Body Suspension At All Sizes

Body Suspension is a beautiful, intense, and powerful practice spanning back hundreds and thousands of years. In modern times, it’s practiced around the world, with a range of different approaches, methods, and mentalities. The online space is a powerful point of connection and community for those who enjoy suspension. And anyone who participates in the online community knows, one of the most frequently asked questions on any post or image is “Can you do this if you are bigger? What’s the weight limit? I wish In could do this…but I’m too fat!” And all of these statements come from misinformation or a lack of information. And frankly, that lack of information is coming from our own communities. Images, art, and representation for suspendees of all sizes are lacking in the suspension community. This has been brought up multiple times over the years, and came up again as recently as BMXnet 2025, when, during a suspension round table, multiple attendees lamented the lack of diverse body representation. This blog post is a hope to begin the much-needed work of creating that representation, and taking a closer look at what it’s like suspending in a larger body, what potential suspendees might want to know going into a first suspension, and how the community can better show up for suspendees- no matter their bodies. I sat down with some incredible suspendees, facilitators, and community members to share their experiences, thoughts, and feedback, and I am deeply excited about what we have put together. 

“My name is Mel Poole, and I’m 36. My first attempted suspension, I was 19, it didn’t go great…..I did not make it off the ground. And then I think it was at least three, three years later, that I went to another event, tried again, and that time it was with Mike Coons, and it went swimmingly. And I’ve been suspending pretty regularly ever since. I was a size 28 when I first started suspending, so I’ve always been on the larger size of plus size, for virtually every suspension I’ve done. 

Suspension is so freeing. Like. If I could just go into my backyard and spin in circles for 30 to 45 minutes, I would, but that's not a physical reality my body can accomplish, but put me on some hooks and I’m there. And when I almost fall over, I don’t, because I’m on hooks! I can just be dizzy and free and have fun. There are these suspensions also that are about feeling beautiful and feeling like art and embracing what my body is able to do. [It’s like] Hey, look at that, my body fucking did that, and it’s going to heal, and maybe I don’t have what’s ‘traditionally beautiful’ in my body or whatever, but FUCK THAT. I have a body that can do incredible things, and I get to appreciate that. Suspension shows me what my body is capable of.”

Bliss lines Mel's face. A smile blooms that could light up an entire room. Despite starting with an acknowledgment that their first suspension wasn’t a perfect experience, merely talking about suspension has an infectious effect of joy on their face. I’ve seen this look before, many times over the years. Beaming down at me from hooks, giggling across the room, holding someone's hand as they get pierced. When I think of suspension events in America, Mel is one of the faces I envision. With nearly two decades of suspension experience, they have been a part of this community as long as I have. 

“My second suspension was different. Mike was so reassuring from the beginning. He asked some questions to start: what's your experience, what are you bringing into this, what are you wanting. And I explained my first experience. And he just said Well, I’ve only had one person not get off the ground, and that was because they had a medical issue. So, we are going to get you there. And it was so matter-of-fact, like. Yeah, obviously you can do this. This wasn’t a you problem or a your body problem, this was a that experience was bullshit problem. And that makes quite a difference….to be believed in. 

I never felt like….like anything weird about being pierced by Mike. I know now that Mike had concerns. Because when they got the hooks in my skin, my skin is both thick and so thin, and so it’s tough to pierce, but once the hooks are in, you see them. They look shallow. He told me this years later, but he was a little concerned about my skin. But he never let on at all; he never put that concern in my head unless it became a real concern. And looking back at photos, I can tell there were people looking hahah. People were focused on my back and making sure I was safe. But I didn’t know at the time. I thought everything was fine. I didn’t get into my head. It was a magical suspension.”

A huge part of what we do in suspension is the vulnerability. The trust. And that only starts in a space that allows for it. Having someone nonchalantly just believe in you, from the first moment, believe in your body with not a single doubt in their mind, is incredibly powerful. Mel’s first suspension experience wasn’t a great one, but once they found the right people, the right team, they never looked back. And even when there were some concerns and a learning curve for Mel’s body (which, if we are being honest, there is a learning curve to every single body we suspend), Mike never let on about it. Never added that stress or doubt to the mental load. He was a safe practitioner, monitored the hooks well, but never let the suspendee doubt themself for a moment. 

In Mike's own words- “I was a moderator for suspension forums on bodymod.org back in the day. And I saw this group from Montana doing some stuff, and I had…feedback on how they were working. Eventually, I got invited to host a meet and put some people up and just share some techniques. It was there I met Mel. I did have some initial concerns, which we talked about in the hotel that night. What we wanted to do to make these suspensions successful. And we had that talk separate from the suspendee so we didn't bring that energy into the space. These conversations need to be had for safety purposes so everyone knows what to look for, but they don’t need to happen around the suspendee. 

Melissa's skin is very thin. So the hooks often look shallow on her. We visually looked at each other but didn't voice those concerns. We kept good nonverbal communication so we didn't startle her. But that skin of theirs is amazing. It never even showed a sign of opening. I remember every single thing about that suspension, down to her little giggles the whole time. It was beautiful.”

