This is intended to be a quick overview of the basics of spanking to provide an introduction for people who are new to spanking.

First, let me say that there is no one “Right” way to spank. People are very different in their motivations and pain tolerance, so what works perfectly for one person might be completely wrong for another. That said, I will try to lay out the basics and suggest good starting places and methods.

Let’s start with implements. The hand spanking is what most people start with and it is also favored by a lot of bottoms (spankees) who like the personal contact of feeling the spankers hand on their body. As you progress to longer spankings the spanker’s hand can get quite sore. This is the point where most people start considering various implements.

While most people don’t think of it as an implement, a tight fitting leather glove such as a driving, bicycling or handball glove is the simplest of implements, providing some protection for the spankers hand while still allowing for the feel of a hand spanking.

From there you have a number of options that you can move to. Leather belts and straps are a good starting place because their flexibility decreases the chance of causing an injury while the spanker is first learning. With straps and belts, the thicker the leather, the more painful it will be because of the extra weight. Belt width can be anywhere from 1 to 2 inches, with 1¼” and 1½” being the best place to start.

There are basically 2 ways to hold the belt. You can hold both ends in your hand and strike with the doubled center of the belt, or you can fold or wrap the buckle end around your hand leaving a single thickness strap extending to strike with. Also, just in case it isn’t obvious, never strike with the buckle on a belt, only the leather part.

Straps are just strips of leather, often with some sort of built-up handle to make them easier to hold. They include Barber’s Straps among other possibilities. Straps range from about 15” to 24” in length and 1” to 2½” in width. A strap much longer than 24” (total length including handle) gets too floppy to control with precision. For a longer, more severe strap, you want to incorporate a long wooden handle. Wooden handles can go up to about 18” in length, with an 18” to 20” strap extending from the handle. When made with heavy 12 oz. leather, these are extremely severe and are not for use by beginners.

Leather thickness can range from 8 oz. to 13 oz., with the thicker, heavier leather obviously being the more severe in use. It is generally good to have several straps ranging from a short 15” by 1” or 1¼” strap made from 8 oz. leather, up to a 24” by 1½” to 2” strap made from 12 oz. leather. That will give you a range of severity levels to cover every situation.

Because of their flexibility belts and straps can very easily “Wrap” and cause a lot of damage on the outside of the far buttock. The answer to this is to make sure that the end does not extend too far past the far butt cheek when in use.

Paddles of various sorts include hair brushes and their more severe cousins bath brushes. Brushes are a good place to start because they are generally smaller and lighter than most paddles and allow more room for error while learning. It should be noted that paddles are among the more painful implements and tend to cause the most bruising. For more on this, read my piece: “The Mechanics of Bruising” in my Writings.

Paddles should never be used on any area where there are bones near the surface. They are best on thick muscles like the buttocks that serve to protect the underlying bones with a good bit of padding. Large, heavy paddles like Frat paddles should only be used by experienced spankers as there are some serious injury risks with them if improperly used. This will be discussed in more detail in the Safety section later on.

Because paddles don’t flex, it can be difficult to hit both butt cheeks evenly when using a large paddle. You need to really focus on having the paddle strike squarely on both butt cheeks. It is often easier for a new spanker to strike one side and then the other. This is where something like a bath brush comes into its own, it is perfectly sized to strike a single cheek and is a good place for a new spanker to start when first using paddles.

Canes would be the next implement to consider. Natural canes range from light Rattan to thick, heavy Rattan and Whangee at the more severe end of the range. Stay away from bamboo as it can split and break causing injury from the sharp ends when this happens.

Rattan comes in both peeled and unpeeled forms. Peeled rattan has no visible nodes and is off-white in color. It is not as strong or as durable as unpeeled rattan, but it is somewhat gentler and less marking because it doesn’t have the raised nodes. Unpeeled rattan is more yellow in color in addition to having visible raised nodes.

You will also find hardwood canes which are somewhat heavier than rattan and therefore more severe. It is best not to use commercial dowel rods, as the grain frequently does not run straight down the length of the rod, which will cause them to break if swung hard.

Natural canes can range from 1/4” to 1/2” diameter, and up to 36” long. The basic rule with canes is: The thicker the cane, the more painful it is because of the extra weight.

