Sauna Talk

Today on the bench, we are seated between pro football player Brian Peters and Mindstrong project founder Harvey Martin. “Chasing the edge” is an easy concept. Athletes sustain performance via an aggregation of marginal gains. From 1-10, how developed is sauna therapy with pro athletes? Harvey rates it a 5, and Brian rates it a 3 or 4. It is slowly creeping its way into professional sports. It is knocking on the door. Saunas in NFL locker rooms are large, like 10’x10′. Harrison Smith would hit the cold plunge and then the sauna. Click here to read an article from 2011 detailing how Minnesota Vikings players used cold therapy, and how the saunatimes editorial department back then urged players to introduce themselves to authentic sauna to help make the process more impactful. Back to Brian Peters: while in Houston, a sports science staff member began to implement hot/cold therapy as a way to help athletes with sleep. Most guys hit the sauna as a relaxing thing. Hot/cold therapy is slowly creeping its way into

Today on the bench was the day the coronavirus became front and center in the United States. We visit with Rod Buhrsmith His Father in Law had a brain aneurysm, and he really leaned into assisting with this family emergency. Stokeyard Outfitters Activating two sauna locations: Hewing Hotel and The Village, 4700 Nicollet Ave. S. “Mobile is kind of our thing.” The use of mobile assets (mobile sauna) has allowed Stokeyard Outfitters to activate in Minneapolis. The Village is only 5 blocks from Rod’s house. There are certain things that happen away from the Village, like filling water, printing the roster, etc. Creating the hot room ambiance to assist for when the guests check in. A linear trajectory of growth. Within the community are partners more than just logo sharing. Tactical on the ground partnership. Add scope on the fly. Eddie, the new owner of Parkway Theater is busy with his own organic project. This has given his property in South Minneapolis more of a runway of time for Stokeyard Outfitters to operat

Welcome to a dream come true: a new community sauna for Duluth, Minnesota. Setting up for Winter/Spring residency, right next to Lake Superior, partnering with The Inn on Lake Superior, Canal Park, Duluth, MN. Justin Juntunen’s history of sauna Meet My friend Justin. He grew up with sauna,  just a toddler on the floor in a bucket like father and grandfather before him. Sauna has been an integral part to his family culture. Growing up in Esko, Minnesota, a small Finnish community twenty minutes south of Duluth.  Justin says, “I believe my Finnish immigrant ancestors have been great protectors of the cultural treasure of sauna. When they arrived in Duluth over a hundred years ago they were immigrants, they had very little. For the past century us Finns have protected this treasure of sauna. Kept it close. Now we are working to share that tradition.” Welcome to Finn Town Here is the place for public sauna, and this is the time in life for Justin to do it.  Canal Park, where Cedar and Stone is located once was ho

Let’s welcome Carrie Drinkwine to Sauna Talk. We start our sauna rounds with wet hair. The oils of your own hair are healthy. Carrie’s medical history Dietetics and Nutrition Science major. Masters in Holistic Nutrition. Aligned with beliefs. Practicing as a nutritionists. Became ill with chronic problems. Lupis. Antibodies over 481. Hashimoto: an autoimmune disease where the body is attacking its own tissue. 6 years ago. Could not move from laying down to sitting up. Chronic pain. Everything was amplified. Chronic anxiety and depression. Could not sleep. She took Western medicine to “get through the day.” She kept getting more and more drugs diagnosed on her plate. Going Eastern Naturalpath doctor. A Western approach to Eastern thinking. The same approach wasn’t resonating with her. You couldn’t touch her skin because she was in such pain from Lupis. A God wink A regenerative detox beyond desperate and skeptical. Within 14 weeks she got a reversed diagnosis. Dr. Robert Morris. Certified regenerative detoxifi

He may be most recognized as “The bad guy” in Spike Lee’s American Clansman movie, but those that know Jasper Pääkkönen, know him as anything but a bad guy. Acting is being little kids again. Every Finnish family has pretty much similar experience growing up with sauna. Creates a certain bond. Naked removes the taboos. Strips away all the things that are so uncomfortable with nudity. In reality, nudity is our natural state of being. When you are stripped away from your clothes, you are stripped away from your barriers and roles. Finns grow up with a healthy body image, and an understanding of nudity. Sauna is generally the place for the mandatory sex education talk. Childhood home in Helsinki, a small electric sauna in the basement. Pretty much every family in Finland has a sauna in their home. At the wood burning cabin sauna, everybody wants to go light the fire. The primal nature of fire and fishing. In our DNA. Providing food, catching something, picking berries, mushrooms. Everybody spends a lot of time i

