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The Expert-Approved Guide to Building the Best Campfire of Your Life

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The Expert-Approved Guide to Building the Best Campfire of Your Life


Nothing takes the chill out of the air like a good campfire. As the days get shorter and the temperature starts to dip, it’ll be even more tempting to throw a few logs into the firepit to warm up, roast a few marshmallows, or simply enjoy the comforting glow with friends. But building a good fire isn’t as simple as dropping an armload of logs on the ground and setting them ablaze. That kind of haphazard fire-starting isn’t exactly safe, either—particularly these days, when wildfires are becoming all too common.

 

 

So, what are the keys to a good campfire? We consulted the experts to find out. Here’s how to be the hero at your next night under the stars.

1. Safety First

Over the past few years especially, large swaths of land across the globe have been consumed by wildfires. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, 90 percent of U.S. wildfires are started by people—so it’s essential to practice proper fire safety. Before you strike your first match, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, consult the latest local mandates on campfires.

“There are certain days or periods throughout the year when campfires are restricted due to dry, windy conditions or prolonged drought, which increase the risk for extreme fire behavior,” Babete Anderson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, tells Men’s Journal. “When planning to have a fire, assess local conditions for the area you’re visiting and follow the guidelines that have been put in place.”

When visiting a National Forest or National Park, for example, check the nearest ranger station for current fire restrictions. Also be mindful that these restrictions can change on a daily and sometimes hourly basis.

Even if local authorities give campfires the green light, it’s worth taking a hard look at your surroundings. Common sense is paramount here: If there’s lots of dry brush and debris nearby, forgo the fire.

2. Build A Good Firepit

A good campfire starts with a good firepit. If you have one, or if there’s a fire ring at your campsite, use it. If not, you’ll need to make your own, and proper site selection is key. As Thomas Coyne, an expert from Coyne Survival Schools, explains, you want to avoid building your firepit in heavily wooded areas or areas that are exposed to high winds.

“Keep the area around your fire very clear from all debris or vegetation,” he says. “Build it in a place out of the wind or create a good barrier with rocks or logs.”

That way, you can reduce the likelihood that your fire will get out of control.

“The three keys to an escaped campfire are ember cast [hot embers from your fire being carried away in the wind], uncleared areas around the pit, and excessive flame lengths,” says Coyne.

Once you’ve selected a site, start by clearing away any loose brush and debris. Next, create a shallow divot in the ground and surround it with rocks. This will give your fire some protection from the wind and keep the flames from blowing around wildly.

3. Gather Your Fuel

Every great campfire starts off as a scavenger hunt. You need to gather three types of fuel: tinder, kindling, and logs.

Tinder is the small, highly combustible stuff. Coyne recommends birch bark or dried pine needles—though many other materials can work well, too.

“Birch trees have an outer, non-living layer of bark that peels away easily,” he says. “It’s rich in a volatile oil that makes it virtually waterproof and causes it to burn very hot. You can basically dip this stuff in the lake and still light it with a Bic.”

Similarly, dead pine needles contain volatile oils and resin that make them water-resistant and help them burn very hot.

“They don’t have the density of a thick piece of birch, so they burn more quickly,” says Coyne, “but they burn hotter and with greater flame length.”

Kindling has more heft than tinder but is still small enough that it catches easily. Coyne recommends pieces of dead wood ranging from the size of a pen to the handle of a hammer. Last but not least is the full-blown firewood, which can range in size from the handle of a hammer up to large logs. In this case, hardwoods are generally your best bet.

“Hardwoods like oak burn hot for a long time and leave large coals,” he says. “Large coals are responsible for much of the heat from a good campfire and a good bed of coals alone can keep you warm for hours.”

4. Build Your Fire

Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to build a structure you’ll immediately burn down (at least, that’s the goal). In Coyne’s experience, the classic “teepee” construction works best. Basically, this means placing the tinder in the center, then arranging the kindling around the tinder, and then the logs around the kindling, all in a conical shape.

That shape encourages convection, which will help your fire burn hotter and more consistently. Once you light the tinder, the flame heats the air and it rises quickly, drawing in surrounding air and supplying the fire with oxygen.

“This forms a convective current, which some woodsmen call a self-feeding fire,” says Coyne. “You know how you blow on the fire and it burns hotter? Now it’s blowing on itself, so to speak.”

In addition, as the flame grows, it’s ideally situated to catch and burn the kindling and logs placed above it in the teepee structure.

5. Keep Your Fire Burning

Getting a fire started can be difficult. Keeping it burning can be even more difficult—particularly in damp weather. To keep your fire alive, Coyne recommends switching to a “log-cabin” arrangement once your fire has developed hot coals.

“Once you have a nice bed of red-hot coals built up in your pit, you can begin to lay your wood on the fire more horizontally, in a log cabin fashion, so it burns slower,” he explains.

Keep an eye on your logs once you add them, however. If they build up a thick layer of char on the outside, they’ll smolder instead of burning and create lots of smoke. If that happens, adjust the logs so they’re more exposed to the air, says Coyne.

“You only need to prop one end up a bit to let air flow around it and help the log reignite.”

6. Stop the Smoke

Everyone loves a good campfire, but is there anything more annoying than constantly changing positions to avoid a lungful of woodsmoke? While there’s no way to completely prevent smoke, there are a few things you can do to reduce it.

“Smoke is a sign of incomplete combustion, which means you need to get the fire burning hotter,” Coyne says. “If your fire is too smoky, either the wood is too wet, you didn’t use enough tinder, the wood pieces are too big for the current flames and coals, or your pieces are laying flat on the coals and need air circulation.”

Try adjusting the logs. If that doesn’t work, add more tinder, and ensure that all the wood you add is dry.

7. Put it Out Properly

If you’re going to have a bonfire, it’s your responsibility to make sure it’s properly extinguished when you’re done. Putting out a fire seems like a simple task, and in essence, it is: You need to drown it. (Burying your fire won’t completely extinguish hot coals.)

What surprises many people, however, is how thorough you need to be. A single bucket of water won’t cut it—you need to keep adding water onto the fire to smother the logs and all the burnt material in your firepit.

“Put out a campfire by slowly pouring water onto the fire and stirring with a shovel,” says Anderson. “Continue adding and stirring until all the material is cool to touch.”


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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
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

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
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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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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