There are also synthetic canes which can be made from Polycarbonate (Lexan), Acetal (Delrin), Nylon 6/6 and Fiberglass. These are significantly heavier and therefore more severe than natural canes of the same diameter. They can be purchased as simple rods from Amazon and the ends rounded with a file. Avoid Acrylic canes as these can break without warning and the broken ends are very sharp.

The best sizes for Polycarbonate, Acetal and Nylon canes are 5/16” and 3/8” diameter, and up to 36” long. Because Fiberglass is much stiffer, you can use 3/16” and 1/4” diameter in the same length without it getting too whippy to control.

There is also the issue that natural canes can’t take too much of a bend without significantly shortening their life. With a natural cane, especially peeled rattan, you want a stroke with minimal follow through. Avoid a lot of wrist action after the cane has hit its target. A lot of wrist movement after impact will cause a severe bend in the cane just above your hand. This will result in frequent cane breakage with peeled rattan canes. Less so with unpeeled rattan which is considerably more durable.

Raw, unfinished rattan canes should also be soaked in water every so often to keep the moisture content up. Dry canes are more susceptible to breakage. Rattan canes can also be varnished, which eliminates the need to soak them as the varnish seals them preventing moisture from escaping.

Learning to use a cane is best done on a pillow with a mark or pattern. Pick a spot on the pillow and practice until you can hit within 1 inch of the spot every time. When you can do that, you are ready to try it on a person.

Canes require special care in their use. Because of their flexibility they can “Wrap” and cause a lot of damage on the outside of the far buttock. This is controlled by making sure that the end of the cane does not extend too far past the far butt cheek. If the punishment is being distributed unevenly with the far cheek getting most of the action, the spanker should take a small step toward the spankee’s head so that the cane strikes the near buttock first and then bends slightly to hit the far buttock.

Last are the “Nontraditional” implements. This would include things like rubber jump ropes, which leave marks like a cane but are less likely to break the skin and cause bleeding. These are used folded over so that the spanker has either one or two loops of rope extending 15 to 30 inches from his hand. The Valeo Speed Jump Rope is an excellent and inexpensive place to start for these. The handles can be cut off and it can be cut to the preferred length to make it less clumsy to use if you wish.

There are many other less well known implements: Short Flat Tailed whips (such as the Dragon Tail), Quirts, Riding Crops, Dressage Whips, etc.

There are also implements which have normal household or personal uses and are called “Pervertables”. In addition to Belts, Hairbrushes, Bath Brushes and Jump Ropes, which have already been mentioned, these include things like large wooden spoons, spatulas and other kitchen utensils. A simple hand towel either dry or wet (Much more painful) also works well, especially if you need something in a hurry or don’t want to be carrying anything that might be identifiable if you are traveling or visiting.

There are many places to buy implements. I will give a short list of companies that I have used personally and have been happy with. If a company is not on this list, it does not in any way mean that there is a problem with them, just that I don’t have personal experience with them.

First is Amazon, which is a source for leather straps, Polycarbonate, Acetal and Nylon Rods which can be made into canes by rounding their ends with a file, Bath Brushes, Hairbrushes, Rubber Jump Ropes, etc.

The others would be: Adam & Gillian’s, Woodrage, Spanking Paddles by Walt, PaddleDaddy, Bullhide Belts, Canes4Pain, CANE-IAC, Snakewhip (Victor Tella), EF Whips, Ouch.uk.com, Springfield Leather Company, The Original Horse Tack Co., Knot & Rope Supply, and Extreme Restraints. The London Tanners was out of business for a while but is now selling again under new ownership. I have not purchased from the new owner, but I have many of their items from the first owner and they are all of excellent quality. Based on that, I would suggest checking them out in the hope that the new owner is still making similar quality implements. All of these companies can be found on the web and have very informative websites that will give you a lot of ideas.

Before we go further, let’s cover some safety basics. There are several places you can do serious damage during a spanking. These are the Kidneys (Small of the back on both sides just above the hip bones), the Spine and the Tailbone. Never strike the lower back in the area around the kidneys with anything heavy. Heavy strikes to the kidneys can cause internal bleeding that will show up as blood in the urine. This is not to be taken lightly as there can be very serious complications.

