Body Suspension With Hooks!

[Mrmedia]

Pictures of people hanging from hooks
http://www.media-post.net/bodyhooks.php


That looks like it hurts

[gyoza]

OUCH!

...why?

[Anubis Nine]

I see no attraction to this. It's not even like people who get their genitals peirced for whatever reason.

Maybe they get some kind of rush from it o.O

[Kusoyaro]

I'd laugh so hard if the skin ore and the fell, oh man, imagine the mess.

[Collapse]

Hm, not my cup of tea. Freaky as hell.

[Kash]

they get some kind of rush from it

Indeed they do. I don't suspend, my fat ass would tear out the hooks or worse yet, I'd stretch out so bad I'd have flaps hanging where they put the hooks. However, I have seen it done in both large and small groups. I'm thinking it's a combination of the endorphine rush similar to piercings but on a grander scale. Combine that with a sensation of floating and the "I just walked on fire/Aced an important test/jumped out of an airplane type of feeling of doing something challenging.

Not exactly my cup of tea either, but It's nice to know someone is out there pushing the envelope.

[Ether_Elemental]

compared with other things out there, this stuff is tame by comparison. i just still don't get how their skin doesn't tear (it should shouldn't it?). perhaps its a reverse to the whole bed of nails thing. maybe if they use enough rings in their skin it just won't damage as much. as far as what they're feeling, i'm sure a feeling of helplessness is also tied in. people get off on the freakiest stuff.

[ZaichikArky]

yup. learned about this long ago. I view it similar to "scruffing a cat". since our skin isn't as stretchy, it just takes longer to accomplish : ).

[Tekdude]

It's a religious thing, mainly for Hindus I believe. I remember learning about in High School World Cultures class, but I forget the exact reason for it. It's basically for the same reasons as fire walking, and sleeping on needle bed things. In reality though, they do not get a rush from it, in fact they are supposed to ignore it. It has something to do with reaching nirvana by forgetting the physical world. Supposedly, becoming immune to intense pain is a way to do it.

[Angelyne]

While there are Yogis and Jains that practice this type of acesticism for religious reasons, it is definitely NOT common, especially among Hindus. In fact, it is more often denounced than supported.

Concerning the pictures posted, it is pretty obvious that these people are doing it for pleasure and not religious reasons.

[nice gaijin]

It's called "hook suspension" or "hanging" and it's an interesting recreation. Getting the hooks put into place is probably the most painful part (about as bad as getting a surface piercing) but the actual hanging supposedly brings about the sense of floating and relaxation. I've chatted with someone who is heavily into body mods and he says it's almost like flying, after a minute you don't notice the hooks at all. Still not exactly something I'm tripping over myself to do, but interesting nonetheless.

I've met an Australian performance artist who had done several exhibitions involving hanging as well as other very intriguing "merging of man and metal" type experiments. He had a lot of interesting things to say about it. http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/index2.html (warning, some of the content of this site is graphic; including images of a naked bald australian artist)

[ellie]

Suspensions aren't as uncommon as you'd think. While not mainstream, there is a fairly large group of people who are into this type of extreme body modification. Check out www.bmezine.com for more information on hook suspensions. I'd never, ever do it, but I do think it's quite interesting (I apparently share the same views as nice gaijin above me). I have the random genital piercings that some people above mentioned, which I don't think is really even on the same level as suspensions at all. Genital piercings are more about pleasure (IMO) while suspensions are more about reaching a new level of consciousness and getting in touch with yourself.

[Kass]

I have several friends who do this as part of rituals. I want to say it is some sort of pagan thing, but I can't be sure. Religion isn't a very common topic. They often will link hooks on their body to hooks on the bodies of others and gently pull on them. I understand that the combination of endorphins and spiritualism is quite intense.

There is a massive endorphin rush from the piercings. It is a little deeper than just a surface piercing with needles, something I've done. Flesh hooks just isn't something I'm interested in because of the scarring.

[hidethedrone]

I've been there to see one of these. It was very weird. I totally felt like I didn't belong.

I really didn't. But there I was, chasing some fool girl. Foolish foolish me.

[Kou123]

I guess this is the definition of Masochism

[jingi893]

in native american cultures it's called the "sundance"...it was banned here for a while...and now i believe they still do it...whether or not your skin rips depends on the number of hooks...from a physics standpoint it spreads out the tension/force over a larger area...of course, the goal is to do it with the least amount of hooks...i have a few piercings...but i wouldn't go that far...on second thought...it just might be one hell'uva story to tell the grandkids about...

[Kintaro]

Wasn't this in Ichi The Killer by Takashi Miike, you know, Kakihara took a guy, suspended him on hooks, and then poured hot scalding oil used for tempura batter on the guy's back...