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An armbinder or monoglove is a type of restraint device primarily used in bondage play (rather than law enforcement, medicine, or psychiatry), designed to bind the arms and/or hands to each other or to the body, usually behind the back, and employing a range of bondage equipment including cuffs, rods, straps, and gloves.
One type of armbinder is the monoglove.
A common form of armbinder consists of a sheath, roughly conical, that encloses both of the wearer's arms from fingertips to above the elbow, holding them together behind the back, combined with one of various harness (straps) arrangements to hold it in place. The sheath is commonly of latex or leather which itself typically covers the arms from the fingertips to above the elbows, and is closed and tightened with a zipper, lacing, or sometimes both; the sheath is frequently supplemented with straps around the wrists and the elbows or upper arms. The sheath alone is ineffective without a harness to keep it from slipping down the arms; the most common harness is a pair of straps that join to the outer top of the sheath, run over the shoulders and under the armpits, and join again at the inner top of the sheath. The straps are usually crossed, behind the neck or across the upper chest, to prevent the straps from slipping off the shoulders. The latter position can cause problems if the straps tend to ride up and press on the wearer's throat. Left strap is brought from under left armpit, brought over right shoulder and then buckled up behind the neck. The same is done with the right strap and then both right and left strap are buckled together to prevent falling of armbinder. Due to this armbinder, elbows are kept in touch with each other for a long time which can cause injury if kept for a very long time.
While various forms of armbinder are marketed as a "monoglove", this term is more correctly used to describe the form of armbinder often depicted in the bondage artwork of John Willie. Unlike most commercially available Armbinders that are very baggy and not particularly form fitting, John Willie's images showed a leather glove that contoured to the exact shape and size of the arms behind the back, with the elbows always touching together, and the shoulders pulled back. The result was a very slick single arm in a glove look, hence the term "monoglove". In reality, such monogloves are very hard to find that fit perfectly, and as such would in most circumstances require customized design and fitting for the individual wearing it. Monogloves, due to the harshness of the position, can be very difficult to wear for any prolonged periods of time, however in comparison to rope bondage can in most situations be easier to maintain. When rope bondage is used at the elbows all the stress is pinpointed to just those areas where the ropes are, increasing the risk of circulation issues. In comparison, a correctly fitting Monoglove spreads the stress down the entire length of the arms. John Willie's artwork often depicted unrealistic or impossible bondage positions and equipment; however a monoglove very similar was once manufactured by Ron Brandt, and utilized extensively by the professional bondage publication scene, using models that were very experienced in maintaining such extreme and strict positions.
The John Willie style of monoglove used a different method of securing the Armbinder to the upper body, diverging from the common method of shoulder straps across the chest. Instead, a Y-shaped yoke would run up the back, fork over the shoulders, and run under the armpits; with an optional addition of a strap or chain running up the back from the Y-shaped yoke to a collar around the neck. The fingertip end of the monoglove was frequently provided with a D-ring, allowing the bound arms to be anchored into a hogtie or strappado position, or to be strapped to the front of a waist belt (forcing the hands into the crotch).
Monogloves are usually made of thin garment leather or latex, though other fetish materials, such as spandex or rubber, are commonly used; monogloves of denim, camouflage twill, reinforced satin, and other strong fabrics exist. Closures can utilize lacing with eyelets, zippers, straps with buckles, or combinations of all three. Some variations also utilize buckles that can have a lock inserted for additional security.
Another form of an armbinder consists of cuffs and straps combined to hold the arms to the side of the body, or in front or back of the body. A series of cuffs, which can be made from various materials such as leather or metal, are placed on the arms at various points such as the wrists and elbows. These cuffs are then linked together with a webbing of straps, or a series of rods, to hold the arms in a particular position. To improve strength, as well as ease of use, all the cuffs and straps are typically linked together, which is why the complete piece of equipment is considered an armbinder. Another form uses a single rod, with the cuffs attached at regular distances down its length, and sometimes also including a collar at the top to hold the rod in place.
Because of the extreme position into which the arms are sometimes forced, many armbinders, and especially monogloves, can cause problems with the soft tissues of the shoulder joints and with the circulation and innervation of the arms and hands. Only the most flexible people can wear them for any length of time; [1] thus they are more often used for dramatic or visual effect in bondage erotica than in actual BDSM play. But for those who are able to tolerate having their arms pressed so tightly together behind their back that their elbows touch or nearly touch, the evenly distributed pressure of the monoglove maintains this extreme position with far less discomfort, and far less likelihood of injury, than do ropes. (For this property it was singled out for mention in the widely read 1972 manual The Joy of Sex , [2] well before the "mainstreaming" of BDSM imagery. A 1970 scholarly study [3] had already noted the great frequency with which this "appliance" figures in fetish literature and imagery, and pointed out its tendency to enhance the female figure.) Nevertheless, great caution should always be exercised when using one, to avoid dislocation of the shoulders and damage to nerves and blood vessels.
There are several variations on the basic monoglove design, including single sleeves ending at the wrists (allowing some freedom of movement for the wearer's hands), and those that are incorporated into a larger garment, such as a jacket, catsuit, or dress, taking the place of the garment's usual sleeves.
Bondage, in the BDSM subculture, is the practice of consensually tying, binding, or restraining a partner for erotic, aesthetic, or somatosensory stimulation. A partner may be physically restrained in a variety of ways, including the use of rope, cuffs, bondage tape, or self-adhering bandage.
Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist. Without the key, the handcuffs cannot be removed without specialist knowledge, and the handcuffed person cannot move their wrists more than a few centimetres or inches apart, making many tasks difficult or impossible.
