How to Run an Inspection Scene

Atten-SHUN!

Today I want to share with you the concept of inspection scenes and how to incorporate them into your D/s relationship.

I believe many couples will get a kick out of the formality inspections bring to a dynamic. They’re a perfect way to create a power differential outside of sexual play in the bedroom and experience what higher protocol dynamic feels like. 

Disclaimer: Inspection scenes have the potential to make a sub feel terrible about herself. For that reason you should think very carefully before running one, only do it with someone you trust, and always conduct them in a way that shows the Dom cares for the sub.

What is an inspection scene?

In an inspection scene the Dominant has the submissive adopt one or more positions of his choosing and proceeds to inspect her body, posture, grooming and appearance.

Think of it as the military inspection of the D/s world.

Whilst most inspection scenes focus on the sub, some might focus on what the sub has accomplished. As an example, if one of her duties is to make the bed each morning then the Dom would check it has been done to his standards as she stands by and waits for his verdict.

What’s the goal of an inspection scene?

The goal of an inspection scene is to make the sub adopt a position and then inspect her:

If you like this article, you’ll love…

Sensational Scenes

How to heighten arousal, induce Subspace, and have mind-blowing sexual experiences.

ORDER THE E-BOOK & VIDEOS

• Posture. Is the sub holding her body as you have taught her during training.
• Grooming. Has the sub groomed herself as instructed by the Dom. I like my subs to be hair free, and therefore part of my inspection will be checking she has waxed or shaved. Grooming also encompasses everything else to do with appearance the Dom sees fit. Makeup, hairstyle, nails, clothing etc.
• Body. If as a Dom you are responsible for your subs health and exercise routine, then you might use an inspection to assess its impact on how she looks. Those into light humiliation might also enjoy the Dom inspecting your breasts, ass, and pussy simply because he can, and because he enjoys looking at you naked. (More on this later…).
• Duties performed. Inspections can be done to assess whether the sub has completed her duties as expected of her. Has she made the bed properly? Has she made his tea as he likes it? Has she laid out his clothes as requested? Has she written her lines correctly?
• Skill learned. If your sub is learning a new skill, incorporate an element of inspection to help her progress. Each week she must perform the skill and you sit back and assess progress, praise her for work well done, and suggest areas of improvement. Skills might be sexual (has her handjob technique improved?) or non-sexual (has her piano playing improved?)

After inspection the Dom decides if the sub has passed or failed. A passed inspection gets a reward (which may just be a ‘Good Girl’). A failed inspection results in disciplinary action.

How inspection fits with the 5 Scene Themes

I classify all my scenes into one of 5 categories (the category determining the goal of the scene overall).

An inspection scene fits into three of the five categories depending upon how it is set up.

• Training. In a training themed scene the goal is to learn or improve a skill. A Dom must first conduct training sessions where the sub practises adopting the positions.  Training themes are also necessary in order to establish a routine and set up macro repetition.
• Performance. In a performance themed scene the Dom shows off his sub in some way to an audience, or the sub performs for the Dom as if he was the audience. An inspection could be done at a play party as people watch, for example.
• Play. The play theme covers scenes which don’t specifically aim to create sexual arousal or to instill discipline, and aren’t performance or training. They’re a catch all for every other type of BDSM scene. Once the Dom and sub have practised the inspection commands and positions several times, subsequent scenes will be ‘the real deal’. They’re more formal, with punishments if the sub fails the inspection.

Getting started with inspection scenes

To introduce an inspection element to your D/s dynamic you should:

