With the rising popularity of BDSM and kink in recent years, you’ve probably heard at least a small amount about bondage (or even tried it yourself!).
Topics relating to sex have become less taboo than they were previously, and sex-positive movements have made kink and the use of sex toys much more mainstream.
Spreader bars are a great introduction to more advanced types of bondage.
While restraints like these need some expertise and knowledge to use properly, introducing a spreader bar into your bedroom toolkit is sure to spice things up for you and your partner.
But what exactly is a spreader bar, and how do you use one?
Don’t worry – this article has got you covered.
Here, we’ll take a look at what spreader bars are, what they are used for, and some different ways you can use them in the bedroom.
Don’t be shy – let’s jump straight in!
What Is A Spreader Bar?
Spreader bars are a type of sex toy typically associated with BDSM and other forms of bondage.
They are as simple as they are effective; spreader bars consist of a rigid bar (usually made of metal or wood), with a cuff or tie on either end.
Some spreader bars are specifically designed with proper cuffs that can be attached to the ankles or wrists.
Meanwhile, other styles (and in the case of homemade spreader bars) use rope or some similar material to tie the wearer directly to the bar. This makes them easy to adjust for each use, though it takes longer to prepare them.
What Are Spreader Bars For?
As the name suggests, spreader bars are used to spread apart and restrain the wearer’s arms and/or legs.
The wrists, thighs, or wrists are attached to the bar via the cuffs or ties. The rigid bar keeps the wearer’s limbs separate, preventing them from moving.
This makes parts of the body easier to access, as well as being great for people who like being restrained during sex or foreplay.
BDSM and bondage always involve trust between everyone involved to make sure everyone is safe and happy.
Spreader bars, as they involve restraining all or part of someone’s body, need to be used safely and shouldn’t be used if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Spreader bars are a great way to work up to the more advanced aspects of BDSM if you’ve already had some practice and know the basics.
Using a Spreader Bar in the correct way will make sure everyone involved gets the most enjoyment out of their experience.
How Do You Use A Spreader Bar?
Like many forms of bondage, using a spreader bar seems easy enough. However, there are several things you need to know beforehand to make sure everyone involved stays safe and has a good experience.
If you don’t use a spreader bar properly, you might risk discomfort or even injury. Here’s how to get the best use out of a spreader bar.
Using A Spreader Bar For Legs
Spreader bars can be used to secure the legs and ankles of the wearer. Doing this keeps their legs apart and prevents movement, making their genitals easier to access and pleasure.
If you’re going to use a spreader bar to spread someone’s legs, secure the cuffs around the ankles or between the thighs.
Don’t make it too tight – there should be room to spare to avoid cutting off circulation. When putting cuffs on the thighs, make sure to avoid covering the femoral artery.
You can also add additional cuffs in the center. This will force the wearer to keep their hands between their legs and reduce their movement even more.
If you want to try something a bit more advanced, you can use a spreader bar to separate your partner’s legs and keep them upright with further restraints attached to the ceiling or a raised bar.
Using A Spreader Bar For Arms
Restraining someone’s arms with a spreader bar is a bit easier than the legs. Cuffing around the wrists reduces mobility without preventing someone from walking, and can also be less intrusive if you’re trying to have sex.
The bar can go in front of the body, letting the wearer move their arms relatively freely in front of them.
Alternatively, putting the bar behind the back (either shoulder-height or at the bottom of the spine) offers more restraint and prevents this movement.
Try experimenting with different widths until you find the best, most comfortable one. Using a spreader bar to restrain the arms is versatile and fairly easy to adjust to avoid discomfort.
Fully Restraining With Spreader Bars
You can even use multiple spreader bars to completely restrain someone. By using several bars, you can pin both the arms and the legs, putting the wearer into a spread-eagle position.
This will almost fully immobilize them, so make sure you or your partner is paying attention to safe words or any signs of discomfort.
You may want to add another bar vertically to connect the bars holding the arms and legs. This will add extra stability and make the whole rig more secure.
If the wearer will be lying on top of the bars, you may want to substitute the middle bar with rope ties or softer material, so it doesn’t dig into them.
Spreader Bars With Other Things
Sometimes a spreader bar isn’t enough, and you want to introduce something else into the mix. Because of how simple a spreader bar’s design is, it’s fairly easy to incorporate other things around the bedroom into its use.
You can experiment a lot with different positions and restraints while using a spreader bar. To keep the wearer in a more comfortable (and more secure) position, you can try using a spreader bar to keep them pinned to a chair.
Simply put the chair legs between the bar and the wearer’s legs to keep them in place. Or keep their arms behind the chair’s back by restraining them in a spreader bar – a more comfortable position than regular handcuffs.
As mentioned above, you could even use an additional restraint dangling above to keep someone upright while their legs are spread apart.
When using spreader bars, make sure you follow the “2-Finger Rule”.
This is a standard safety precaution in forms of BDSM that involve restraint: to make sure the subject is getting proper blood circulation, you should be able to fit two fingers between the restraints and their body.
All forms of BDSM should be done safely and responsibly, and using a spreader bar is no exception.
With the serious part out of the way, spreader bars are a great way for moderately experienced kinksters to expand their repertoire and get more out of BDSM.
With bondage exploding in popularity in recent years (the 50 Shades series has a lot to answer for), it’s never been a better time to start getting into kink.
If you want to get the full bondage experience out of spreader bars, using them to partially or fully restrain someone is a great way to spice things up and expand your BDSM skillset.
Final Thoughts
So now you know a bit more about what a spreader bar is, as well as how to use them.
If you’re interested in picking up a spreader bar, we hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about them and now know what to do with your new toy.
Have fun!
