ART AND SCIENCE OF FISTING
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Lubrication Essentials
An Introduction to Fisting Lubrication
Education Center | Course ID: 030103001
Author: Finn Vortex
Published: 10 July 2023
Updated:
Duration: 10 Minutes
A brief introduction to fisting lubrications, including jargon; usage rationale; common lubes utilized for fisting; lube-associated etiquette and standards; and best practices for application, safety, and storage. Also includes an index of all the lubrication courses provided in Fist Theory’s Education Center.
The transition from traditional sex to fisting requires the acquisition and implementation of new skills and knowledge, especially regarding lubrication. Becoming familiar with the language of lube, core principles associated with fisting lube, and the most commonly used lubes will help you integrate into the fisting community.
Fisters use a variety of unique terms related to lube. These terms may be unfamiliar to new and inexperienced fisters.
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There are three reasons for applying lube: comfort, injury prevention, and connection.
Lubrication decreases friction/drag and wear, two major contributors to discomfort during fisting.
With traditional anal sex, some drag/friction may be pleasurable. The drag/friction caused by a hard-on is minimal compared to a fist, wrist, and arm.
Liberal use of lube diminishes most of the discomfort caused by large objects penetrating or attempting to penetrate the fist chute.
Lube helps prevent various types of fisting injuries. Those injuries include microtears, fissures, and perforations.
Microtears take weeks to months to heal, fissures can require surgical intervention, and perforations can take almost a year to heal before fisting can occur again.
The emotional bond achieved during fisting is linked to a bottom's confidence in the skills of his top.
Misapplication of lube or failure to follow standard practices and etiquette associated with lube affects this confidence.
Propper application of lube signals to a bottom that the top is experienced, attentive, and concerned about his bottom's well-being. This allows the bottom to relax and makes penetration at any depth easier.
There are seven major categories of sexual lubes (or lube bases) and several minor categories, but there is very little crossover between fisting lubes and traditional anal sex lubes. This is primarily due to the quantity of lube used during a fisting session. For example, while silicone works as a fisting lubricant, a typical session requires a minimum of 60 mL (2 fluid ounces or 4 tablespoons) to prevent injury and provide maximum comfort. At a cost of 10 to 40 USD ($) per three ounces, fisters could spend 30 - 80 USD ($) in a single session where both players are versatile.
The two most common lubricants are food-grade emulsifiers, specifically polyethylene oxides (PEOs) and food-grade lipids, specifically shortening. These two categories of lube provide good coverage per dollar while providing high lubricity.
PEO-based lubes are usually liquids and tend to be less viscous than lipids, which are often creams or solids at room temperature.
In addition to PEO and Lipid-based lubes, there are several commercial lubes that are 'made-for-fisting' and are typically lipid-petroleum-PEO-silicone hybrids. These include brands such as Elbow Grease and Boy Butter.
While many sex shops sell fisting lubricants, the mark-up is pretty high. Lubes purchased directly from the vendor via a catalog or website is usually the best method for acquiring lube. Although Amazon and Ali Baba offer lubes, there are reports [ 1 ] of knockoffs that suffer in quality and safety.
Shortenings like Crisco and Trex were the original fisting lubricants from the previous century. These and other lipid-based lubes provide excellent base coats and can be used as stand-alone lubricants.
Several commercial hybrid lubes combine petroleum distillates, lipids and PEOs to create silky creams. The cost per ml is substantially higher than shortenings, PEOs, and gums.
FFäusten is a PEO that provides great coverage for punch and depth play. Other lubes in its class include K Lube and X Lube. All three have higher manufacturing standards than J Lube.
Xanthan gum, another powered emulsifier, can be used alone or in a mix with other ingredients. Gums increase the viscosity and lubricity of lubrication and are common ingredients in food and cosmetics.
Protocols include standard practices and etiquette followed by the majority of the fisting community. Typically, these are things that new fisters pick up over time.
Etiquette refers to how you treat others in a specific fisting scenario. There are five etiquette guidelines related to lubrication.
Who: Bottom
When: Every Session
What: Lubrication Provision
Group: Lubrication
The bottom is almost always responsible for providing his own lube. This ensures that his preferences are met, including:
It also eliminates concerns such as unintentional contaminants (infectious, disease-causing microorganisms) or intentional tampering (illicit drugs such as meth) with the lube. Remember that most powdered lubes are free of preservatives and can start acquiring bacteria and fungi immediately after mixing.
