A lack of understanding of the body’s geometry and the structure of ties is at the root of many problems across all types of binding.
A common mistake among students is creating “square” ties—wrapping the body as if it were a box.
I recommend revisiting the lesson on geometries to refresh these concepts.
Let’s examine some problems that arise from this misconception.
For ties like the gote—chest harnesses with the arms bound behind the back—this approach not only creates a technical issue that reduces the effectiveness of the tie, but also introduces a physical risk for the person being tied.
The most frequent error is tying the body as if it were a square, with two short sides (the sides of the torso) and two long sides (the chest and back).
This method leads to uneven force distribution, concentrating most of the load on the short sides—the sides of the torso.
These forces compress the body, pressing the arms against the ribs. This not only limits the ability of the arm and side muscles to engage, but—depending on the person’s anatomy—can also result in nerve compression.
This is especially true for people with broad arms and torsos (common among Westerners), but it also affects those with slender or “bony” frames. When the arms are pressed against the body by the tie, nerves can be compressed against the bones—most notably, the radial nerve against the humerus on the inner arm.
From a technical perspective, this pressure prevents proper muscle activation and disrupts the kinetic chains from the forearm through the sides to the core, leaving the tied person hanging passively if suspension is applied.
To avoid this, the rope must follow the body’s natural anatomy. The lines shouldn’t run parallel to the ground, but should instead follow vectors that guide the forces toward the desired point and direction.
When wrapping the body, the rope should “embrace” it (musubi), following its natural contours and structure.
The tier’s movement should form an arc—circular in nature—while the management of forces should be triangular, working from one of the triangle’s vertices.
It’s not about squeezing the body or wringing it out, but rather guiding it into a position that is biomechanically optimal for the loads or forces it will encounter.
Imagine a falcon diving for prey: it folds its wings back in a V-shape, with the wingtips acting as stabilizers, yet retains full control to spread them instantly when needed.
In a gote, the biomechanics are similar: the shoulders rotate backward to “fold” the body, allowing forces (not just weight) to transfer from the forearms to the sternoclavicular joint. This creates a V, with the vertex at the chest and each side representing a forearm, where the pinkies act as stabilizers.
With this image in mind, it’s easy to see why parallel lines and square-shaped force distribution are not only inefficient, but actually counterproductive.