Ikue Shibari is a technique that emerged during adult film production, quickly becoming one of the most popular techniques within Yagami Ryu.
The name of this technique can be translated as "layered shibari," a reference to the way the rope is handled—folded to apply multiple layers (lines) simultaneously.
It is crucial to understand that this is a technique—a method of managing the body using ropes—rather than a specific pattern or application.
As such, when combined with different fundamentals, it allows for the creation of stable structures in a simple, efficient, and safe manner, without being confined to rigid tying patterns or fixed forms.
This technique can be applied in many forms (kata) and diverse contexts.
Origins
The technique originated from Yagami Ren's need to create quick ties that could be easily released during the filming of adult movies.
The fast-paced work environment and the demands of models, who were often uncomfortable in bondage, presented challenges.
Creating and undoing a gote or complex tie required too much time. Furthermore, in most cases, only a frontal shot would be filmed with a single framing, without showing the entire tie.
Therefore, initially, it was a simulation technique. If a Takate Kote is characterized by two front rope lines with two turns each, then two ropes would be folded into four layers and applied—one above the chest and one below. When viewed from the front, with some assistance from the model maintaining the posture, it would give the appearance of a takate.
Initially, these "false ties" were not efficient; they were closed at the back in a haphazard manner, sometimes even with electrical tape. However, the technique was gradually refined over time.
Technique versus Myths
We tend to believe that in shibari, a more complex tie with more rope turns and greater structural complexity is inherently safer or allows for better body management.
This notion seems logical, but it is not necessarily true.
In fact, with poor handling and a lack of understanding of the technique, the more pieces, parts, or steps a tie involves, the greater the potential for errors or problems.
Therefore, the safety and effectiveness of a tie are not determined by the amount of rope used, but by the level of understanding and application of the technique employed to create it.
To this premise, let us add the importance of having a clear intention for the session.
A tie designed for floor work might prove useful in an unplanned suspension, but it is also likely to cause problems.
Technical Analysis
Returning to the technique at hand, Ikue Shibari, upon analysis, we observe that it incorporates the use of the following technical fundamentals:
Sabaku
Visually, the most striking characteristic is the use of folded rope. This is where the name originates (ikue: layers).
Once mastered, it is actually a very comfortable way to handle rope—quick and efficient. However, initially, maintaining tension or creating effective locks can be challenging.
Tenbindori
Obviously, since this is a technique for managing the body through ropes, posture and muscle activation are key elements.
For the person being tied, this type of binding tends to be fairly "comfortable," as the use of layered rope offers enhanced support to respond against, and with less manipulation/application of the rope by the person tying, there are fewer distractions from repeated rope passes.
Tetori Sankaku
Our approach is not for aesthetic purposes but rather erotic ones, so the technique also fulfills its restrictive function: it does not merely resemble a gote, it functions as one.
A significant advantage (requiring fluidity in rope handling) is that with seemingly simple rope structures, we can establish force vectors and anatomical restriction quickly and safely.
Reminder: the concept of anatomical restriction is not synonymous with "immobilizing," but rather establishing a balance of forces between "ground reaction force" (GRF) and the muscle activation of the person being tied.
Fuchin
If the technique can incorporate all the previous fundamentals, then we will be able to manage the body safely and effectively, establishing kinetic circuits and playing with balance.
However, all of this will be easier to understand by examining an application (Oyo 応用) of the technique.
Ikue Gote Shibari Application (幾重後手縛り)
This is an application of the Ikue technique that we developed in the gote to facilitate learning for our students.
Typically, individuals want to progress quickly, and after a few hours of class, they expect to be able to create complex figures akin to those showcased by Japanese masters on social media.
Unfortunately, creating complex shibari with complete safety requires significantly more practice time and knowledge assimilation.
Of course, if I inform them of this reality in the first class, they are unlikely to return.
Therefore, we use Ikue to reverse the learning process, working backward from the expected results in a gote to more basic techniques.
What is the challenge with a gote for a beginner?
Everything. They lack confidence in their rope handling, will encounter problems correctly positioning the shoulders, and bringing the arms back will be terrifying, as they will fear causing injury, so everything will likely go wrong.