There are limited circumstances where a top may provide the lube, such as long-distance travel by the bottom. In those cases, it is ideal to mix the lube when both partners are present.
Bringing your own lube ensures that it is fresh and free of microbes and illicit drugs.
Ezequiel was relatively new to fisting and never suspected anything nefarious from his playmate Yani. The day of their planned session arrived.
Yani was not lying. His lube was tainted with drugs that relaxed Ezequiel and altered his ability to consent.
— L&O SVU: 26.03.0642
Who: Top
When: Throughout Session
What: Lubrication Application
Group: Lubrication
As a top, it is best to adopt a "No Questions Asked" policy regarding lube application. This means, if the bottom asks for more lube, go ahead and add it.
Keep in mind the following:
Additional coatings of lube may reduce agitation with coarse, furry arms.
He stuck out his arm to hold the elevator for me. It was furry as fuck, and my cock stirred a little. I thought to myself, if only he were gay, a fister, and had that arm up inside me. The doors closed and I pressed 3.
We both got off at the same floor and made our way down the corridor. "Was he headed the same place I was?" I thought. "If only I be so lucky." At the end of the corridor, we both turned the same direction. As we approached the door, I decided to speak up.
"You must be Brody?" I asked.
"And you Finn. I've heard about your hole from Brad" he responded and followed up with "I can't wait to get my arm into you!"
We knocked on the door, entered, and promptly undressed.
"You think you can handle my hairy arm?"
"Have you ever scrubbed lube off your elbow?" I replied.
"That deep, eh? Truth is, I haven't been that deep. It's gonna be a bitch to wash out this fur—but well worth it."
I hopped in the spare sling, and he applied lube to his hand and wrist.
"I'm deep within seconds, apply a little higher." I requested.
"Got it!" he said, spreading lube to his mid-forearm.
"You're gonna need it a little higher with that first push."
He somewhat reluctantly added more lube to just short of his elbow and said, "Let's do this!"
His small hand slid in with ease and his eyes bulged as his arm kept disappearing. I felt the moment we crossed the event horizon—the non-lubricated skin just short of the elbow. He pulled back and indicated he would reapply, but much higher.
"Just keep going as is. I've been fantasizing about that furry pit at my hole's edge since the elevator." I grunted. I could feel each dry hair, tickling my ass lips as he sunk deeper, and the feeling was magnificent.
Sadly, we didn't make it past the upper bicep even after recoating, but it was a glorious experience being ravaged by a furry bastard.
— FF Chronicles: 20.07.0466
Who: Top
When: In Group Sessions
What: Lubrication Cleanup
Group: Lubrication
In group play, tops should practice good hygiene and wash hands (and pricks) thoroughly between bottoms. This prevents the spread of STIs such as Gonorrhea, Hepatitis C, Shigella, and HPV. If using lipid- or PEO-based lubrication, three to five minutes of hand washing is necessary.
If engaging multi-bottom activities such as chariot fisting, double-decker fisting, and fisty-nine plus one, validate with bottoms their contamination protocols. Acquire consent to forego handwashing in these activities.
Shigella adheres easily to lube and can remain alive outside for several weeks, so transmission between bottoms is likely if correct hygiene practices are not followed.
Eric mistakenly grabbed an old bottle of lube from the fridge as he rushed out the door to a Friday night fist party.
Unfortunately, the lube had been colonized by Shigella, and Eric reported symptoms within 24 hours. Even though he was vigilant about not sharing lube, he was unsure if all the guests washed hands thoroughly between bottoms.
To be safe, the party organizers alerted the attendees, and everyone monitored for symptoms.
— FF Chronicles: 19.03.0426
Who: Top
When: After the Session
What: Prerequisites
Group: Aftercare, Lubrication Cleanup
Wiping the lube off the bottom is an absolute MUST (unless declined by the bottom) and is a clear indicator of your level of experience.
Inexperienced fisters often forget most of the aftercare routine, including the cleanup of the bottom prior to him getting off the bed, bench or sling.
Refusing to or forgetting to clean up the bottom will garner you a negative reputation.
Leaving a bottom in the sling without cleaning him up first is a cardinal sin among fisters.
Enrique had mega paws (huge hands) and a tight hole. This meant he could rarely top or bottom until we met. One Sunday FFunday, we popped his cherry both as a top and bottom. It was a monumental day for him.
Over the next few FFundays, I began to hear rumblings that when he was finished topping a hole, he bolts without wiping up the bottom. As his mentor, I took responsibility and pulled him aside for a quick lesson on lube etiquette while riding his fist.
