
One couple’s insights into BDSM