Practical Caning

Caning is a form of impact play where a cane or other rigid rod is used to strike a person's buttocks or upper thighs.

Because of the cane's association with punishment in school, caning is sometimes used in role play.

Types of cane

Perhaps the most common material for canes is rattan, though other materials include fibreglass, wood, and rubber.

Some materials, such as bamboo, can split or fracture leaving sharp edges which will cut or slice through skin on impact.

Longer canes move faster than shorter ones and therefore will hurt more.

Other devices, such as wooden spoons, can be used for light play and warm-up.

Sting versus thud

The more narrow a cane, the more it will sting. The thicker the cane, the more it will thud. Some practitioners will use very think rods wrapped in leather to produce thud impacts for warming up their partner. Whether thuds or stings are the right thing for your partner depends very much on their "taste".

Target area

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The most common target areas are the buttocks and upper thighs. Do note that when a male target bends over his testicles may get into the "line of fire", particularly when the target area is the upper thighs. Some enthusiasts advocate the narrow crease area where the upper thighs join the buttocks.

While the buttocks and upper thighs are robust target areas, other target areas are suitable for lighter strokes, such as the breasts and genitals. Instead of using full-sized canes here, other devices such as chop-sticks held by the narrow end or conductor's batons, can be safe and effective. Calves and the soles of the feet can be good targets for medium-sized canes.

Some targets are off-limits almost always, such as the head, spine, and areas above vital organs (such as around the waist). See Practical Flogging.

Some targets are more appropriate for role play, such as the palms or fingers for schoolboy/girl punishment.

Pace

A slower pace, with a few second between strokes, allows the pain to dissipate through the target's body (and perhaps allows them to savour it better). A faster pace can keep the level of pain sustained. However, some bottoms respond best when each stroke has a chance to dissipate before the next. This can take maybe up to ten seconds.

Some tops like to get feedback from their partner that they are ready for the next stroke. This can be done by getting the bottom to count after each stroke---while it's still hurting the bottom has difficulty counting so the top knows they need to wait.

"Assume the position"

Cuffed to a St. Andrews Cross ready for caning or other impact play on the buttocks © Raimond Spekking / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 & GFDL

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There are a number of positions a bottom or submissive can adopt for a caning:

• The bottom can lie flat on their stomach on a massage table or similar. This is quite good because they can relax. Also, if the target area is their buttocks or thighs, their top or dominant can sit down on a chair or stool and administer the strokes in comfort
• Keeping your submissive on a massage table for the moment, if you roll them over on their back and get them to grab their ankles, this nicely exposes their backside for attention
• In a more disciplinary setting the bottom will be bending over a low table or bench. This tightens up the skin and muscles in the buttocks and thighs and can increase the potency (i.e., pain) of the strokes
• Finally, a common position is standing up braced against a wall, or possibly a St. Andrews cross.

Corporal punishment and role play

Because of its association with school days and with criminal punishment in some countries, some BDSM folk use caning differently than other impact play enthusiasts. In particular, caning can be used as a form of punishment rather than pleasure.

In these cases it is administered without warm-up.

When the imagery involved is school days, the caning should be administered with the person's pants or skirt dropped down around their ankles while they are leaning over a desk. This sort of exposure can add humiliation or embarrassment to the experience.

When the imagery is something akin to criminal punishment, the caning should be administered to the buttocks or back (carefully, with a light, narrow and flexible cane) while the person is stripped to the waist.

In both the above scenarios, you use a predetermined number of strokes appropriate for the offence, such as "six of the best".

Safety

• Infection - canes or rods made of natural material, such as wood, are prone to becoming infected by blood products. They thus become a vehicles for spreading diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis. Once such a cane or rod has been exposed to someone's blood, it should not be used on anyone else.
• Bruising - there are salves which help heal bruising faster than the body might normally do on its own. Check at your local pharmacy.
• Broken skin, abrasions, etc. - clean, disinfect, and cover with a bandage.
• Clean your canes, rods, etc., with bleach or other disinfectant after each use.

See also

• Safety
• Wrapping