What Is Impact Play?

Impact play is the act of one person hitting another consensually. The most common type of impact play is spanking, but there are many other types of impact play to enjoy, too.

Impact play is the practice of repeatedly striking a consenting individual for the gratification of one or both parties. It can be done by the use of hands, feet, knees, or with an implement, such as a paddle, flogger, or cane. There may or may not be a sexual element or release for either party. 

Impact play involves at least two play partners: a Top and a bottom. The Top in this type of play will strike the bottom in any number of agreed-upon ways and areas of the body. 

It can be between a Dominant and a submissive within a BDSM dynamic, or between a Top and bottom with no power exchange involved, and is a popular kink within the community, regularly featured in dungeon parties.

Why do some kinky people like impact play?

The reasons kinksters enjoy this type of play are rarely simple. Reasons range from emotional release to empowerment through ownership of previously traumatic activities. 

Those who engage in impact play from the left side of the slash typically enjoy sadistic physical activities (hurting someone) while those who engage in it from the right side enjoy masochistic physical activities (being hurt by someone else). 

Likewise, there are kinksters who enjoy the role of sadist and masochist. This kink is called sadomasochism, and the community tends to identify them either by this title or by the role of “switch” (i.e., they switch sides). 

Is impact play just physical abuse?

No. Impact play, like all of kink, is a mutually consensual activity between adults. 

That being said, impact play is violent; it’s the act of one person striking another. In some cases, it can be so violent as to leave permanent marks on another person’s body. But just as a tattoo artist would not hold someone down while they drew permanently on their body, a real kinkster would never hit someone without their expressed consent.

What are the different types of impact play toys?

Impact play can involve toys that span a vast range of sensations from those that snap at the surface of the skin, creating a stinging sensation (what we call “sting” or “stingy”) to those that have a sensation of going deeply into the body to be felt in the muscle tissue (what we call “thud” or “thuddy”). 

The majority of toys will fall somewhere between sting and thud, and each kinkster has their preferred toys. Some of the most common include: crops, floggers, paddles, and canes. 

We should also note that toys aren’t a definer of impact play; they are just a style of it. Many kinksters enjoy slapping, punching, and/or kicking. The physical connection the Top and bottom feel with direct impact can make these activities particularly potent.

Preparing for an Impact Play Scene

Remember: the goal of impact play is to hurt, not harm. Self-control and awareness is equally important for the Top and the bottom in impact play.

Considerations During Impact Play

Inspect and Disinfect Your Toys Prior to Use

Tops should inspect their implements before a scene to ensure they’re safe to use - canes with splits and wooden paddles with cracks should be discarded as there could be a risk of breakage during play. Bottoms should also be allowed to inspect any implements before play.

Non-porous implements should be disinfected before and after use.

Leather implements, such as floggers and whips, can be wiped down with a slightly damp cloth and immediately dried. In the event an implement breaks the skin, they should not be used on multiple persons. 

Avoid drugs and alcohol before and during impact play

As with any form of kink play, the Top and bottom should not be under the influence of any drugs or alcohol during a scene. These can affect perception (including Dom/sub space), pain tolerance, and balance, as well as blurring the lines of consent. Both Top and bottom need to be clear-minded for all aspects of the scene, from negotiation to aftercare.

Be mindful of your mental state when engaging in BDSM

Likewise, both Top and bottom should be in the right frame of mind before beginning the scene. The Top should refrain from the scene if they’re feeling angry or agitated, as this may trigger aggression and skew their perception of the amount of force being used. The bottom should refrain from the scene if they’re severely depressed or anxious due to the risk of triggering an episode, or pushing them too deep into subspace.

Bottoms should refrain from moving too much during play, and may. For this reason, bottoms are sometimes be restrained until the scene ends or a safeword is used. Similarly, Tops must maintain control of the implement when striking; and some implements feature a strap attached to the handle that can be looped around the Top’s wrist for additional control. 

Parts of the Body to Strike in Impact Play

Many parts of the body are generally safe to strike, including:

• Buttocks

• Thighs, all parts

• Calves

• Upper back & shoulders

• Chest/breasts

  • Note: Impact to the breasts should be avoided prior to the bottom’s mammogram exam. Bruises and contusions can skew the results of the imaging, and should be allowed to heal before an examination. 

• Abdomen

When preparing to strike, the Top should stand on a level, non-slick surface and consider their orientation to the bottom.

Take additional care when striking these parts of the body:

• Face (focus on the cheeks)

• Genitals

• Hands

• Feet

To mitigate risk of serious injury, impact should only be applied to the parts of the body covered in muscle and/or fat. Areas to avoid are joints - (particularly the neck, hips, and knees), - as well as the kidneys, tailbone, and head, as striking these areas can result in serious injury. 

Risks and Post-Scene Care for Impact Play

Because of the violent nature of impact play, participants need to be aware of the risks associated with it. 

If you’re completely new to impact play, on either side of the slash, start out with a hand. Spanking is a great introduction to the rhythm of impact, and from there, you can branch out into the ‘thuddy’ toys, or the ‘stingy’ toys, depending on your preference in play.

Do I have to like impact play to be kinky?

It’s totally acceptable to not like impact play. You are still a kinky person if you enjoy activities that are outside the realms of what you consider to be normal.

Kinksters who don’t enjoy impact play are more common than the kink community might have you believe. Impact play is just a small subset of a much larger universe of kink. Many kinksters are pain-adverse and prefer to engage in other activities that do not involve impact play. Such activities can include things like sensual play, breath play, some forms of bondage, power exchange, needle play, and much more. 

Kink beginners and veterans alike can sometimes feel like they aren’t kinky enough because they don’t find an attraction to pain.

If you fall into that category, just remember that everyone’s path is unique and your kink journey is your own.