This past weekend was a really good one. We had our usual monthly Friday party, two rope intensives on Saturday, a Saturday party, and our monthly rope gathering on Sunday. It was so much fun, and educational, and we did the thing! Both parties went really well, more attendees the first night, but that was to be expected. We had whip classes and bottoming classes and a superb performance to watch from our wonderful presenters.
The intensive that I attended on Saturday was really good and fun. We started out with a running man suspension, which I’d never done before, to learn a new way to attach to the point. The attachment was designed with vertical suspension in mind, and had three points on the chest harness, to keep the bottom from tipping over in one direction or the other. It worked really well. Then we worked on a particular style of 3-rope TK for the rest of the morning. The presenter joked that he tricked us all into yet another TK class, but this one focus a lot on the third rope, and the WHY’s more than the how.
After lunch we split up, the tops working on up-lines, and the bottoms having kind of a round-table on bottoming. Our presenter had some topics she wanted to discuss, and so we bounced around on them. She gave us some good stretches for rope, and a strengthening exercise for shoulders. We talked about choosing good rope tops, and safety, and Why we all choose Rope. It was a really good discussion.
Lastly, we all came back together to try a transitional suspension. One that began with the TK we’d been working on all morning, rigged into a side suspension. Next, each ankle was rigged in a single column tie, first going out to the side, and then up behind the bottom nearly all the way to the ring. This led to the next position, which was hanging by the ankles, by dropping the chest line completely. The finally position was re-rigging the chest from behind and bringing the bottom up into a face-down suspension. Getting down was a simple matter of dropping the ankles back to the floor. Only about half the class managed it after having spent the entire day working hard. We didn’t even fully get to the second position.
Sunday, however, was a new day. A decent amount of rest was had after the Saturday party, and we were ready to try again:
We worked on the TK first, getting it into place, the third rope on, and the bottom wraps not-too-tight. The previous day this had been our biggest difficulty, but we got it down better on Sunday. Once sorted, he rigged me up to the ring, left side down.
Then came the ankles. Single column ties, loose, but not too loose. I have small heels, and my left kept slipping out the day before. Right leg up straight out to the side and a little up. Left leg up behind it. Not so bad, a little rough without a waist line.
But now it is time to go the rest of the way up. Pulling my ankles up behind me to the ring seems like a simple thing, but my body doesn’t normally bend that way. Right away it becomes uncomfortable. Soon, it becomes painful. My lower back is confused as fuck – what the hell do you think you’re doing, you crazy rope bunny, we are not made of Gumby stuff. Oh god, I can’t breathe, what the hell? Shut up brain, we can breathe, see, we are moaning in pain, that’s totally breathing. He checks in. Yeah, I’m surviving, tie the ankles quickly please. I’m sweating and shaking and moaning, but he gets them tied off.
He checks in again, have you ever hung by your ankles? No. He calls in a nearby rigger to be a spotter in case I red out. I just want this awful pressure off my chest and back. He lowers my chest.
Oh dear gods, sweet sweet air. I’m am hanging upside down by my ankles. but my chest is free. Well, okay, I’m still in a TK, but the pressure is gone and I can breathe. My left hand is even getting feeling back again. So Much Better, I gasp. I don’t even care the my head is resting on the ground, I can breathe again. I am sure that I’m spacing out as they chuckle at me.
Ready to go back up? I take a few more breaths, and curl my head, going from resting on the back of it, to resting on my forehead, so he can pull me straight up again. He grabs the lift line and drops to the ground, zipping me up into the air. He tells the spotter we’re alright now, but I ask him to stay, upside down was easy, upright is the hard part.
You okay? Yeah, but my lower back thinks I’m crazy, I don’t bend into a V quite as well as younger folk.
Careful breathing as he lifts me fully up and ties me off. Oh dear gods the pain and pressure are back. Not Nearly as bad as the sideways twist, but my body really thinks I’ve gone insane. Almost there, I tell it, just a little longer.
He unties the line of one foot, our friendly spotter offers to do the other one, so both come down at the same time. Nah, he says, I want to fuck with her. We all laugh, and I groan a bit, as he lets one leg down slowly. I let out a soft curse as he gets that one all the way down and it can’t quite touch the ground. But he is quick with the second and I’m back on my feet in no time. Gasping for breath, grinning from ear to ear.
We did it! We did the thing! Thank you! So happy to have completed the challenge we set for ourselves. We’re both in a better mood, and I am bouncy the rest of the afternoon.
Such a good way to wrap up a great weekend.
Who taught the intensive?
I love a three tie TK, it’s so much more comfortable for inversions and face down. I ask for it if that’s what we’re doing.