ShibariClasses must be the biggest selection of shibari tutorials on the net with over 40 now! We started ShibariClasses just over 3 and a half years ago when we were trying to make the sequel to the best-selling ‘Japanese Rope Bondage: Tying people, not parcels’ DVDs and now we teach thousands of students.
When ShibariClasses launched, it initially only had an updated and enhanced version of my DVDs but even that was an instant hit. From there, more basic tutorials were added to expand upon and update the existing material. It was clear that the emphasis on communication with the ‘tying people, not parcels’ approach struck a chord. Since then, we have developed a method of teaching which de-mystifies shibari by breaking it down into ‘ingredients’, i.e. simple and often repeated components, and using them according to logical rules to build ties or ‘recipes’ as we call them. There aren’t even that many ‘ingredients’ as many are simply a variant of another, e.g. a double column tie is a modified single column, the wraps of a TK/gote are also single columns just closed in a different manner. Once this understanding is gained, you are no longer creating ties by an un-erotic paint-by-numbers approach. It all makes sense and the next step becomes far more logical. You become safer and more creative whilst communicating more effectively. Win/win!
Over 40 tutorials
After a small beginning, our range of tutorials has grown steadily to over 40 shibari tutorials now. You’ll find a selection of core ties, plus a lot on how to use rope effectively. So much of the essence of shibari is in how you use the rope and what you say when you do it. Like sex, it is not simply a question of performing the steps or knowing 101 positions. Doing the simplest thing just so can be the most mind-blowing and, equally, being fancy with no finesse can be as a wet afternoon on an industrial estate 🙂 Never underestimate the power of single rope used well.
As I’d realised before we started ShibariClasses, suspension is a subject which attracts massive interest. We quickly realised as we started shooting ‘Ground to Air’, intended to be an introduction to suspension, that the subject was far too big for a couple of DVDs. This was a large part of the impetus for an online platform. We were also wary of committing such advanced material to stone in the form of DVDs since we kept having new ideas and wanting to add things since shibari is developing so fast. It was also limiting as not to be able to add external resources, quizzes, large amounts of text etc. Furthermore, customers were asking about on-line content rather than playable media. So, it became apparent that books, videos and DVDs were yesterday’s technology; the future was in fully fledged on-line multi-media teaching software that could be updated easily and offer feature rich content.
Instead of making ‘Ground to Air’, we have embarked on a comprehensive series, Suspension Techniques, which is now in its eleventh part and has so much content it would have been absurd to try to put it all on DVDs. In fact, it seems an almost unending project with no immediate end in sight.
Can you learn with videos?
People often say, you can only learn face to face or that it is automatically better. Of course, there is nothing to beat proper face to face tuition by a good teacher backed by suitable aide memoirs. The problem is, firstly, finding somebody who really knows their stuff and can teach. Unfortunately, there are very few with a real depth of experience in shibari and in teaching it. Even if you get the best tuition, it is all to easy to forget or mis-remember what you have been taught without good revision material. It is very rare for this to be provided so I frequently see students proudly show me what they think they have learned, only to spend time correcting them. What’s worse is they could well have spent weeks practising and ingraining their errors or even hurt somebody unintentionally.
We strongly believe that good tuition can be given with proper explanation and demonstration, even things like wrap tension can be shown with the right examples. I won’t reiterate what I have already said here:
“I learned more in an hour with you than in the previous 100”
This was a recent student comment and speaks volumes about the way we teach. Judging by the feedback, our students are loving our way of teaching. You can see more comments on our testimonials page.
“I completed the course and loved how well the reasoning behind each movement was explained, rope efficiency and how the energy is transmitted through the rope. Its IMPRESSIVE!!! I can’t wait to complete the next 2 courses for the same subject and soon ALL the courses” – Myself
“I’m reaching out to you because I’ve enrolled in a few of your online courses recently and I am blown away. I intend to take every course. My local rope community has a bad reputation for consent violators and I don’t feel comfortable associating with them. Your site gives me an alternative that actually works better for me as I like to re watch your hand motions over and over.” JohnnyThrash
Take a look at our courses, some of which are free. Most are on a low monthly subscription so you have plenty of time to absorb the lessons and to go back to revise.