Rope Podcast

Do you have to be completely upside down for it to count as an inversion? The answer might surprise you. This episode, Fox and Mya explore inversions in partial and full rope suspension: what they are, why some rope bottoms love them while others would happily stay upright, and how different anchors and positions shape the experience. They discuss: • What counts as an inversion - and why the defin...

Can it be harder for a rope top to stop a scene than for the bottom? Listener writes in to ask why calling a halt can sometimes feel particularly difficult or risky for the person tying. We often talk about bottoms having permission to stop, slow down or change a scene, but tops can face their own pressures: expectations around performance, responsibility for the experience, and the feeling that o...

Decorative rope can look intricate and intimidating - but what happens when the person wearing it starts moving, or you take it out of a controlled environment and into a busy party? Fox and Mya continue their conversation with Roper_Ducky, a husband-and-wife Rigger/Bunny couple from Jacksonville, Florida, known for their colorful, playful decorative and wearable rope. This time, the conversation...

This week, Fox and Mya are joined by Roper_Ducky, a husband-and-wife Rigger/Bunny couple based in Jacksonville, Florida. They’ve been tying together since November 2025, developing a distinctive style centred on decorative and wearable rope, bright colours and playful themes. For them, rope is at once a way to connect through touch, a creative outlet and a collaborative art form - with plenty of e...

What happens when you add one extra rule to a rope scene? In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss a type of rope game they call stipulations: additional restrictions or conditions that change how a scene works. A top might be forbidden from using their left hand, for example, or the partners might agree on another rule that disrupts their usual way of tying. The fun comes from discovering what that r...

How reliable is your judgement in rope? Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts that help us process information quickly, but they can also lead to predictable errors in how we interpret situations and make decisions. In this episode, Fox and Mya explore how these biases can affect our rope practice, relationships, learning and assessment of risk. They discuss: • Anchoring bias and how first impress...

Marcos Mangani has been practising rope bondage for more than seven years. During that time, he has developed a conscious, quiet approach to rope and a distinctive style of face bondage. By creating spaces in which people can trust and surrender, he invites them to explore their bodies, emotions and intentions in new ways. Marcos has taught in queer and rope spaces including Tension in Montreal, T...

What does it take to be a great rope model? In this episode, Fox and Mya explore the practical and creative aspects of bottoming for rope photography. From planning the concept and preparing for the day to communication, safety, posing and aftercare, they discuss how to make a photoshoot enjoyable and successful for everyone involved. They cover different types of shoots, collaborating with photog...

Self-care is a topic Mya is particularly passionate about, and in this episode we take a deep dive into what self-care means for people who practice rope. Although many of our episodes touch on aspects of caring for ourselves and our partners, this conversation focuses specifically on building self-care practices that support a healthy and sustainable relationship with rope. Topics include: • What...

Thank you to listener MoonBunny5 for sharing a difficult and vulnerable question. After experiencing a very negative interaction with a rigger, she now struggles to even look at rope without feeling disgusted. She wants to know whether it's possible to return to rope after an experience like this, and if so, how. While neither Mya nor Fox are therapists, this episode explores some of the concepts...

Vetting is the process of deciding whether someone is a good fit before you trust them as a rope partner. It might sound simple, but in practice there’s a lot to consider - your context, your risk tolerance, and what information actually matters. In this episode, Fox and Mya explore how vetting can shift over time, the different types of risk you might weigh, and how to approach references with a...

With an infectious delight in what she calls “macramé with humans,” Mystrix brings a thoughtful, creative approach to minimalistic western rope. In this conversation, she shares how her style focuses on adapting rope to the individual - prioritizing intention, efficiency, and connection over complexity. We talk about her journey into rope, what continues to fuel her passion, and how her perspectiv...

What happens when precision meets tension? In this episode, Mya and Fox dive into the edge where rope and sharps intersect - an intense, deliberate form of play that demands skill, trust, and control. - What counts as sharps play - Real risks (and why they're often misunderstood) - When the top may be at greater risk than the bottom - Why people are drawn to sharps—on both sides of the dynamic - T...