Mike Coons has been facilitating for over 20 years and has at times been in a bigger body himself. He has specific experience in putting up people of every body type, and his knowledge and personal understanding make him an incredible facilitator. He saw Mel for who they were and what they needed and made their second suspension magical- and weight had nothing to do with it. 

I recently read an anthropological piece on suspension called Beyond Pain. And in that book the author asked multiple people what the key element of a good suspension is. She expected answers like the right hooks, the best rigging, the safest gear. But everyone said ‘the people’. The right people make or break a suspension. And that couldn't be truer here. Mel found their people when theu found Mike and Hooked. People who didn’t shy away from their body. People who had compassion and kindness, people who were mindful about people's bodies, their comfort levels, and what they needed. Mike considered everything for this suspension, even spending the night before planning how to work with every body, and their unique needs. And that made all the difference. 

“For me, I think the big difference is looking at setting people up for success with the position they are suspended in, and making sure hook placements support the weight, and it’s distributed correctly. This can be true of very, very tall people or very thin people; it’s really something we should do for everyone, not just fat people. When we look at different suspension positions, larger bodies aren’t proportionately large from top to bottom. So, for me, when I’m looking both for myself and someone else who wants to suspend, is how we support the body. For example, someone who is very hip-heavy, I want a position and hook placement that supports the hips and doesn’t kill the lower back. 

Now, some people with large bodies do have less lift on the skin. You can massage and massage and massage and it’s never going to lift. Like me, my back just isn’t going to lift. 

In all honesty, I think people make it more different than it really is. It’s a different body, but every body is different. “ Says Hillary Whitmore. With over two decades of suspension experience as a suspendee and performer, as well as a facilitator, she brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to the craft. I can still remember the first time I saw her suspend, swinging and spinning gracefully while singing an incredible opera number. I was speechless. I had never seen suspension performance anything like this, as many folks are the first time they see her fly. It’s like being transported to a different world, to somewhere else.

“There's a huge difference working with people who know how to work on bigger bodies.” Says Mel. “Even things like how my skin pulls up, it’s different because of fat distribution and how the skin has been stretched already, and how the fat is deposited. There are things that are done to my body that I have never seen on a smaller body. I respond with “ One of the things I can think of with you is like lifting a roll of skin as the entire roll, and following the natural roll rather than going ‘where we usually do.’ I feel like I see that with your resurrection suspensions?” Mel lights up again, that joy fills their features at the memory of that suspension. 

“That first res that I did at a Mecca, where we did a band across my upper stomach. That started out as an idea where I said, to myself, I’m a little jealous! I’m jealous of all the things that all these very petite ladies get to do, where it’s like she’s going to be a little pretzel in the air on three hooks, and it looks comfortable and beautiful. And it's like….I’ll never do that. But my body must be able to do shit theirs can’t. There's gotta be stuff that’s unique to MY body. And so I thought, I’ve always wanted to do a res, and I don’t want hooks in my lower belly, where I am uncomfortable in my body. And you can fit a row of hooks across my stomach, across this band here, and create this really cool effect of the skin stretching. And so I reached out to Matt Brawley, and was like Hey, make this happen, please, and yeah. That's how that was born!

There's some things with hooks in a bigger body. I don’t do it as often anymore, but I don’t do a ton of strictly upper back suspensions anymore. But my old standard setup was a pair of 4g hooks and a pair of 6g hooks, all gilsons. And that was super comfy for me. And nobody is doing that! Nobody is using 4g gilsons, only people who are like doing drops and stuff like that. So that's a big difference.”

More distribution of weight over a larger surface area! We talk about it all the time with like ear stretching and weights, it makes sense that a larger gauge would be more stable and comfortable with more weight. 

“And my upper back is not as broad as you might expect it to be. And so 4 is much more comfortable for me, not 6. So having that larger hook size really made it more comfortable. And then like, there have been things that I think any size body may have issues, like some areas more prone to tearing. My upper thigh does not do well with hooks ever.” 

While all bodies can suspend, different bodies can have different considerations. We would be lying if we just said every body can suspend and left it at that. There are other considerations for someone fat, just as their are considerations for someone very tall, or someone with a skin condition, or someone with scars or acne. Every body needs an individualized approach. It’s less about ‘am I the right size to suspend’ and more about ‘is this team prepared to work with my body.’ And I’ll be transparent, there are some facilitators out there who are not equipped or trained to work on larger bodies. It would be a disservice not to admit that. But at the heart of suspension are teams passionate about creating safe spaces for everyone, teams who will work with everybody with love, compassion, and care. Teams that will consider the unique things your body needs, and provide you with a beautiful suspension experience. 

“I feel like the practitioners who make it the most comfortable are the ones who don’t shy away from talking about, like…your body may have some unique needs, what works for you? What feels good for you? Because so often, the people who are avoiding it are….they are avoiding it! They are uncomfortable. They aren’t talking about it because they don’t know how or don’t want to.”