"Hey, I may have forgot to tell you this, mostly because I don't like people touching me, but it's standard protocol to always wipe up your bottom and then help him stand up after a session."
"I was wondering why I was getting the side eye." He responded, pushing his hand in deeper.
"After you finish wrecking me now, I'll show you how a gentleman cleans up his playmate's hole".
— FF Chronicles: 07.02.0583
Who: Top
When: After a Session
What: Site Cleanup
Group: Aftercare, Lubrication Cleanup
Part of the standard aftercare routine is for the top to clean up the play space to ensure that the bottom doesn't slip after getting up from the bed/bench or out of the sling. A bottom may be light-headed after inhaling a lot of poppers or having his legs elevated above his head. He will need a clean space to place his feet to keep his balance.
If using disposable materials for lube abatement (paper towels, puppy pads, newspaper), the top should discard of these soiled items before helping the bottom up. If using shop towels and chucks, these should be removed and placed in the laundry basket so that the bottom doesn't trip after dismounting.
Like cleaning up a bottom, site cleanup is a core responsibility of a top after a session ends. Failing to do so will result in fewer invites to play parties and fewer repeat encounters with playmates.
Cleaning up the play space after a session is the responsibility of the top.
The talk about Earnst was always the same:
"He just leaves a mess after finishing," said one guy.
"I asked him to help clean me up, and he ignored me and walked away. There was a mess everywhere!" said another.
"I almost slipped in the puddle of lube beneath me because he never cleans up!" A third person piped in.
"I reminded him before, but he just doesn't get it," said the host. "I'm not going to invite him again."
— FF Chronicles: 30.04.0430
Who: All Parties
When: Prior to Application
What: Lube Disclosure
Group: Preparation
Lube ingredients should be disclosed between partners prior to applying lube.
Even when a bottom follows the specific protocol of brining his own lube (BYOL), his top has a right to know if there are active ingredients within the lube.
For example, an uninformed partner could be exposed to:
Informing partners (tops and bottoms) regarding lubrication additives prevents unwanted consequences.
Eduardo knocked on the door to my hotel room. I answered naked, and he stripped down as soon as the door was shut. Both our holes were eager for some wrecking.
"You wanna go first?" I asked, knowing his preference for bottoming.
"Nah. You're the host, I'll take a stab at your hole first!"
"A true gentleman and one savy on guest behavior. I'm excited to see what you can do inside me." I said as I positioned myself on the bed. "Here's my lube."
"Mind if we try mine?" he asked.
"Is there any specific reason?" I responded.
"I mix clove, mint, and lavendar oils in to relax the hole. It makes my cunt super relaxed. I'm sure it will do the same to yours!" he said with a playful grin.
"I'm always up to learning new things." I responded.
It tingled. It tingled more. It started to burn. My hole clamped up. We had to stop.
We flipped and I fisted him for a half hour, then flipped again, but my hole was still closed up.
"Sorry about your hole. This has never happened before" he said softly as I waived the white flag.
"It's okay. I'm happy being in your hole, and I'm sure it will relax within a few hours.
Unfortunately, it didn't. I was up all night with the shits as my hole tried expelling the irritants. It took three full weeks to return to normal. Any attempt at fisting during those three weeks resulted in my hole immediately clamping up and extended bouts with diarrhea. I promised myself never to put clove inside my hole again.
— FF Chronicles: 16.03.0068
Standard Practices refers to common sense behaviors related to fisting activities. There are two standard practices related to lubrication.
Who: Top (Primarily)
When: Throughout Session
What: Lubrication Application
Group: Lubrication
Before starting a session, clarify your partner’s containment policy. He may prefer to keep lube limited to an isolated area surrounding the hole, especially if he is anywhere on the autism spectrum.
Having lube spread all over his body may make him uncomfortable and cause his hole to be less welcoming.
One major reason why a top is not invited to play again is because "he gets lube everywhere!"
Being smothered in lube can be highly erotic or highly distracting.
Erastus, a fellow Mormon, invited me over to his flat to play one evening. I jumped at the chance. Mormon boys are either really very wild or really very mild—it's usually the former, rather than the 'L'atter.
It was a very erotic and rewarding session. Upon meeting, we had instant connection. We fucked. We fisted. We played deep and wide. We discussed our kink yums and our kink yucks. We matched in many ways including our piss preferences and lube practices.
"While I prefer getting soaked with piss from head to toe, I hate getting lube anywhere outside the circle of life" he said.