What does it really mean to step into a Japanese rope bar - and how do you do it without getting it wrong? In this episode, Mya and Fox speak with Nuit de Tokyo, whose engagement with Japanese rope spans more than three decades. His learning has come through formal training, deep cultural immersion, and proximity to source: watching over a thousand SM performances, performing publicly, and absorbi...

This week, Fox and Mya explore a role in rope bondage that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: the rope assistant. Neither top nor bottom, but an active and intentional part of the scene—this dynamic opens up new possibilities for connection, support, and creativity. Fox and Mya break down: • What the role actually involves (and common misconceptions) • Ways a rope assistant can contribute to a s...

From squeaky ducky paddles to exquisite rope art Muffy's creative journey is anything but ordinary. The owner of UK BDSM brand Against-TheGrain, Muffy is an intermediate rope switch who's turned shibari into something playful, painful, and unexpectedly meditative: colouring books for rope lovers. Created in collaboration with 7 artists across the UK, USA, and Australia, these books transform real...

When does a tie become suspension-worthy? Is it a binary "Yes/No," or is there a grey area where physics and risk collide? This week, we’re answering a brilliant listener question from @TangledNTwisted: “What actually makes a tie suspension-worthy?” Fox and Mya break down the "Suspendability Spectrum," moving away from rigid rules and moving toward a framework of Data, Mechanics, and Risk Manageme...

Mya is stepping out of the studio and into the heart of the action. This week, we’re bringing you a special field report from “She Ties”, an event dedicated exclusively to female riggers and male bottoms. Since Fox (male rigger) and Mya (female bottom) can’t speak to this dynamic from personal experience, we’re passing the mic to the community. Featuring atmospheric audio recorded on-site, we hear...

The Agura tie shows up again and again in shibari - but what makes it so enduring, and how can you work with it more intentionally? In this Rope Focus episode, Fox and Mya break the Agura tie down piece by piece: how it’s built, how it feels, and how small choices in structure, orientation, and intent can dramatically change the experience. They dive into: • What the Agura position actually is - i...

Matija Vid Pecek Black (she/he/they, aka Nikki Lapore) has been exploring shibari for nearly a decade-but this isn’t just about knots. For Nikki, rope is a way to connect with energy, nature, and the soul itself. Think flowers, forests, and the freedom of tying yourself as a ritual of release and self-discovery. In this episode, Mya and Fox dive into Nikki’s unique world, covering: • How rope beco...

Listener Bethany asks Fox and Mya a deceptively simple question: after nine years of making the Rope Podcast, what’s actually changed about their rope - and the way they think about it? The answer turns into a wide-ranging, honest reflection on how rope evolves over time: through experimentation, relationships, community, aging, and life doing what life does. In this episode, they talk about: • Ho...

We’re back with Part 2 of our festive special — and this time, our guests share the rope scenes that stuck with them long after the ropes came off. Just like Part 1, the stories range from playful to profound, from photoshoots to performances - and this time, more than one takes us outdoors. Just like in the last episode the line between these is often blurred, in part because the very physicality...

It’s that time of year again — one of our favourite (and most popular!) episodes: where our wonderful guests from throughout 2025 share one of their favourite rope scenes. This year’s stories span the full spectrum of rope — from performance to photoshoot, labbing to play — and show just how beautifully blurred those boundaries can be. Expect moments of connection, creativity, and curiosity in eve...

Simple in structure but rich in potential, the Waitress tie is a versatile classic often seen in power exchange rope- but that’s only the beginning. In this episode, Fox and Mya dive into the layers of this tie: • Fresh, less gendered names and interpretations • What makes up the tie (and some fun variations to try) • Contexts where it shines—from sensual play to practical restraint • The sensatio...

Are you in condition to do rope? And what does that really mean? Claire, a Filipino strength and conditioning coach and exercise physiology researcher based in Thailand, returns for part two of her conversation with Mya and Fox. With over 15 years of experience coaching people of all ages, shapes, and abilities, she brings a science-informed, body-positive approach to rope bottoming—one that combi...