Getting Started with Rope: Your Introduction to Shibari

If you are curious about Shibari and rope but aren't quite sure where to begin, this class is for you.

Getting Started with Rope is our introduction to Shibari, rope safety, consent, negotiation, communication, and the All Tied Up San Diego community.

You do not need any previous rope experience. You don't need to know the terminology, own rope, or have someone to attend with.

You just need to be curious and willing to learn.

One of the biggest reasons we created this class was because getting started in rope can be confusing. There is a tremendous amount of information online, a lot of different opinions about how things should be done, and some pretty important things that are difficult to learn from watching a video.

We want to give you a solid place to start.

Doors open at 6:45 PM and close at 7:20 PM.

What This Class Is

This is a two-hour introduction to Shibari and the rope community.

We are going to talk about much more than how to put rope on another person.

We will cover why people enjoy rope, some of the different ways people use it, the risks involved, how consent and negotiation work, what good communication looks like, and what we expect from people participating in our community.

Our goal is that when you leave, you have a much better idea of what you are getting into and how to begin exploring rope safely and responsibly.

You should also feel much more comfortable walking into one of our rope events because you will already understand how the space works and what is expected of you.

Who This Class Is For

This class is for:

• Adults who are curious about Shibari and rope
• People who want to learn how to get started safely
• Couples or partners who want to explore rope together
• Friends who want to learn together
• Individuals attending on their own
• People who would rather learn from experienced instructors than try to figure everything out from the internet

No previous experience is required.

You also do not need to come with a partner.

What You Will Learn

During the class, we will cover:

• Basic rope safety and anatomy
• Consent and communication in rope
• How negotiation works before you begin tying
• Communicating during and after a rope experience
• Some of the reasons people enjoy Shibari beyond simply learning knots
• What to expect when attending rope events
• How to begin participating in the rope community safely and respectfully

We also answer a lot of the questions people are sometimes hesitant or embarrassed to ask.

There are no stupid questions in this class. If you are wondering about something, chances are someone else in the room is wondering about it too.

About Your Instructors

Getting Started with Rope is taught by Dan and Renee, founders of All Tied Up San Diego.

We have been teaching rope in San Diego since 2015 and have introduced thousands of people to Shibari over the years.

We created this class because we wanted newcomers to have something we wish more people had when they first started: a clear introduction to rope, safety, consent, negotiation, and the community before being dropped into the middle of an event and expected to figure everything out.

The class has changed and improved over the years as we have learned what new students actually need to know.

More than 350 five-star reviews reflect the experiences people have had learning with us and becoming part of the ATUSD community.

Optional LAB Practice Hour

After Getting Started, we offer an optional LAB practice hour.

This is your opportunity to start working with some of the concepts from class in a beginner-friendly environment while instructors and assistants are available to help.

You can use the included Online Bonus Materials to begin practicing some basic rope skills.

You can participate as much or as little as you want.

You are welcome to practice, ask questions, watch other people work, or simply take everything in.

There is no pressure to tie or be tied.

Online Bonus Materials Included

Your registration also includes more than 90 minutes of online instructional material that you can watch before or after class.

Topics include:

• Rope types and safety tools
• Negotiating touch and boundaries
• The Single Column Tie
• The Double Column Tie
• An arms-free chest harness
• What to expect at rope events

You do not need to memorize any of this before attending.

The videos are there so you have something reliable to refer back to when you are ready to practice.

What to Bring

For the class:

• A government-issued ID for check-in and your waiver
• Yourself

That's it.

You do not need rope for the classroom portion of Getting Started.

If you plan to stay for LAB and want to practice tying, bring rope and a safety cutter.

What to Wear

Wear something comfortable that allows you to sit, stand, and move around easily.

If you are planning to be tied during LAB, form-fitting clothing generally works best because it makes it easier to see and feel where the rope is sitting on the body. Sports bras or similar fitted clothing can work well.

Loose or bulky clothing can make rope placement more difficult.

What you wear and how much you participate are always your choice.

If you are tying, simply wear something you are comfortable moving around in.

Location

Central San Diego County

The exact address is provided after registration.

Cost

$30 per person with advance online registration

$40 per person at the door

Registering ahead of time saves you $10 and helps us know how many students to expect so we can staff the class appropriately.

What Happens After Getting Started?

Completing Getting Started with Rope opens the door to the rest of the All Tied Up San Diego community.

Once you have completed the class, you are eligible to attend our other events, including Rope LABs, ROMPs, Rope Merry-Go-Round, additional classes, and our Weekend Intensive courses.

There is an important reason everyone starts here.

It means that when you walk into one of our events, the people around you have been introduced to the same expectations around consent, communication, negotiation, safety, and community behavior that you have.

You aren't expected to already know everything.

You are simply starting from the same foundation.

Our Guarantee

We believe Getting Started should deliver what we promise.

If you complete the class and genuinely feel that it didn't, let us know and we will refund your class fee.

Come curious. Leave knowing where to begin.

Let's get you All Tied Up, safely, consensually, and with a whole lot of fun along the way.

Note: All rope events are conducted in a structured, instructor-monitored environment. Participation is limited to individuals who have completed the prerequisite training. This is a sober environment. Alcohol and drugs are not permitted.