The tailbone is primarily an issue with paddles or other hard and heavy implements. Hitting the tailbone with something hard and/or heavy can break it, requiring a trip to the hospital and surgery. This is the main thing to watch for when using paddles, be careful to position the spankee so that a missed swing can’t hit the tailbone. This is more of an issue on women with small or flat butts as there isn’t as much padding to keep the paddle at a safe distance from the tailbone.

Now let’s move on to spanking areas (Targets). The center of the butt just above the thighs is called the "Sweet Spot", if the spankee is bent over this would be the area right around the pussy. The nerves in that part of the butt are connected to the same nerve ganglion as the genitals. That's why some women orgasm or become very aroused from being spanked. There is crosstalk between the nerves that stimulates the genitals. That is the best area for the spanker to give the majority of his attention to when first starting out with spanking and any time the spanking is intended to have erotic overtones. The upper part of the butt and the outsides of the butt are much harder for the recipient to eroticize because there is no crosstalk with the genitals from those areas. These areas would be appropriate to spend more time on for a punishment spanking.

Other good spanking areas, besides the butt, include the backs of the upper thighs. Be aware that the thighs are more sensitive and spanking them is considerably more painful than the butt. Generally speaking, it is never a good idea to strike below the middle of the thighs. The point where the tendons in the backs of the legs start is the limit. Light things like a whip wouldn't be a problem here, but heavier implements could damage the tendons since they are right at the surface and not protected by any padding.

The insides of the thighs are a very sensitive area that can also have an erotic connection, but because of the extreme sensitivity, this area is best left for after you are more experienced with spanking in general.

Before we start with the actual spanking, we need to discuss communication issues. These are important at all times, but especially so with people who are new to spanking. It is essential that the spanker have a good idea of how the spankee is experiencing the spanking. This can vary tremendously from one person to another. Some women would be screaming in pain from a spanking that other women would consider quite mild. Never assume anything with a new partner or when you are starting out, always communicate clearly!

A very good procedure that I like to use is to ask the spankee to "Give Me a Number". The way this works is the spankee rates the severity of the spanking at that moment by giving the spanker a number between 1 and 5. 1 meaning "Stop Tickling Me", and 5 meaning "I Absolutely Can’t Take It Any Harder". That way the spanker can calibrate his intensity to how the spankee is experiencing it. This greatly speeds up learning with a new partner. When first learning, the spankee should also be encouraged to volunteer a number unasked if they feel they need to.

This brings us to the subject of Safewords. Special safewords are only needed if the spankee wants to be able to Role Play and pretend that they are being forced or victimized, by saying things like: “Stop”, “Don’t”, etc. without the spanker listening or actually stopping. If you don’t feel a need to role play, then direct communication like saying: Stop! Is all that’s needed.

If you do want separate safe words, you should have at least 2. The main safeword causes everything to stop completely and instantly. If you use it, the session is OVER! The most commonly used word is “RED”, although I also like "Safeword". You would never have any other reason to say "Safeword", so there couldn't be any chance of a misunderstanding.

Next you need a soft safeword. "Yellow" is good for this. Saying "Yellow" means that the spankee doesn’t want to end the session, but something needs to be addressed. They have a cramp, or something like that. Yellow means the spanker stops temporarily and checks in with the spankee to see what the problem is.

"5" can also be used as a soft safeword. It is another way for the spankee to let the spanker know they are very close to their limit and that the spanker needs to back off slightly and give them time to catch up.

If you anticipate being involved with other spanking partners in future, it is probably best to learn to use RED and YELLOW, since they have become the accepted norm in the spanking / BDSM community.

Warmups are a very important part of any spanking (Other than a pure discipline spanking). When you are ready to start, make sure the spanker warms the spankee up for at least 5 minutes with a hand spanking, starting lightly and increasing in intensity before moving on to more severe implements. This will get the blood flow established in the area and allow the spankee time to adjust to the new sensations.

Even with experienced players, a warmup is standard since it allows the spankee to take a considerably harder or longer spanking than would be possible without a warm up. This is why it is sometime omitted in a discipline spanking, because skipping it makes the spanking a good bit more painful. A warmup can also reduce the severity of bruising, although the extent to which this works varies a lot from one person to another.

Now, for the spankee, breathing is an important subject. While you are being spanked, focus on your breath. Take long deep breaths; don't let your breathing get short and shallow. You will be surprised by the difference in how you experience the spanking between those two types of breathing.

