Does strengthening your grip make you better at Breath Play?

I understand that strengthening your grip may be part of your overall physical health, rehab and your dream of one day ripping a deck of cards in half but, one of the worst things you can do is enhance your grip strength if you are going to be choking (as in breath play).

Look at it this way. If, before you started working out you were able to exert 10 pounds of total grip strength over 10 seconds then you were able to exert 10 times more pressure than needed to render someone unconscious over a longer period of time. Since 10p by 10s is your natural grip strength, you were more than likely able to find a medium pressure and adjust.

I like to think of it as a math problem. Less pressure over a longer period of time (-P/+T) results in slower yet steadier and safer drop in blood pressure. This is also a more enjoyable breath play experience. You could do the same thing in reverse by using more pressure over a shorter time. (+P/-T), however, using more pressure over a shorter time is much more dangerous for three reasons. 
[This is presuming that the person being choked is totally healthy and doesn't have low blood pressure, blood clots, vascular diseases etc.]

The first reason is that it is very easy to crush the veins and arteries. While these vessels do have amazing elasticity there are factors that could prevent them from opening fully or at all. This type of medical condition is very rare but it does need to be taken into consideration. 

Secondly the sudden drop in blood pressure could definitely bottom out the heart and that could be a recipe for disasters, especially if there are blood pressure issues present.

Thirdly, a combination of too much palm strength and bad hand placement can result in a crushed wind pipe. 
While there are other issues that can arise as a result of increased grip strength such as slipped disks, a bruised wind pipe, damage to the ear canal (which can affect hearing and equilibrium) or ruptured blood vessels, the previously stated issues are the most pressing ( no pun intended).

What I tell people who are into breath play is if you are currently on a strength training regimen then you should back off the breath play for a while until you reach your goal. Then begin sensitivity training so that you are better able manage your strength. 

One of the ways you can do this is by taking an orange and cutting the very top and bottom of the orange off just so that the pith is still intact. Then, using just your thumb and 4 fingers, squeeze the orange lightly. Let me stipulate that I am speaking in general terms here. If juice come streaming out then you are squeezing too hard. What you are looking to do is displace as little of the liquid content as possible while flattening the outer membrane of the orange.

While this is not going teach you how to correctly do breath play this excsercise will help you increase your sensitivity to pressure.  

By working with your sensitivity instead of your grips strength you will be able to make breath play or chocking much safer and much more enjoyable.

O

{Orpheus Black is a sex educator specializing in Poly, D/s and M/s Dynamics. He is also a, professional and lifestyle Dominant, and alternative lifestyle speaker in Los Angeles. For more information on classes or speaking engagements please email him at orpheusandindigo@gmail.com}