1. Get consent. The first thing you need to do, as always, is agree with your partner that inspecting and being inspected is something which turns you both on, and you want it as part of your dynamic. Inspections must be done consensually.
2. Pick a style. What energy do you want your inspection to have? This should match your personality as a Dom. If you enjoy roleplay, an inspection scene could be a doctor inspecting a patient, a teacher inspecting a student, an owner inspecting his pet, or an officer inspecting a new cadet, a 1920s housewife ensuring a meal is on the table presented to her husbands liking. If you don’t enjoy roleplay, still take the time to think about how strict you want the scene to be. You might opt for a more informal and relaxed inspection style which is over in a few minutes and involves some teasing, or approach it as a Master/owner/slave and enforce high protocol with in-depth inspections lasting ten, twenty, thirty minutes.
3. Choose a time. Is your inspection going to be ad-hoc when requested or happen at the same time each and every day. This again depends on the nature of your Dom sub relationship.
4. Agree commands. What position do you want your sub to adopt during inspection and what voice or non-verbal commands will you give? To start I recommend having just one command which is ‘Inspection’. On hearing the command the sub should stand to attention, back straight, feet together, arms against her sides (like in the army). As you progress add more commands to put her in more compromising positions. For example, I have a ‘Cunt Display’ command in which my sub must sit on her bum, legs apart and stretched out in front of her with a bend on the knees, arms on the ground behind her keeping her torso upright. This is more of a humiliation position for when I want to remind her that her pussy belongs to me.
5. Set expectations. The Dom should set clear expectations of how he wants his sub to be groomed for inspection. I already have rules in place with my sub which cover some aspects of grooming that I expect daily, and therefore I don’t have any specifically set for inspection. In a dynamic with a scheduled formal inspection (rather than ad-hoc informal ones) I’d set specific rules such as which sub collar I expect her to have on and what outfit she should wear  (e.g. naked except for high heels).
6. Begin training. After agreeing on the positions and commands, and setting expectations, have a few practise sessions to get them right. Punishments should not be given during training.
7. Run for real. After training is complete it’s time to have a real inspection! If you’ve set a specific inspection schedule then wait for that time. If you are going for a less formal approach then the Dom can call for an inspection at any moment and the sub should obey.
8. Provide aftercare. Inspection scenes can be humiliating and may involve the Dom criticising the sub. It’s therefore essential good aftercare is given in the Relax phase of the scene (not sure what the Relax phase is? Check out my book Sensational Scenes).

Be careful with inspections

Please read this part VERY carefully.

Everyone has hang ups about their bodies, not matter what you look like.

You must take extreme care when inspecting your sub. Do not comment negatively about her body. In fact, you should only comment positively about it (unless she thoroughly enjoys hardcore humiliation and has consented to that).

Instead, aim to inspect her body as if you were worshipping it. Gaze over her body silently and admire its beauty. Imagine what you are going to do to it later. Lust after it.

You want your sub to see the desire in your eyes. That’s what’s arousing about it.

You can comment on things that she can easily change – for example, if you asked her to wear a specific set of lingerie and she turns up wearing another set, or wearing her hair up rather than down – but do not criticise or mark her down for parts of her body she has no control over.

Also be careful giving feedback is she hasn’t performed duties as you expect. It should be given in a positive way with a caring energy, not a cruel or mean one.

How do you know if you are doing it right? Put yourself in the sub’s shoes and ask yourself how you would feel if someone said the things to you that you’re about to say to her. If it makes you feel bad about yourself, don’t say it to your sub.

Once you have finished the inspection, you MUST make sure your sub knows she’s good, beautiful and cared for.

Inspection scenes are roleplay designed to increase feelings of dominance and submission. It is not an outlet for the Dom to be spiteful, score points, or emotionally abuse his sub.

For that reason, I highly encourage you to think carefully before you run an inspection scene and TRIPLE CHECK your sub is turned on by the idea. Communicate well afterwards, and provide plenty of aftercare. I also recommend you don’t run inspection scenes if you are a beginner.

More tips when inspection your sub

Here’s a few more ideas to make inspection scenes more fun for both the Dom and sub.

• Use multiple commands. By adding multiple commands the sub must work harder, and the Dom can sit back and enjoy the show as his sub displays her body to him in all manners of positions.
• Leave her in position. After the inspection is complete have her remain in position as you continue your day. For example, I might inspect my sub in a standing position and then go back to working on my laptop, leaving her standing in front of me for my viewing pleasure when I look up.
• No talking. To keep the inspection formal, make a rule that forbids speaking by the sub unless spoken to first.
• Set a routine. If you live together get creative with scheduled inspections. If one partner works perhaps the inspection takes place as soon as you both get home. Or perhaps the inspection takes place every Saturday morning at 9am sharp.
• Remote inspection. Inspections can be done remotely via a video call. Alternatively have the sub send through a photo of herself in the required position at a specified time.
• Grade her. Has you sub passed her inspection? Then add a star to a wall chart. If the inspection is more in-depth you could score her against certain criteria and give her a mark out of ten. Below an 8 and she is punished, the severity of the punishment depends on how low the score is.
• Incorporate toys. For a more fun inspection have her wear an anal plug, collar and kegal balls.
• For the sadists and masochists. Attempt to throw her off her game by spanking or whipping her as she remains in position. If she flinches or moves, she loses points.

Concluding

Inspection scenes are a fun way to introduce higher protocol elements of D/s into your relationship, if you want to take your dynamic beyond the bedroom.

Start by agreeing on a command and position to adopt, then practise using the command until it becomes a routine.

The type and strictness of the inspection scene you want to run depends upon your relationship and your style of dominance, but there’s always a way to incorporate it.

Do you have a regular inspection? What does it involve? Let me know in the comments.