John Juracek, one of the best fly-casting teachers on the planet, squints at my reach-cast and tells me to tweak the finish with a bigger sweep of my arm. Then Juracek moves down the row of students, critiquing, slapping his leg with a yellow section of rod as if it were Patton’s riding crop. We’re standing on a grassy lawn at one of the best adventure schools in the U.S., beside a slow slide of Idaho’s famed Henry’s Fork. We’re casting into hula hoops at 20 paces. “You must work to achieve enlightenment. It must be hard before it is easy,” Juracek says. “Or whatever.” He cracks a sly grin.
Going back to school
I’m here at the four-day School of Trout because when it comes to chasing fins, I need some higher ed. True, I’ve pursued fish from Patagonia to Alaska, and even caught a few of them. But my cast is a train wreck on a four-count rhythm. I need other skills, too, if I’ll ever have a chance against wily trout on new rivers—and YouTube can only take a guy so far. Where better to learn than an Advanced Class taught by marquee names like Juracek, on the Idaho river often described as the graduate school of dry-fly fishing?
Some fishermen want to be led around by the nose by a guide. They want to rip lips, and the more, the better. They aren’t interested in learning about insects, or about how to counter the wind. School of Trout is not for them. “We’re giving people the skills to be creative problem-solvers on the river,” says Todd Tanner, the school’s founder and a former guide here. “We’re trying to teach people how to think out there.”
Jeremy Roberts/Conservation Media
Intensive study
Don’t come to this school thinking it will be all recess. Our August mornings begin early and go late. We start when the dew is still on the grass, brushing up on fundamentals of casting—the pile cast, the reach cast—under the eye of Juracek, a coach of world-champion fly casters. After that one morning, pro fisherman Jeff Currier jumps into the water to demonstrate how he combats micro-drag, that infinitesimal tug on a dry fly that makes a picky fish refuse it. (One tip: Try the ‘drag & drop’ method: aim your fly a bit more upstream and beyond the target…then drag it gently into the correct lane of water, now backed by plenty of slack.)
Sometimes we climb into the river ourselves, firing casts at bright floats weighted by horseshoes. Afternoons, we head to the Henry’s Fork and put it all together, stalking the Ph.D.-holding trout of the river’s famed Harriman Ranch reach, an instructor at our hips, as the giants that rise to feed on hatching PMD’s pucker the water in slowly expanding circles.
If there’s a theme to the curriculum, it’s one I needed to hear again: Don’t pound to the river’s edge and lash the water. Slow down. Notice the bugs that are caught in a spiderweb among the reeds. Listen for the slurp of a big fish taking mayflies off the bank, and where it came from. “Observation is fishing,” says Juracek.
At night we return to the TroutHunter Lodge to talk about the day over hand-cut bison ribeyes and beers. Then it’s back outside to fish the evening hatch behind the lodge, or more casting practice under the instructors’ watchful eyes.
The last day, when class is dismissed, I head once more to the Ranch. There, I land my first Ranch rainbow. It isn’t the biggest. But I do it myself, no one at my hip this time, and using what I’ve learned. Which makes it the sweetest.
For 2021, the School of Trout is offering a week-long Basic Trout Class in October for $7,950 and a shorter Advanced Dry Fly Class in August for $4,950. Both classes will be held at TroutHunter. Costs include meals, lodging, and all instruction.
The Awaken the Hunter Course from Human Nature Hunting
Learn to Hunt
A lot of us today want to be in touch with where our food originates. But we don’t know where to start. The Awaken the Hunter Course from Human Nature Hunting teaches would-be hunters the skills and confidence to hunt on their own for bigger game such as deer or elk. The intensive four-day course, which is held on the company’s private land in northeastern Washington state, covers preparation, tracking and scouting for animals, meat processing and how to shoot bows and rifles (not to mention home-cooked meals prepared from the animal the students butcher and evening talks about what it means to be a meat-eater, today).
Courses are held spring and summer, and autumn hunting season is brief, but the course adapts by fielding dressing and butchering a sheep—which, stripped of its wool, looks much like a deer, and with realistic simulated hunts shooting at targets in field conditions.
“There is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats,” as Water Rat said to Mole in The Wind in the Willows. But how do you learn to mess about safely, and adeptly? Well-regarded whitewater company OARS offers several six- and seven-day rowing clinics on the Class II-III water of classic rivers of the West such as Utah’s Green River and Oregon’s Rogue. Seasoned guides teach the entire time, about how to read and row whitewater; knots; what to bring and not bring on a river trip (and how to stow it). You’ll leave the week with the chops to run a basic multi-day trip on your own. Visit their site for dates.
A lot of us daydream of drifting among postcard Caribbean islands with friends. But a reality check: Few of us know how to sail a big boat. Blue Water Sailing School knows how to make that dream a reality. On its week-long Bareboat Skipper Course out of Ft. Lauderdale and the U.S. Virgin Islands, students board a 40-some-foot sailboat on Saturday and don’t touch land for a week, sailing for Biscayne Bay in the northern Keys or the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, learning the entire time the fundamentals you need to operate safely a larger sailboat, including knots, tacking and jibing, trimming sails, docking, weather. It’s a lot to learn, but if you pay attention, you’ll leave with the knowledge (and certs) to skipper coastal waters on your own in moderate conditions.
There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
Courtesy image
1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
Marius Bugge
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Marius Bugge
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
Marius Bugge
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
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