Impact play is consensual striking for sensation: an open hand, a paddle, a flogger. Heat and sting build. Marks can bloom and then fade. The erotic part is the intensity and, for some, the headspace of taking or giving that intensity on purpose.

Kidneys, spine, neck, and joints are poor targets. Muscle and fatty tissue tolerate more. Warm up. A cold first blow is how people panic. Check in with words, not only with the sound of the strike.

Implements have a learning curve. A wide paddle spreads force. A thin cane draws a line that stays. Practice on a pillow tells you almost nothing about a body. Start lighter than your pride wants.

Afterward, look at the skin and offer water. Bruises that hide spreading swelling or numbness need a medical look, not ice and a shrug.