If you enjoy BDSM spanking practices, spanking or being spanked, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with different paddles.
What Is Paddling?
Did you know that spanking is one of the most widespread fantasies? Paddling is a kind of spanking, and a form of impact play. It is a very common part of BDSM practices like bondage and discipline, dominance and submission. Paddling just means using a paddle as the implement for impact.
Read: Erotic Spanking 101: A Guide for Spanking Beginners
A sex paddle or spanking paddle for erotic play can be something specially designed for BDSM, or it can be jerry rigged with what’s on hand at home.
BDSM paddles come in a wide range of aesthetics, styles and construction. There are sex paddles made of leather or rubber, geared to specific fetish communities and practices. There are BDSM paddles designed with a variety of pain thresholds in mind.
Paddling can be light and playful and is enjoyed by kinky and vanilla lovers alike. It can be part of foreplay, the main course, or part of an intense BDSM scene, and delivered by a dom to a submissive to satisfy their need for pain.
Impact play brings blood circulation to the surface of the tissue, making nerves more sensitive on the spanking area as well as the pelvic region more generally. A paddle is a wide and flat device and ensures that the impact is delivered broadly across the surface of the bottom (and sometimes thighs, breasts, or belly).
Read: BDSM Spanking: 10 Types of Spankings for Pain and Pleasure
7 Types of Spanking Paddles
1. Wooden Paddles
Some of the most beautiful BDSM paddles are handcrafted out of wood. They can be impressive and beautiful and made in a wide variety of sizes.
Some fans of impact play enjoy a collection crafted from different kinds of wood for sensation variation. There are different hefts and weights to woods that make a difference to some people.
Read: Impact Play Tips, Tools, and Safety
2. Leather BDSM Paddles
Another classic BDSM paddle example is the leather paddle. Of course, this kind of spanking paddle appeals to those of us with a leather fetish, but it is the perfect kind of paddle for anyone. The natural leather nicely crafted feels fantastic and looks gorgeous.
Read: Leather Fetish Explained
3. Rubber Sex Paddles
Rubber spanking paddles are also versatile and convenient. They provide a satisfying thwack of sensation and are easy to clean and care for.
Read: Rubber Fetish: A Kink for Rubber Clothes & More
4. Silicone Sex Paddle
Silicone spanking paddles have a beautiful softness about them that provide a delicious contrast on surface level. Rubbing a burning bottom with the silicone can soothe and tease in between strikes.
Read: Tips for Shopping for Sex Toys
5. Fur Paddles or Fuzzy Paddles
Plush paddles or fur paddles are spanking paddles with a softer touch and may seem like they are a novelty item rather than practical BDSM paddles.
Fur paddles can be used more playfully for a sensual experience or for sensation play, but they are also used for warming up the bottom before more severe impact, and for soothing sore buttocks during a comedown.
Read: Advanced Sensation Play
6. Spanking Paddles with Holes
Some BDSM paddles are crafted with holes, whether they are leather spanking paddles or wood sex paddles. The holes are not just for decoration. By allowing the air to move quickly through the holes while striking, each hit is faster and more forceful.
Spanking paddles with holes are right for doms who are into sadism or subs who crave more extreme pain.
Read: Sadomasochism: Sadism and Masochism in BDSM
7. Fraternity Paddles
Fraternity paddles are spanking paddles borrowed from frat hazing rituals and used to train a sub on impact play. They are a basic classic style of flexible leather about three inches wide.
Read: BDSM Training: A Guide for Beginners
9 DIY and Household Paddles for Spanking
1. Wooden Spoon
The wooden spoon is a secret sex toy for millions. Lightweight but sharp, it can deliver a very satisfying stinging sensation.
2. Spatula
It’s hard to believe that spatulas have a culinary purpose, when it seems they are made for budget erotica. These perfect sex paddles come in wood, silicone, rubber, and metal and allow a range of experimentation.
3. Ping Pong Paddle
The ping pong paddle is also a perfect sex paddle. The broad round surface of this kind of paddle allows a solid smack that is quite safe, making it a great toy for those exploring and experimenting with impact play sensations.
Read: 3 Erotic Spanking Stories and Reader Confessions
4. Back of Hairbrush
Use the reverse of a hairbrush as an impromptu sex paddle.