Something else I should mention. The more the spankee is bent over, the more the muscles are stretched, which makes the spanking more painful and somewhat increases the severity of bruising. (See my writing on “The Mechanics of Bruising” for more on this.)

There is also the fact that most women can take a lot more pain and enjoy it more if they are sexually aroused. The spanker can get the spankee wet before he starts spanking severely, and can take short time outs during the spanking to rub the spankee’s ass, slip his fingers into her cunt, and play with her clit. This will have to be experimented with as there are large variations in types of spankings and the reactions of different women. For instance, something like this would obviously not be appropriate for a straight punishment type spanking or something along those lines. You will also find that certain women want to focus on the spanking with no distractions. (For more on this, see my writing “The Reasons People Seek or Accept Pain”.)

One additional thing to be aware of is where a woman is in her menstrual cycle. Most women have significantly reduced pain tolerance starting shortly before their period begins and lasting until it is over. If you are spanking a woman during her period, expect her to be able to take noticeably less pain than at other times. Most women also have tender breasts during this time, so slapping or spanking the breasts is generally more painful and perceived by them as less sexually stimulating than at other times.

Positions for spanking start with the basic across the knees while sitting in a chair position. This is good for shorter spankings but longer spankings become uncomfortable for the spankee because they have to support their upper body weight with their arms. For longer hand spankings, lying across the spanker’s lap on a bed is better because it provides better support. These positions are also good for hairbrushes and other short implements like wooden spoons, short straps/belts, etc.

Next we go to things like lying face down on a bed either with or without a pillow or something similar under the lower belly and hips to raise the spankee’s ass. Assuming a narrow bed, this position also allows the spanker to alternate spanking from both sides for more even coverage. Because of the reach involved, this works best with longer implements: Belts, Straps, Jump Ropes, Quirts and Canes all come into their own here.

After that comes bent over. The possibilities for this are almost endless, the most obvious being bent over a table (Padding under the hips is good here or the sharp edge will be a distraction for the spankee). Bent over the arm of a couch or large chair. Kneeling with hands and knees on a large padded foot stool or ottoman, etc. A little imagination will find lots of possibilities.

I am not personally a big fan of unsupported, bent over spankings. While you will see a lot of pictures of women holding their ankles and such while being spanked, I have found that if they are being spanked hard balance becomes a problem. It is quite possible to tip someone over, and having to worry about their balance is a significant distraction for many spankees.

Last among the basics is “Diaper Position” with the spankee on their back on a bed or similar surface and the spanker lifting their legs straight up to allow access to the butt for the spanking.

As for the spanking itself, once you are through the warmup, the possibilities are almost endless. I could write 10 long articles on different scenarios and still not cover everything. There are erotic spankings that are basically foreplay for (frequently rough) sex. There are discipline spankings, frequently in a Domestic Discipline type setting. There are fantasy/role play spankings that can encompass almost anything from school spankings on up.

The best I can give you here is to encourage you to use your imagination and be willing to talk openly with your partner about any fantasies the two of you have around the subject of spanking. Discussion is very important for new partners. What one person has in mind when they think spanking can be vastly different from what another person is envisioning. Take nothing for granted in the beginning. Have each person describe in detail what they have in mind, then discuss it to find a scenario that will work for both people.

There are also many books of varying quality on how to spank. A quick check of Amazon’s website will reveal a good assortment. I am hesitant to make a general recommendation of any because they all tend to have a specific area that they focus on, and if that doesn’t happen to be your area, even the best book will be of little interest to you.

The last thing I want to mention is Aftercare. I can’t go into all the details of aftercare here as that would be quite a long article all by itself. I just want to make you aware that it is important and urge you to read up on it. Aftercare is not usually as much of an issue for short simple beginner type spankings, but as you progress to longer and more serious sessions it becomes vital that the spanker understand aftercare and also be familiar with Subdrop, how to minimize its chances of happening and how to deal with it if it does happen.

As you become more advanced, you may also want to become familiar with Subspace, how it’s caused and how to proceed when it is encountered.

This has by necessity, been a rather short and simple introduction to a very involved subject, but I think it will serve to help get you started in the right direction and at least make you aware of what things you need to think about and address when approaching the subject of spanking for the first time.

If, after reading this, you have specific questions on spanking matters that I haven’t covered here, you can message me with your questions and I will answer them where possible.

Chieftain50