We will address tension later, as the student already has sufficient concerns at this point.
So, let us proceed step by step.
The rope
Savvy vendors may have sold them a "starter set": eight ropes of eight meters each. And they still do not know how to properly execute a single column tie.
I have witnessed students countless times becoming tangled, tripping, and creating a complete mess with ropes that are too long for their skill level.
Taking the pressure off rope handling
Take a rope in your hands, a long one. Fold it in half, and then again, so that you have a rope in four layers.
The length of the rope should now be your wingspan; that is, if you take one end in each hand and stretch your arms, there should be no excess rope. If there is, fold it one more time.
On one side, you will have four loops, and on the other, two loops and two ends. We will handle it from where the loops are.
Now, let us watch the video.
Body to body
The initial handling of the tied person's body is not done with the rope, but with your own body.
Then, once you establish a preliminary kinetic circuit, transition to the rope.
Since, in this scenario, we are looking to open the body by bringing the arms back in a simple, safe, and efficient way, it is advisable for the person tying to initially offer some support to the person being tied, in order to establish a preliminary kinetic circuit.
Suggesting the movement
Once that circuit is established, and not before, we will indicate to the body what we intend to do next.
Recommendation: use your hands and forearms, especially the thumb line of your hand. Avoid using the rope for this, at least initially, as it is easier with your hands.
Work on the fascia, gently, not as softly as a caress, but without excessive pressure or force.
Mark a direction, just one, from the sternum to the arms. Avoid rubbing back and forth, as this will only create unnecessary noise.
We are asking them to facilitate a specific movement.
Applying rope
Let us adhere to this concept: apply. We do not wrap, we do not coil, we do not slide. We apply the rope, as if we were placing an adhesive vinyl and aiming to avoid creating bubbles.
The first point of contact will be the sternoclavicular joint; from there, with a firm movement, a single movement, without adjustments, we apply the rope in the direction of the shoulders.
We do not compress the body with the rope; that is what the support we provide is for.
What we are looking for is a folding-back effect, as if it were a sheet of paper where we are bringing one side to meet the other, avoiding the creation of creases.
The rope "descends" from the sternum toward the arms, seeking the lower vertex of the shoulder blades in the back.
To pass the rope toward the back, a useful tip is to apply a slight wrist rotation once we are at the back, and observe the shoulders to verify that they open and the arms slide backward.
Hon Musubi
Now it is time to close this first layer of ropes, and for this, we will employ the old and reliable Hon Musubi technique, as we explained previously, with that lock (snail) that will allow us to maintain tension at this point.
Certainly, initially, you will struggle to maintain tension; do not worry, changing from tying with one rope to doing it with four at once requires shifting mental frameworks.
Important: avoid pushing too hard. If tension is lost when closing the tie, the person being tied is the one bearing the load; multiple attempts will be exhausting and uncomfortable. So, after four or five failures, stop and rest.
And the hands, are they free?
Closing the first layer is already a restriction and a valuable management tool. Now, if we want to expand its capacity, we can connect this line with the forearms.
Yes, connect with forearms, not "tying the hands"; the concept changes.
If we have enough rope, we can use what is left from the first layer; if it is not sufficient, or we prefer to do it this way for comfort, we will use another rope (also folded in 4 layers) to offer support to the forearms (as we saw in previous exercises) and, once this support is established, connect with the rope to the upper line.
There is no single correct way to do it; depending on the length of the rope, the tension, the tied body, you will have more or less rope left over, or the arms will reach one point or another.
The technique will be properly applied when the tied person manages to connect their sternoclavicular joint with their forearms and from these to the sacroiliac joint, as we did in the floating and sinking exercise.
Tension
We have one important technical concept left for the technique to function fully: tension.
We will develop this in more detail in the next lesson of the course, but at this point, simply:
Verify through touch that the tension in the rope is the same as the tension in the surrounding musculature.
That is, the tension in the triceps should be similar to that in the rope between that arm and the spine. The same applies on the other side.
A tip: the tension and management of support with the rope is "downward" in the first layer of ropes and upward in the ropes that hold the forearms.