"Circle of life?" I responded.
"That's what I call the lube perimeter around my hole." He replied. "Most often, it's radius is no more than 15 cm from my cunt."
"So, more so a circle of lube than the circle of life. I thought you were going all Mufasa on me." I laughed.
To my inquiry, he responded "Potato, po-tah-to — tomato, to-mah-to. Lube and life — it's all the same when it comes to fisting."
"I think my circle is even smaller than yours is. I wear a tight jock when bottoming because I hate getting lube on my balls. It freaks me out." I said.
The conversation and fisting continued. My ball sack remained free of lube and dry until we started dousing each other with piss.
"I am playing with my Dutch friend tomorrow. You are welcome to come back and join us."
"I'd love to!" I responded.
"I can tell you now though, that your circle of life will be violated. He uses lube liberally, and you will finish coated in his signature FFlexiglaze lube. He's good though, it's worth it."
The following eve I returned to play with the Mormon and the Dutchman. True to form, every centimeter of my body was sticky or piss saturated. Never before had I enjoyed such a violation of my circle, and I jump at every chance I get to play with either guy to this day.
— FF Chronicles: 07.012.0316 & 08.012.0317
Who: Top and Bottom
When: During/After Session
What: Site Cleanup
Group: Lubrication Cleanup
Your host may have outlined some house rules to reduce cleanup efforts or property damage.
Emulsifiers, specifically PEO-based lubes (J, K, X, FFäusten), tend to make cleanup outside the play area very difficult.
Lipid- and silicone-based lubes tend to permanently stain linens, furniture, and paint.
Take precautions to keep lube within the play area. For example, after you finish a session, take two sheets of paper towels with you to the cleanup area/wash basin. You can use these sheets to open doors, turn on faucets, or disrupt snail trails.
If playing at a venue, clean up lube spills to prevent others from slipping in your mess. Inverting a dry puppy pad over the spill area will soak up a lot of lube.
It's easy to recreate snail trails throughout your host's home if rudimentary cleanup doesn't occur sling-side.
I should have known that everything about John would be disastrous when he declared "No pain, no gain" as he slid his hand into me.
The session couldn't end early enough. When it did, John, who was a self-proclaimed 'fisting expert' that had never used J Lube before, strut down the hall toward the bathroom, oblivious to the fact that he was leaving snail trails and tracking lube everywhere.
"Can I help you clean up?" he asked, as I escorted him to the door.
"Nah, I'll get a mop and some alcohol to clean up these snail trails" I replied.
"Okay! Let's play again soon. That was fun."
"Yeah. Fun!" he didn't detect the sarcasm in my voice.
There really were few, if any, redeeming moments of the session, and I didn't offer a repeat session as I closed the door and watch him walk away.
— FF Chronicles: 26.12.2016
With all the ins and outs of lubrication, it is easy to become overwhelmed—especially if you are new to fisting. Usually, during your first few sessions, your mentors will prepare lube for you and expose you to the major differences between fisting and fucking lubricants. They will cover basic application procedures. Some best practices may be missed or overlooked in initial lube training. These include lube preparation, application frequency and quantity, safety concerns, and shelf life.
Most fisters adhere to two ideologies regarding lubricant application:
Sufficient application of lube is an early indicator of topping skills. If a top applies too little too late, then the bottom will not open up freely.
Failing to integrate these ideologies may result in serious harm to a bottom, and ostracization within the community if consistently non-compliant.
Preparing and maintaining possession over your lube prevents multiple issues that can put you at risk:
The shelf life of lubrication varies based on several factors. These include exposure to contaminants, nature of ingredients, and presence of preservatives.
As a rule of thumb, any lube that was touched during play is contaminated. This includes any contact with the dispersing container. To prevent wasting lube, prepare only what is needed. If excess is prepared, store the extra in separate bottles away from the play area, preferably in the refrigerator or freezer.
Any lube prepared outside of a sterile laboratory will be exposed to contaminants, specifically fungi and bacteria. Lube prepared in humid climates will be colonized much faster than lube prepared in desert climates. So even if a lube has never been exposed to the play area, eventually it will need to be discarded.
Very few lubes have extended shelf lives. Some are prone to microbial colonization, some are prone to spoilage, and others are prone to decay of active ingredients.
Lubes with these ingredients should be used only once and discarded* within 48 hours after mixing:
*Some factors may extend the life of these lubes, including the introduction of preservatives, contamination management protocols, and refrigerated storage.
