Heavy Lifting: Principles & Artistry of Managing Larger Bodies in Suspension with Soft Daddy, Void and Maybe Baby

VoxBody is so thrilled to have Soft Daddy, Void and Maybe Baby offer this class during their visit for Folsom Street Fair! We have been eyeballing this class from afar, and feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to offer it!

This class focuses on the technique and artistry of tying, lifting, and suspending bigger bodies in shibari. Designed for intermediate to advanced tying pairs, we’ll explore how to safely lift heavier bodies, adapt harness design, structure, and tension to support more weight while maintaining comfort and aesthetics, and managing uplines and weight distribution to create dynamic experiences and shapes, all while centering play, beauty, and consent-driven connection.

During our time together we'll cover:

● Lifting Body Mechanics:

○ For the rigger to prevent strain and injury when lifting

○ For the bottom when active bottoming

● Physics:

○ How force and center of mass come into play

● Harnesses:

○ Options/variations that distribute weight across muscle & flesh

● Uplines:

○ Considerations, strategy, and weight distribution for safer suspensions

● Transitions:

○ Shape & Experience-Making for both rigger & bottom

○ Decision-making, communication and handling real-time adjustments in suspension

○ Descent & its implications

● Aftercare

○ Considerations specific to high-risk play

○ Taking care of your body (riggers & bottoms!)

● Taking Up Space

○ Celebrating size diversity in rope

Come ready to practice intentionally, ask questions, and build confidence in creating compelling, supportive ties that honor aesthetics, safety, and your connection in rope. This is a class grounded in risk awareness and respect, and is geared specifically to fat/tall/large bodies. While all folks are welcome, please keep this intention in mind.

Level: This workshop is geared towards Intermediate to Advanced tying pairs who do suspension together regularly. We recommend pairs having suspended together at a minimum of ~10x.

● Riggers should: know both a suspension worthy chest (arms-free, tengu, arms-front, box-tie, etc) and lower body (waist/hip/leg) harness, and be able to safely test their own ties.

● Bottoms should: be familiar with discomfort, be able to distinguish between “good” vs “bad” pain, and be able to distinguish between circulation and nerve numbness.

Students Requirements: Riggers must be able to tie suspendable upper and lower body harnesses, and manage multiple suspension uplines. Bottoms should be able to manage their bodies in suspension, and communicate rigger feedback in real-time.

Equipment: every tying pair will have access to a bamboo point. Bring your full suspension kit (10-15 ropes, carabiners, straps, etc), Cutting Tool

Special Note: This class would not be possible without the teamwork, emotional, and physical labor of Steph/Void as I learned to tie her in a way that fulfills our desires of dynamic, semenawa-style semi/full suspension.

PLEASE NOTE! The facilitators have so much to share with us and therefore this is a longer evening class than the usual at VoxBody and will start earlier. Please confirm that both you and your tying partner will be able to arrive on time and before class start time.

Doors: 6:15pm / class starts promptly at 6:30pm / doors closed and no late entry at 6:45pm. * truly, no exceptions.

* If finances are a barrier to your attendance, please email us at voxbody@gmail.com! We have limited scholarship observer spots for this class.

GETTING HERE

REFUND POLICY

About the Facilitators:

Liv & Steph: Liv (they/he) (Soft Daddy) & Steph (she/her) (Void) are New York-based rope partners and best friends, dedicated to showcasing the beauty and capabilities of fat bodies in rope bondage. Soft Daddy is a transmasc, top-leaning, rope-switch; and Void is a badass bottom and performer. Tying together for 3 years, they focus on adapting traditional shibari motifs for fat bodies and challenging the idea of size exclusivity in rope and BDSM. Their partnership is built on a commitment to showing up, being creative, being vulnerable, and trusting in each other. Together they are breaking down barriers within the kink and art form of western rope bondage.

Sash: Sash (they/he) (Maybe Baby) is a trans masc NYC based personal trainer and leatherdyke. Sash’s training style is centered on weightlifting and empowering clients to feel strong, powerful and at home in their bodies. Sash works primarily with queer/trans, fat and hypermobile clients and is looking forward to this rope-training crossover.