This is something I wrote because of several lady friends who have been injured by improper use of paddles. Please excuse the length it is a subject I love to practice.
Proper school style disciplinary paddling
Recently I spoke with a lady submissive friend who complained to me of a severe paddling she got. The guy she was being disciplined by apparently did not know what he was doing and bruised her badly. This has been a common complaint I've heard from quite a few women into spanking and the scene in general. I've talked to some teachers who have practiced paddling, and have done it myself (and unlike the educators I was in consensual situations), so I thought I'd write a little about school style paddling and what I've learned about it.
One of the first things to consider is the implement itself and how it is going to be used. To me severe contusions (bruises) are to be avoided completely, these are dangerous and could lead to serious health consequences. I've also talked with a lady who suffered nerve damage from a too hard and heavy strike with a paddle. This is the kind of thing I would like to see avoided. The idea is to spank not beat. Using a school style paddle requires some basic knowledge and some care in use.
First of all choose a paddle that is somewhat safe to use. I prefer a 3/8's inch thick laminated plywood paddle without holes. I've found paddles with holes will cause overly severe bruising and welts unless used carefully. Besides if you apply a regular paddle properly you don't need the holes. Remember that school style paddles are made to be felt over several layers of clothing, a bare bottom does not have the extra protection.
Proper positioning is also vital. The idea is to have the maximum surface area to strike, this spreads the swat so that bruises won't form so easily. The traditional "bend over and grab you ankles" really is not the best position, it's hard for the person to keep their balance and does not allow for enough of a 'cushion' (also the lady in question has to be fairly lithe to do this). A better position is bent over, hands above the knees with the legs spread. This allows plenty of surface area to swat. If you position a girl over a table or chair than remember to have them spread their legs, this is not for sexual reasons but to spread the surface area.
I always insist upon a bared bottom, I need to see if the paddle strokes are causing harm. If a lady I'm playing with or disciplining is modest I will allow thong panties, but I do need to see the girls bottom. I do enjoy watching a bottom grow red, but it is also for safety reasons. I need to see if the bottom is getting bruised. Some girls bruise easily, so watch for white spots that are precursors of bruises. Of course with any discipline or play it's best to start slowly, so hand spank the lady in question first before going on to a hairbrush or paddle, see how her bottom reacts to hard hand swats. If her bottom bruises with your hand you may want to try leather implements.
This is how I stage a disciplinary scene, after we go over the safeword procedure (which if she uses, I'll tell her I'll either start over from the beginning or come back at a later time and paddle her again) I have the lady lift her skirt (I insist on skirts) and bend over a table or chair with her legs spread. I then lower her panties and tell her to keep her palms flat, and her face to the left (this is also a safety procedure, a school teacher once told me she needed to see if they passed out or had a seizure during punishment). I stand to her left with the paddle held like a tennis racquet, I place the paddle on her bottom and take two to three 'practice' swats without striking her so that I am sure I have the proper 'target' set. I always aim for the plumpest part of the bottom, where the girl sits and make sure that the paddle is flat to whack both cheeks, an off strike to one cheek can cause bruising.
I then will warn her it's about to start. Then I swing the paddle like a tennis racquet but WITHOUT adding great force. I try for a smooth, clean stroke and like tennis I am not trying to swat so hard as to loose control. I will then wait for at least the count of 25 (a school teacher recommended this) I will usually wait longer for at least one or two minutes, after all she's not going anywhere. This ensures she gets the full benefit of the sting. After the swat I'll place the paddle firmly on her bottom and rub it slightly, this helps my aim and warns her to brace for the next swat. One thing I make sure of is that the girl is not hopping around, usually girls will bounce on their toes or wiggle around right after a swat, make sure she's still before continuing. You don't want the paddle to strike on her legs or especially her lower back, so it is crucial she stays still.
Then repeat until her punishment is complete. My number of swats depends on the reason. Ten to twenty swats is about average, with a light paddle. That's plenty to teach a good lesson and leaves room for extra if she misbehaves during or after her session. I insist on the girl being silent during her lesson, speaking only when spoken to. I tell her I expect only "Yes Sir, No Sir" in response, this saves a lot of whining. Also I warn her any yelling after a swat will get her extra, this will save your hearing and will keep the neighbors undisturbed.
I know a few disciplinarians who would argue allowing a 'safe word' during a punishment session but in case of a genuine emergency I think it is only prudent, you never know if the person is having a medical emergency or has decided that 'this is not for me'. By the way I have only had one girl use her safe word during a disciplinary paddling, she suddenly needed to use the bathroom after the second swat, so I started over. As for severe bruising, I have had some girls get bruised but nothing excessive, generally they are left with a bright red bottom. If a thick actual school paddle is used, expect large saucer size bruised to appear on each cheek, that is why I counsel against them.
The disciplinary style of paddling has a great social history in America, because of the prevalence of this type of punishment in our schools, quite a few girls (and boys) have experienced it or have a fascination with it. The warning "I'll paddle you!" has a real effect even on adults. As a voluntary behavior modification technique or as play (and sometimes it's in between frankly) it is something that strikes a deep chord in certain women. Just remember always be safe, sane and consensual and(and careful) and you can't go to far wrong.