Attention should be given to expiration dates for these lubes and lube ingredients. If expired or near the expiration date, they should be discarded:
Preservatives can extend the life of lube for a long period of time. Although colonization is unlikely, the active ingredients in these lubes degrade over time and should be discarded no later than three months after mixing.
The following lubrication courses are available in the Fist Theory™ Education Center:
| Course ID | Course Title | Skill Level | Executive Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 030101001 | Lubrication Essentials [This Course] | Beginner | A brief introduction to fisting lubrications, including jargon; usage rationale; common lubes utilized for fisting; lube-associated etiquette and standards; and best practices for application, safety, and storage. Also includes an index of all the lubrication courses provided in Fist Theory’s Education Center. |
| 030102001 | Lubrication Science | Advanced | General dynamics and scientific principles regarding lubrication, including tribology, water dynamics, chemistry, and human physiology. |
| 030103051 | Lubrication Bases | All | High level overview and comparative analysis of lubricant bases, including a short list of classification methodologies. Explanation of Fist Theory's evaluation protocols and lubrication Summary Data Sheets. |
| 030103052 | Lubrication Bases | Glycerine | All | Glycerine overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103053 | Lubrication Bases | Lipids | All | Lipids overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103054 | Lubrication Bases | PEO | All | Polyethylene oxide (PEO) overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). Includes comparison matrix of the four alphabet lubes: J, K, X, and FFäusten. |
| 030103055 | Lubrication Bases | Polysaccharides | All | Polysaccharides overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103056 | Lubrication Bases | Petroleum Distillates | All | Petroleum Distillates overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103057 | Lubrication Bases | Silicone | All | Silicone overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103058 | Lubrication Bases | PG and PPG | All | Propylene Glycol (PG) and Polypropylene Glycol (PPG) overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103059 | Lubrication Bases | Waterlock | All | Waterlock overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103060 | Lubrication Bases | Veterinary and Obstetrical | All | Obstetrical/Veterinary overview, evaluation, and associated safety data sheet(s). |
| 030103061 | Apothecary | Lubrication Additives | All | In depth look at additives fisters typically add to their personal lubes, including specific properties and functions of those additives. Addresses health concerns, fisting protocols related to additives, and procedures for successfully mixing. Provides specific details in an index of over 30 unique additives. |
| 030103081 | Lubrication Recipes | All | Fisting lube recipes cataloged in various formats, including single and multi-ingredient recipes, recipes by principal ingredient (base), and recipes by individual specific ingredient. |
| 030103021 | Lubrication Preparation | All | Basic overview and guidelines for preparing lube—specifically ingredient selection, standard preparation techniques/skills, and avoiding issues such as microbial colonization and clumping. Includes standard protocols, myths and misconceptions, and advice from experts. |
| 030103022 | Preparation Tools and Technologies | All | Tools and technology for preparing lubrications including mixing devices, measuring tools, and useful charts for metric and imperial and apothecary value conversions. |
| 030103011 | Lubrication Application | All | Specific lubrication techniques and the physiological bases behind those techniques. Standard application protocols. Best practices for application, common application myths and misconceptions, and application advice from expert fisters. |
| 030103012 | Application Tools & Technology | All | Tools and technology for applying lubrications including discussion of external and internal application methods, fusion delivery, and toys that create a temporary anal gape. |
| 030103031 | Lubrication Cleanup | All | Tools and technology for lubrication removal. Protocols associated with lubrication cleanup. Various cleanup techniques and contamination reduction strategies. |
| 030103091 | Off-the-Shelf Fisting Lube | All | Compilation of off-the-shelf lubricants utilized by fisters, complete with individual assessments regarding these lubes. Short list of lubes that are typically not suitable for fisting with specific reasons for non-use. Vendors and manufacturers to avoid or approach with caution. |
| 030103071 | Commercial Ingredient Reference | All | Register of common ingredients and additives in commercial lubricants, typical reasons for their use/inclusion, and ingredients to avoid. |
| 030107001 | Lessons in Lube | Advanced | Information that assists instructors in preparing workshop content. Advice for mentors as they introduce lubrication principles to new fisters. |
| 060104021 | Vocabulary: Lubrication Terms | All | Fist Theory's general vocabulary page with pre-applied filters that show only lubrication related terminology. |
The following material is under consideration in the development of this topic:
Upon completing this course, the student will be able to:
Note: Objectives should follow instructional design standards and be easily measurable with little ambiguity.
These individuals have indicated they have special insight into this topic: