Breast Bondage: Easy Harnesses Even If You’ve Never Used Rope Before

Breast bondage is a fairly common element in BDSM. It looks hot and sometimes painful and intricate, but it’s often fun, more comfortable than you think and easier to bind a partner (or have one bind your breasts!) than you might think.

Why Breast Bondage?

It looks good, which is why so much bondage photography features this type of bondage. Rope bondage inspired by eastern countries such as Japan is often known as shibari (and sometimes Kinbaku [1]), but western-inspired bondage also exists. Rope harnesses can be intricate and beautiful. Even basic breast bondage highlights the breasts by surrounding them with rope lifting them up and separating them.

Breast bondage leaves boobs open to stimulation, including but not limited to nipple sucking, massaging and pinching. Nipple clamps also work with breast bondage as you’ll see below. Accessible breasts can be flogged or slapped, too!

More extreme types can cause the breasts to become swollen and darker, which some people like.

If that’s not for you, that’s okay. You might like sensual domination, instead.

For the person who is into breast bondage, the feeling can be anything from pleasant to painful depending on your preferences. It could be a show or power on the part of the dominant person or a way to inflict torture and punishment.

Being tied into a rope harness can be invigorating and arousing. Some people also find it relaxing as someone creates a piece of rope artwork around their body which makes it a wonderful self bondage idea. It can be quite intimate for someone to tie you into a harness.

Discover why people like bondage.

Nipple Clamps

Most people don’t mean nipple clamps when they think of breast bondage, but it technically counts. Nipple clamps are a form of bondage that might be less intimidating to some people, and you can use them if you’re into light bondage or nipple play. But you can also add pair nipple clamps with other breast bondage, which typically leaves the nipples accessible.

Related: 12 Ways to Use Nipple Play for Better Sex

Essentially, a nipple clamp pinches your nipple. There are a few types to choose from, including clothespin, tweezer, clover and magnetic clamps. Learn more here. You buy them in pairs, and some have a connecting chain that you can tug on or add weight to for more stimulation. Some even connect to a chain with a clitoral clamp attachment.

Nipple clamps can range from pleasantly snug to quite uncomfortable so that they may be used as torture devices in some scenes. However, you might not realize that nipple clamps can be painful when you take them off because of the blood rushing back into your nipples. For some people, this pain can be a treat. If you’re not into pain, removing nipple clamps slowly is your best bet.

Breast and Chest Harnesses

If you like the idea of breast bondage but lack the time, interest or even dexterity to tie someone up, you don’t have to go the DIY route. Consumer breast bondage harnesses and bras are available. In fact, chest harnesses have become available as fashion pieces, which can be worn alone or beneath other clothing. Note that fashion pieces won’t offer as much restriction as those intended for actual breast bondage (some fetish shops rate bondage gear on how strict it is, however).

The two main types are bras/harnesses and binders. Binders lack straps and fit more like a tube top around the chest and breasts (one type of binder simply consists of metal bars that you can attach tighter or looser along the top and the bottom of the breasts. This makes for extreme breast bondage!

Choose one that’s adjustable for the right fit. Unfortunately, plus-sized women and those with an ample bosom might not find a pre-made chest harness that works for breast bondage.

These devices are often made from leather, PVC, or faux-leather; although, you can find them made with other materials too. These harnesses often connect to collars.

Another con to these pieces is that quality might be low, and they lack the versatility of a piece of rope that can become a different style of breast bondage every time you use it. Some do have rings to which you can attach other bondage straps, however.

Creating Your Rope Bondage Kit

Before we get down to some breast bondage tutorials, you should know what you’re working with. There are a lot of considerations when it comes to rope.

Two popular material options are cotton and nylon, the latter of which you can buy dyed or color yourself if you want a certain aesthetic with your breast bondage. Cotton comes relatively cheap if you’re just trying out bondage and are not sure what you need or whether you’re going to stick to it. Further down the road, you might buy other rope such as jute, which is often a sadist’s material of choice because of its roughness.

Because cotton is natural, it doesn’t stretch as much as nylon. This is preferable for suspension. However, you should become comfortable with breast bondage and ropework before you even consider that!

As far as size goes, opt for 6mm or 1/4″ rope. It’s the most common. It’s thin and flexible enough to work with. As you gain more experience, you might use thinner or thicker rope for the different properties or appearance, but start here.

You can pretty much buy any cotton or nylon rope that’s the right width, but what about length? When it comes to harnesses, you want a piece between 20 and 30 feet long. An easy way to measure rope if you don’t have a measuring device is by arm length. This is about five arm lengths; however, you may want to opt for extra rope if your arms are short or if your partner is thicker.

Many kinksters recommend having two long pieces of rope for use in harnesses in your kit, which can also include four pieces of 6-foot (2 arm lengths) rope and four pieces of 9-foot rope (3 arm lengths).

Once you get your rope, it might be a little stiff or even crinkly. With it bent at the middle, you can hold the loop with one hand and run the other over the rope a few times to “condition” it. This also helps you get used to your rope. If you’ve picked something too harsh, you’ll know!

Finally, having a pair of scissors or shears on hand in case of emergency is a necessity.  Some rope sellers even offer kits with shears. Safety shears like those used by paramedics are popular because you won’t be able to cut your partner. Word to lefties: you’ll need left-handed specific safety shears. Before you start using the rope on a body, make sure you are able to quickly cut it with the shears.

Now that you’ve got your rope let’s get down to the tutorials.

Rope Bondage Tips

Slow is keyword when you learn BDSM or ropework. Go slowly, especially as you’re learning new knots and patterns, to help prevent rope burn. You don’t want to tangle your rope, nor do you want to twist it. This can make it uncomfortable for the person who is tied up. Layers of rope sit flat on top of each other or next to one another.

Almost all harnesses involve folding the rope in half to create a bight. The bight is just a loop where it’s folded.

Keep tension on the rope so that the harness doesn’t become too slack. This is also important when you release the breast bondage. Otherwise, your rope will fall in a loose tangle.

When you’re done with bondage, it might be time to engage in some BDSM aftercare. Learn more. After you remove rope, there may be marks, but there should be no bruising.

Don’t whip the ends of the rope through knots or loops. The ends could hit you or your partner, potentially causing injury.

If you have excess rope, you can let it hang, add decorative knots or reinforce your rope harness.

Psst, does this sound complicated? You might want to read our BDSM for beginners post first.

Breast Bondage Tutorials

Simple Harness by Twisted Monk

This is a simple chest harness tutorial provided by Twisted Monk, a site where you can also buy rope, accessories, and kits.

1. Fold the rope in half to create a bight.
2. Place the bight at her spine above her breasts. Run the rest of the rope around her body over her breasts, bringing it back to the bight at her spine.
3. Run the two pieces of rope through the bight, tightening the loop if you need to.
4. Pull the rope in the opposite direction (creating a loop around the bight) and make a loop around her body beneath her breasts.
5. Run the rope through the middle by pushing it up under the band you just made and pulling it through and in the opposite direction of the loop.
6. Make another pass over the top of the breasts, returning to the bight in the back. Tuck the ends of the rope underneath the loop you just created and pull up.
7. Pull both pieces of ropes over one shoulder and move to the front and run the ends of the rope underneath the top layer of rope. Pull the rope down and run it beneath the band beneath her breast.
8. Tug the rope and pull it up. Wrap the ends of the rope under the vertical strap you just made.
9. Pull the ends out through the side, then fold them back over the strap. Thread the ends under the band above the breasts and pull the rope up.
10. Pass the rope over the other shoulder to the back. Pull the ropes toward the middle and through the loop with the ends pulled toward you.
11. Create an overhand knot by pulling the ends around the base of the ropes that go over the shoulder and pulling it back through the loop you just made.

Simple Chest Harness by Zed Ropework

This harness looks more intricate than it is because of the twisted rope between the breasts.

1. Fold the rope in half and pass it over the top of the breasts so that your hand and the bight rest at the spine.
2. Pull the ends through the loop and reverse tension, pulling the ends in the opposite direction and down to create a loop beneath the breasts.
3. Bring the ends back around to the bight and pull them through the loop before you reverse tension once more.
4. Pull the rope over the opposite shoulder toward the front. Keep it over the top and bottom bands, but tuck it around the bottom band and pull the ends back up.
5. Wrap the rope around the center strap once or twice and reverse tension to pull the ends over the other shoulder.
6. Pull the rope beneath the first strap and the top band. Then, fold it to the other side, pull it up under the bottom band but leave it over the top band.
7. Slide the rope behind the “V” created by the two shoulder straps and pull the ends through the loop you just created to make an overhand knot. You can make another overhand knot for security.

Chest Harness by Giotto

For this breast bondage, your partner should hold her hands at the back of her head so her arms are lifted and elbows bent. She can lace her fingers together if she’d like. The finished appearance does not separate the breasts like the other tutorials here.

1. Fold your rope in half to create the bight and place it on your partner’s spine. Wrap the rope around her body and bring the ends back to the bight.
2. Loop the ends through the bite and tighten. Reverse tension and pass the rope around your partner’s body above the breasts for a second time.
3. Keep passing the rope around her body, but move the wrap below her breasts (the rope will be diagonal in the back).
4. Pass the rope around her body beneath her breasts a second time and bring the rope around the back.
5. Pull the ends up and bring them through the bight.
6. Place the back of your hand against her body and slip your index finger behind all of the coils. Grab the ends with your finger while still holding a loop up top with your other hand.
7. Pull the ends down behind all of the coils, and pull the rope back up and through the loop in your other hand to make an overhand knot. Pull the rope snugly. You can create another overhand knot to secure the harness.

Shinju

A piece of rope around 20-feet long should be good for this style of breast bondage.

1. Fold your rope in half, keeping your hand at the bight.
2. Hold the bight along your partner’s spine at approximately the height of lower breast with your finger through the fold against them. Loop the rope all the way around your partner’s body, beneath her breasts, and back toward the center point against their spine.
3. Pull the rope through the loop against her spine. Separate the ends of the rope and place one end over each shoulder.
4. Turn your partner (or walk around her). Move each piece of rope beneath the original loop beneath her breasts from the top.
5. Move each piece of rope back up over her shoulders. Doing so will fold the rope over the band you initially created.
6. From your partner’s back, grasp both pieces of rope and pull it to the side. If you’re right-handed, pull the rope to the right.
7. Place a finger of your free hand against your partner’s spine at approximately the height of the top of her breasts and between the two ropes that go up to her shoulder. Your finger should be to the right of the rope that you’re pulling to the side, creating a small space between the double rope and the right shoulder “strap.”
8. Pull both pieces of rope in a loop around her body, bringing it back to your finger at her spine.
9. Pull the two pieces of rope through the loop created between your finger and the first strap.
10. Pass each piece of rope that’s hanging down beneath the original rope band beneath her breasts.
11. Separate the rope and pull one to the right and the other to the left. Wrap each piece of rope around the band starting from the center to use up the excess. You may have a bit of rope leftover that you can leave hanging.

Of course, if you want more ideas and inspiration, you’ll find plenty of tutorials online. These are just basic harnesses, but breast bondage can be complex.

Your local sex shop or BDSM club might offer classes on bondage and ropework, including breast bondage.

Breast Circling

Breast circling is a type of breast bondage where you bind each breast. It’s best for women whose breasts are C cups or larger; although, breast shape can help or hinder. Rope that’s thinner than 6mm is sometimes used, and some people even use string although this may be more likely to cause injury.

Start by having your partner bend over slightly with her hands behind her back. Grab one breast and wrap rope or string around the breast for two loops. Wrapping the rope around each breast is easier if you grasp and pull the breast.  Secure loops will cause the breast to bulge outward, and the breast will immediately begin to darken.

Tie a square knot before continuing to wrap at least twice more. End with an overhand knot.

Repeat for the second breast with a new piece of rope. You can also create a Figure 8 style wrapping around both breasts or tie the ends behind her back to separate the breasts.

Breast Bondage Safety

We’ve already discussed how you should have shears within reach. But when do you need to use it? Obviously during times of emergency such as a heart attack, stroke or even a fire alarm. You can cut someone out with shears quite easily.

Breast bondage usually won’t be the cause of an emergency, but you should know when it’s been enough or you’ve tied someone too tightly. Breasts should never lose feeling or be blue. If this happens and you cannot quickly undo the breast bondage, cut it off.

It’s important to communicate with your partner. If you’re being tied up, you need to let them know if you’re not comfortable. Talking about sex be easy or difficult.

A safe word that alerts your partner if something is wrong is vital, and you can discover more about safe words and BDSM rules.

More intense breast bondage should be worn for a shorter period than less intense bondage. Although we couldn’t find research on nerve damage caused specifically by breast bondage, certain types of bondage have been know to cause nerve damage [2].

For many people, breast bondage is a low-risk way to add a little kink into their lives. It’s a fun and intimate way to connect with your partner, and the options are boundless.

If you are just starting to explore the world of bondage, check out our introductory bondage guide.