If you are looking to suspend and you are in a bigger body, a good team will be willing to accommodate that and talk with you about that. These conversations will be had in a kind, inclusive way, using language that feels comfortable for you (which is something your team should check in about). They’ll be honest conversations about what your body needs, not in a negative way, but in an acknowledgment of your bodies unique needs. This might include discussing different hook placement, size, body position, clothing, and touch during the suspension. As long as these conversations are had with respect and care, you are in good hands!

Knowing that good teams are out there, however, doesn’t change the issue of finding them. 

“I think we focus far too much on the aesthetic of thin bodies,” says Mel. “You look at suspension art, at videos and images, hell, one documentary requested suspendees who had thin body types. But yeah, there is a lack of fat representation in suspension imagery, and I don’t know if that's the mainstream making its way into the subculture, or….Well, I think that’s probably what it is. But it doesn’t have to be. There are beautiful, beautiful things about fat suspendees.” 

Representation remains an issue in body suspension, and many suspendees have a hard time seeing themselves in suspension imagery, let alone seeing that a team knows how to work with their body. Conversations about this issue are being had at suspension events globally, and teams are working to address these concerns and create better representation. 

Ultimately, despite the community's flaws, both Hillary and Mel have still come back, time and time again, year after year, to share in this incredible act we do together. “Suspension has changed my life. I wouldn’t be who I am without it. And with the right people and the right team….it’s magic” Says Hillary. 

During their interview, Mel gets a look of fierce determination as they talk.  “The electric meatball that lives in your skull is a fucking liar. It holds onto all the negative information and hides all the positive behind an invisible curtain like an asshole, and we can’t always trust the mean voice just because it's loud. 

Fuck the voice that tells you you're too big.

Trust your body. Trust your team. You will fly. My mantra is always I will get off the ground. And even if only for a moment, I have always flown. Go into it with the mindset that you can do it and you will crush it, and you’ll have such a better time.

No matter what size you are coming into suspension, at the end of the day, it comes down to the mental game. Believing you can do something impossible by defying gravity. If you are going to do impossible shit already, why not defy the standards and expectations about your body?”

There is a fierce strength in these words that resonates even through the screen as we talk. You can tell that this is special; these words are truly a mantra that has carried Mel through flight after flight, year after year, going on these journeys of self-exploration and pushing the limits of what is possible for their body. 

"My advice for those looking to start suspension is really to know your own body. Like for me, my mid back is a very sensitive area. If my hooks are placed too high, actually I recently went very high for my placement at BMXnet to avoid scar tissue and never again. So uncomfortable because all of a sudden where my distribution of weight was super high up, and my mid back took all of the pressure. So I think people knowing the areas of their body that….do you have a bad low back? Bad Knees? And also…the other piece is your… It's comfort.  When I first suspended it was a Superman, and my whole focus was on I weigh a lot, so I should have all these hooks for my weight. My whole focus was on how much I weighed and how many hooks I should have. And it was a misconception in my head. And because of that….Well, I hate getting pierced. And I was 6 out of 12 piercings in, and like, I hate every second of this. And also, I didn’t think about in certain positions….at the time, I felt less confident in my body. I couldn’t have clothing covering areas I was less confident about. And that made me super aware the entire time about that. And I wish I’d thought about maybe a suspension that lets me wear something I feel comfortable and confident in, and I would have felt better.” 

Hillary’s words are more than true. Knowing your own body, knowing what you need or want out of the experience. And also trusting your body and your team. Hillary does the most magical two-point back suspensions I’ve ever seen, despite her early experiences and doubts making her feel like she needs more hooks than that. 2 hooks are perfect and comfortable for her body, and that's what she enjoys. Don’t let that negative voice in your head, or that electric meatball in your skull, tell you what you can and can’t do. 

“My only answer is that anybody can suspend. Hard stop.

It doesn’t need to be associated with your size or your weight. Everyone can suspend under the right conditions, barring medical issues. But that has nothing to do with someone's weight.

If I were giving advice to a suspendee or future suspendee, if you find yourself in a scenario where you’ve contacted a practitioner and the questions they are asking you about your weight or your body make you feel unsafe or insecure. Seek out a different practitioner. There are people who will make you comfortable. You deserve a safe and respectful experience.” Says Mike. With his decades of experience putting up people of every size, he would know. 

Suspension is for everyone. 

Suspension is for every body. 

Everyone deserves safe, informed, respectful experiences in suspension, and every team should be able to offer that to every person who comes to their threshold looking to participate in this amazing thing we all share in. Whatever the body you are in, if you feel called to suspension or want to try this amazing ritual for yourself, we encourage you to seek out an experienced team in your area to work with. Know that a good team will be capable of working with bodies of every size, and creating a safe space for you to fly. And to teams and facilitators reading this, hopefully, it can inspire you to find new ways to work with more diverse bodies, new skills to consider testing out, and perhaps inspiration to feature more diverse bodies in your teams' media and merch. 

Special Thank You to Mel, Hillary, Mike, Luna, Charlyne, Jane, Mahs, and the many others who came together to make this post happen.

Cover Art by Mahs