Kinbaku Static Suspensions | RopeMarks Ryū #2

ROPEMARKS RYŪ · LEVEL 2

Take the foundations off the floor

Ryū #2 is where the curriculum moves into static suspension. The emphasis shifts from simply knowing ties to understanding how structure, load, posture and the body interact once weight begins to leave the floor.

The goal is not to chase dramatic shapes. It is to build controlled, readable suspensions from dependable fundamentals: a reliable gote, deliberate uplines, appropriate secondary supports and enough awareness to understand what the rope is doing to the person inside it.

AT A GLANCE

Ryū #2 · Static Suspensions

LEVEL

Strong Beginner / Intermediate

You should already be confident with the core mechanics of kinbaku and ready to work with load.

PREREQUISITE

Reliable gote & uplines

Riggers should be confident with a two-rope gote/TK and have basic confidence using uplines on a suspension point.

OUTCOME

Intermediate

A controlled introduction to full-body static suspension and the decisions that make it work.

THE PROGRAM

What we work on

Ryū #2 builds suspension step by step. We strengthen the structures you already know, study how forces travel through rope and body, and then bring those ideas together in a series of static full-body suspensions.

Prepare the structure

We begin by refining the gote and the uplines that will become part of the suspension. The emphasis is on consistency, placement, tension and understanding whether the structure you have built is suitable for the load you are about to introduce.

Understand load & forces

Suspension changes how rope behaves. We look at how forces act on the body, how support points share load, how posture changes under tension and how to recognise when a technically possible choice is not the right choice for the person you are tying.

Build static suspensions

We combine the earlier material into several full-body static suspensions. Smaller ties and secondary supports are introduced along the way, giving you different ways to position and support the body without relying on the gote as the only load-bearing structure.

CONTROL BEFORE HEIGHT

Suspension is a conversation with gravity

For the rigger

You learn to read the complete suspension rather than focus on a single tie: where the load is going, which support is doing what, how the body is responding and what can be adjusted before a small problem becomes a large one. Height is secondary to control.

For the model

Models need to recognise and communicate changing sensations clearly, including the difference between expected pressure and warning signs such as nerve or circulation issues. The workshop also develops familiarity with how full-body ties and partial loading change body awareness.

WHAT YOU TAKE FORWARD

Static suspension you can reason about

After Ryū #2, the aim is not simply to have completed a set of suspensions. You should have a stronger understanding of load, support and body positioning, and enough practical control to build and adjust static suspension work deliberately.

Previous: Ryū #1 · Essentials

Next: Ryū #3 · Transitions

MOVE INTO SUSPENSION