A glove is a garment covering the hand, with separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. Gloves extending past the wrist are called gauntlets. Gloves protect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion or chemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide a guard for what a bare hand should not touch.
Bondage cuffs are restraints designed for use in sexual bondage situations. Compared to conventional handcuffs, they are wide wrist and ankle restraints generally made of leather, often padded with soft leather or fake fur. Bondage cuffs may be fastened at the wrists and/or ankles by a locking mechanism, by a buckle or by velcro. They are secured around the wrist or ankle, and the cuffs may then be attached to each other or another object.
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body.
Bondage in BDSM, is the activity of tying or restraining people using equipment such as chains, cuffs, or collars for mutual erotic pleasure. According to the Kinsey Institute, 12% of females and 22% of males respond erotically to BDSM.
BDSM is a variety of erotic practices involving dominance and submission, roleplaying, restraint, and other interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged in by people who do not consider themselves as practicing BDSM, inclusion in the BDSM community or subculture is usually dependent on self-identification and shared experience. Interest in BDSM can range from one-time experimentation to a lifestyle.
The spreadeagle is the position in which a person has their arms outstretched and legs apart, figuratively resembling an eagle with wings spread. It is a style that appears commonly in nature and geometry. In human style it is represented by the letter "X".
Cock and ball torture (CBT) is a sexual activity involving the application of pain or constriction to the penis or testicles. This may involve directly painful activities, such as genital piercing, wax play, genital spanking, squeezing, ball-busting, genital flogging, urethral play, tickle torture, erotic electrostimulation, kneeing or kicking. The recipient of such activities may receive direct physical pleasure via masochism, or emotional pleasure through erotic humiliation, or knowledge that the play is pleasing to a sadistic dominant. Many of these practices carry significant health risks.
Suspension bondage is a form of sexual bondage where a bound person is hung from one or more overhead suspension points. It carries a higher risk than other forms of sexual bondage.
A gag is a device used in sexual bondage and BDSM roleplay. Gags are usually associated with roleplays involving bondage, but that is not necessarily the case. The person who wears the gag is regarded as the submissive partner, while the other is regarded as the dominant one. People may wear gags for a variety of reasons. Some people derive erotic pleasure from a gag, either in a submissive or dominant role. When combined with other physical restraints, the wearing of a gag can increase the wearer's sense of helplessness and anxiety level within a BDSM scene by rendering them unable to speak during sexual activity, which some people enjoy.
Sleepsacks are a type of bondage (BDSM) gear. Sleepsacks are primarily used to confine a person comfortably for an extended period of time. Similar to a conventional sleeping bag, a person climbs into a sleepsack and is usually zipped into it up to their neck. Generally sleepsacks are very tight on the body, much like mummification, which adds to the total encasement aspect of the experience.
A bondage suit, also commonly called a gimp suit, is a garment designed to cover the body completely, fitting it closely, and often including anchor points for bondage. It often has an attached hood; if it does not, it often is worn with a bondage hood or "gimp mask". The suit may be made from any material--leather, PVC, rubber, spandex, and darlexx are the most usual. Leather, not being stretchy, cannot fit as tightly as the others.
A bondage harness is a piece of BDSM equipment worn for the purposes of bondage. The harness typically consists of a series of leather straps, usually between 1 and 2 cm wide, attached together in such a way as to allow a person to "wear" the item. Customization of the harness may be needed depending on the specific individual's body.
Fashion in the years 1750–1775 in European countries and the colonial Americas was characterised by greater abundance, elaboration and intricacy in clothing designs, loved by the Rococo artistic trends of the period. The French and English styles of fashion were very different from one another. French style was defined by elaborate court dress, colourful and rich in decoration, worn by such iconic fashion figures as Marie Antoinette.
Court uniform and dress were required to be worn by those in attendance at the royal court in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Medieval period in England is usually classified as the time between the fall of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance, roughly the years AD 410–1485. For various peoples living in England, the Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Danes, Normans and Britons, clothing in the medieval era differed widely for men and women as well as for different classes in the social hierarchy. The general styles of Early medieval European dress were shared in England. In the later part of the period, men's clothing changed much more rapidly than women's styles. Clothes were very expensive and both the men and women of lower social classes continued also divided social classes by regulating the colors and styles these various ranks were permitted to wear. In the early Middle Ages, clothing was typically simple and, particularly in the case of lower-class peoples, served only basic utilitarian functions such as modesty and protection from the elements. As time went on the advent of more advanced textile techniques and increased international relations, clothing gradually got more and more intricate and elegant, even with those under the wealthy classes, up into the renaissance.
A human pony harness is used for bondage - which can be for restraint, decoration and/or to facilitate work such as pulling a cart. It is usually made of leather but can be rope, biothane or other appropriate material. It is wrapped around the wearer's body in such a way that it cannot be slipped off. The wearer may have his/her hands strapped behind his/her back, although this is not usually recommended for pulling a cart or other work, in case of a fall. D-rings can be attached, so ropes or chains can be put on to lead the person around.
Pussy torture is a BDSM or sexual activity involving the application of pain or pressure to a vulva or vagina, typically in the context of sadomasochism. It is sometimes considered to be an analogue of cock and ball torture. Pussy torture is meant to be done consensually in the case of BDSM. The recipient may take part in order to provide pleasure to a sadistic dominant. Another motivation is to receive masochistic pleasure from the activity. Mild examples of pussy torture sometimes occur in conventional sex, while the more extreme ones are usually kink practices.