5. Pizza Peel
A pizza peel can come in handy as a sex paddle. Most pizza peels are quite large, and larger surfaces in impact play instruments deliver softer blows, adding variety to your repertoire.
Some pizza peels are extremely sharp around the edges—not a good fit for safe impact play—lots are made of plastic or silicone or a nice wood. Not always the most practical DIY spanking paddle, but sometimes this could work.
Read: What Are My Kinks? 13 Ways to Find Your Kink
6. Pickleball Paddle
The pickleball paddle is another nicely broad and hefty DIY spanking paddle. The handle is easy for the server to grip and the sensation it delivers is great for warming up or for those who like to keep things on the lighter side.
7. Flyswatter
The flyswatter may not satisfy all on its own, but as part of a repertoire it is wonderful. Nothing else delivers this particular kind of slappy sting.
8. Paint Stirrer
Perhaps the most economical of all DIY BDSM paddles, you can usually get a handful of paint stirrers for a buck or two. These are quite handy and effective, but use caution as some of them have loads of splinters.
9. Leather Belt
Leather belts are a classic of BDSM and work really nicely in role play or spontaneous scenes. Being made of leather they are perfect for leather fetishists too. They are also hardcore because they are long, thin, and powerful.
Belts can be difficult to control for less experienced dominants so use caution. Seasoned masochists love them, but they can leave serious marks on skin so be aware.
Read: 4 Over-the-Knee (OTK) Spanking Role Plays
6 Paddling Techniques and Tips
1. Start Softly
Like all S&M or BDSM play, always start softly and build sensation. Every dom and every sub has different levels of experience, desire and tolerance, and those change from day to day, depending on many factors such as mood, fatigue, and diet.
2. Tease with Your Paddle
Use your spanking paddle in more ways than just a striking motion. Use it to tease a lover or invite them. Enjoy the construction and craft of a nice leather or wooden BDSM paddle. Just bringing it into a scene can increase arousal, anticipation, and fear, allowing endorphins to fly.
Read: Tease and Denial Games for Your Teasing Kink
3. Try Different Shapes and Materials
Experiment and explore the range of spanking paddles available. You may have your favorites already, or you may have a great paddle and didn’t think about expanding your options. Or you may not enjoy a particular spanking paddle and thought paddling was not for you.
BDSM paddles really range in sensation, even when they look fairly similar. Size and material and style are the three main differences. Using a range of sex paddles in a spanking session is my personal favorite practice. I love to be surprised!
4. Add a Blindfold
A blindfold always adds mystery and drama and helps focus our attention on sensation.
Read: Blindfold Sex: 10 Blindfold Ideas for BDSM and Beyond
5. Combine with Bondage
Setting up the body in specific positions or with restrictions to movement by cuff or restraint allows anticipation and then heightened sensations.
Read: Bondage Positions and Techniques to Try
6. Use a Spanking Bench
If you happen to have a spanking bench, of course this is the perfect furniture for sex paddling. If impact play is central to your play, consider getting one of these invaluable devices.
Read: Find the Right Spanking Bench for You
Paddling Safety
Use a Safeword
Like all BDSM play, using a safe word or hand gesture can protect you if things have gotten too intense.
Read: BDSM Hand Signals and When To Use ThemÂ
Watch Where You Paddle
BDSM paddle play can be intense. Learn more about how to paddle someone safely on videos or in a kink community workshop or from someone who is experienced.
Don’t use your spanking paddle on vulnerable body parts, and observe how your paddles work. Remember that everyone is different, and that even the same lover may have sensitivity changes from day to day.
Ask for Feedback
Always allow and insist on feedback from your sub if you’re the dom, to make sure they are comfortable. Just because someone craves a paddling or consented to extreme impact doesn’t mean you’re both on the same page with every smack. Listen to feedback and respect boundaries, and observe body language, too.
Read: BDSM Limits and Boundaries to Discuss
Practice Aftercare
In aftercare, you might soothe a sore bottom by gently cleaning it and using a soothing moisture lotion. Be sure to disinfect or clean any sores or abrasions.
Showering and skin care are important, and so is snuggling, massage, relaxation, comfortable garments, stretching, hydrating, drinking tea or fueling with some fruits, taking a quick walk together, resting, and just being together.
Read: How to Find Spanking Partners
Do you have a go-to spanking paddle? Dare to share!
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