“The playfighting workshop was an utter delight: fun in ways I expected, only more so, but also unexpectedly tender, beautiful and healing”

Simon, Wirral

Pleasure Rebels is super excited to be hosting another day-long workshop in collaboration with Christian Red.

We can be drawn to play fighting for a myriad of reasons. It can be a way to access our playfulness, tap into our competitive sides, connect with others in a physical way, or explore power dynamics in a deeply embodied way. It's also a lot of FUN! 

For many of us, we probably haven't had the chance to explore play fighting since our childhood, and it can feel harder to step into this as we get older - there can be more self-consciousness or needing to be "good" at something, or we may be more afraid of getting hurt than we were as kids.

In this workshop, we will focus on grappling and you will have the opportunity to learn techniques and defences, based on martial arts training. There may also be elements of striking and breath play included in the workshop, which will be optional. 

Safety is a core part of this workshop, and we will discuss the various risks that this play introduces and how to mitigate them.

This workshop will include a mixture of learning through discussion, theory, demonstrations, and hands-on practice. The content is highly adaptable and we can amend techniques based on your physical limitations.

- This is a standalone workshop so you are welcome to join regardless of whether you have attended the previous Takedown or Play Fighting workshops with us.

Our teacher

Christian Red is a rope/takedown teacher based in Nottingham who has been teaching since 2012. His focus as an educator is giving people tools and ideas to express themselves by breaking complex topics into simple ideas. Christian Red's involvement in the kink community has lasted 20 years so far. In recent years, he has taught at Prague Shibari, Athens Rope, Anatomie Studios, Rope On!, Rope Office Hours, String Fling, UKREX, and Oxford Peer Rope. He's also a bloody awesome human, and a trusted teacher and mentor. Christian is a regular guest teacher for Pleasure Rebels and we can't wait to welcome him back! 

Pre-requisites and considerations:

Attendees should be willing and comfortable entering into negotiation conversations with any potential practice partners and to remain in communication throughout. 

This workshop is intended to adapt techniques to students with a wide variety of physical capabilities, however, due to the duration of the workshop, it isn't recommended for anyone unable to physically participate in light exercise. i.e. if you wouldn't partake in a play fight because of existing injuries or conditions, you might want to consider your suitability for this class.

This workshop is best suited to those who may be willing to partner up and practice with another person or people. If you already have a friend or practice partner who you know is coming, you are also welcome to stick together and practice with each other throughout. We also tend to have a lot of people arriving solo and looking to partner up on the day. We are welcoming of all genders, sexualities, and relationship orientations and encourage participants to consider the learning opportunities that may be possible through practicing on different bodies, regardless of attraction or usual preferences. You will be in choice throughout about if and how you wish to participate in any practical elements.

Keep yourself hydrated during the workshop and be mindful of your energy levels. 

What to wear and bring:

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely. Layers are generally a good idea.

We will provide some drinks and snacks throughout the day and recommend bringing your own water bottle, a packed lunch and/or something that can be shared with the group (labelled if possible for those with allergies). There aren't many places to get food locally so come prepared!   

You will also need to bring along an old t shirt to use during some of the techniques! 

The schedule:

This is a one-day workshop taking place on Saturday 3rd August in Salford, Greater Manchester.

Doors will open at 10.45 am for an 11 am start. The workshop will run until 6 pm with a roughly one-hour break for lunch and shorter, ad hoc bio breaks.

The last part of the day will be a freestyle/non-taught space for you to practice in your own way. The team will be on hand to answer any questions you have and share insights, so feel free to bring any ponderings you have about play fighting. 

The venue:

We have selected a great venue, which is designed to be inclusive and accessible. The entire studio is on the ground floor with all doorways allowing a wheelchair to pass through. The facilities include all-gender toilets and an accessible toilet with grab rails. The venue also benefits from free parking and excellent public transport links.

Seating during the workshop will be either on floor mats (with cushions and blankets available for extra comfort) or on chairs. You are also welcome to bring your own "backjack" or other back support/seating to make sure you are comfortable.

If you have any questions about the suitability of this event, please contact us and we can provide the information you need to make an informed decision.

About your host:

Lex is an embodiment-focused sex and kink educator guiding individuals and groups in explorations around topics such as consent, sexuality, pleasure, intimacy, identity, relating, and power. They are the founder of Pleasure Rebels. Professionally trained as a Certified Sexological Bodyworker, Embodied Facilitator, and Certified Dominatrix (among other things), a big focus of their work is around how kink - done consciously - can be used as a route to empowerment and us becoming whole, integrated humans. 

Joining the workshop:

I am setting a minimum number of five people to ‘activate’ the workshop. If we don't reach this number, I will let you know and refund your fee 1 week before the start date at the latest.

If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact me at hello@pleasurerebels.com.

We have tiered pricing for this workshop to try and make it as accessible as possible. If you feel that price is still a limiting factor to your attending, or if you would like to discuss a payment plan, please get in touch and we will see what we can do!