Switching - helping me Dom and sub

[0t****]

Being a Switch helped me be a better Dom and more apreciative sub. It enhanced my empathy and understanding having first-hand experience of both Dom and sub roles. The first time I was a sub, thoughts arose: "Do they know what they're doing?", "Have they done this before?", "How do I use my safeword if I'm gagged!?". It made me think of things from a subs perspective which I carried into my role as a Dom. I was able to think in ways that wouldn't have been obvious before.
On the other hand, being a good Dom can be taxing; you have to plan, observe all the time, monitor, think of positions and stress, adapt to keep the energy and flow of the session. Account for safety all the time. Doms are human, they can make mistakes, it's how they deal with it and learn that matters. Doms need aftercare too, they need to decompress. Switching made me a more appreciative sub by realising this.

Do you think there are any other benefits to trying different roles?

[Sh****]

I love that you brought this up. I'm a sub, but haven't had a Dom who knew what he was doing. But once I get good sub training, I believe I'd like to explore the Domme side, and for the reasons you cited. I'm eager to read other comments.

[ey****]

there's benefits to having first hand on different roles, but then also empathy and understanding can and should always exist.

A lot of people who are genuine switches find that what they learn on one side helps them from the other; but in general there's no requirement to do/try both

On the flip - there are also those who switch who make assumptions - that things that work for them when they take one role, would work for the other when they swap.  i.e. as a sub I like/don't like this - therefore this person would/wouldn't - when it's often a misguided assumption 

[Zis]

I think, that it really can help to understand the complexity of the dynamic
Sadly as a femdom i had too many male switchers, who said they were subs, but in reality, they wanted me to kneel, what im not into. But the one time I did for a person I knew before, it was very eye opening and I don't regret it. Do I think that everyone, who says they are a switcher are the real deal? No, i think some people will "play" the dom to submissively satisfy their partner. So the reason why you switch should be well understood and then it can be amazing especially as a couple.

[Ba****]

I mostly rely more directly on information from people who actually enjoy it
That way they could also tell me why they like what

I don’t disagree with your general sentiment, i just know myself well enough to confidently state the me trying to sub isn’t going to be a fun time for anyone

I do try a lot on myself like mostly tying parts of me to see how the rope moves and where it tightens if i move in a particular way or using tools on myself to see what kind of sensation they can cause at what intensity
But people are different, sometimes the difference between dull and sharp p.a.i.n is less the tool and more the skin-type and not everybody has their veins and nerves in the same spots and even if two people say they like the same thing for the same reason they can just have differing understanding of what that means
So the one on the receiving end should always be the first and last relevant source of information