The strappado, also known as the pendulum, was one of the easiest and, therefore, one of the most common torture techniques. All one needed to set up a strappado was a sturdy rafter and a rope. The victim's wrists were bound behind her/his back, and the rope would be tossed over the beam. Then, the victim was repeatedly dropped from a height, so that her/his arms and shoulders would dislocate. In some areas, it was customary to apply thumbscrews to the victim while she/he was on the strappado.

A beautiful photo series by Dutch photographer Robin Cay. In this set Chantal is given a strappado workout in the gym that Bob actually does his regular workouts...