Today on sauna talk, i’m pleased to bring you Kimmo Helistö, leading operator and pioneer in urban public sauna. We are seated at his latest project, Uusi Sauna, a stylish contemporary public sauna in the “new downtown” area of Helsinki. Uusi offers 3 saunas and a bar and a kitchen. One sauna for men, one sauna for women, and one private sauna, electric for private functions. the birth of Uusi Sauna In 2010, there was an International competition to help define what city planner would win the competition to help define the neighborhood. Kimmo was contacted to help make the public sauna happen. Kimmo was brought into the project very early. He had time to think what the design The two main saunas are heated by wooden pellets and the private sauna is electric heated. Decline of the Helsinki public sauna empire There were approximately 150 public saunas before World War II. Apartment buildings had only cold water. Bathing was all done, and happily achieved in these neighborhood, community saunas. Only two of the

The story is known by just about everyone in Finland, and for that matter, also well known in Russia and all other countries where sauna is more popular than here in USA. It was the 2010 Sauna World Championships. The two finalists had worked their way through 130 other contestants, two days of grueling single elimination “who can outlast the other on the sauna bench” brackets. And only two men were left standing: Russia’s Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy and Finland’s Timo Kaukonen, soon to be known everywhere as Sauna Timo. To set the stage of the final round, rules in the competition required the sauna to be heated to 110 C (230 F). Water was added to the sauna stones every 30 seconds and the last person to remain in the sauna would win. Competitors were required to verify their condition by giving a thumbs up to judges when asked, and be able to leave the sauna unaided. Kaukonen is a five-time winner of the event and reigning champion, while Ladyzhenskiy is believed to have come third in last year’s contest. So, int

Today on Sauna Talk, we are warmed to welcome Saara Lehtonen, founder and lead proprietor of Kaurilan Sauna in Helsinki, Finland. In Finland, those well familiar to sauna, which includes just about everyone, will tell you that “every sauna has its own soul.” And for those not convinced, or those who may be at all suspect to this fact, I encourage you to get to Helsinki and pay a visit to Kaurilan Sauna. Before we get started, I’d like to extend a big thank you to Samuli, owner of Iki Stoves, who brought me to Kaurilan Sauna to meet Saara. A wood fired Iki Stove was idling away as we arrived. And here we see Samuli delivering to Saara a sauna spoon for her Iki sauna. I spent an hour with Saara, and there were moments in this interview, where I was heavy with emotion. This was about my 40th sauna in less than 10 days, so I was somewhat wonderfully delirious as it was. And Kaurilan Sauna is a spiritual place. Our conversation was full and affecting and the sauna elves were present. As we shared some mutual ferve

Have you ever met somebody and wonder how they can accomplish so many ambitious projects? Well this is Tea Lindberg, founder and owner of Time for Tea Catering, as well as Saunat, a sauna rental and hosting business, where she manages 12 different sauna properties. If all this isn’t enough, Tea has two small children who stay with her as she manages phone reservations and catering inquires, while putting together an awesome wholesome lunch for me and Samuli, from Iki sauna stoves. We take a tour of Tea’s latest project, where she bought an old farmhouse by the shore of the Baltic Sea on the outskirts of Helsinki Finland. More here. She is ambitiously turning back the property into its original design, from the 1800s. Let’s take an audio tour of Villa Furuvik. Paradise by the Sea.   “When a Finnish person says, it stays.” Finnish people are trustable. Home economics teacher. A huge thank you to Samuli from Iki stoves for arranging and escorting me to Villa Furuvik, and introducing me to Lea Lindberg, and Annie

The Factory tour Lets talk a little bit about Narvi. Of the bigger sauna heater manufacturers, we are the only one designing and manufacturing all our products in Finland. With about 70 employees, Narvi grows by sticking to their plan. Narvi is very proud of their enameled heaters that are extremely durable and easy to take care of. And Narvi is an innovator. For example the smoke channels of the Narvi NC make the heater the most eco-friendly in the world. VTT tests the heaters in Finland, and Narvi NC 16 scored 0.07 % in carbon monoxide emissions, when the minimum level is 1 %.  At their factory, real people and sauna lovers are the ones developing and manufacturing their heaters. They are proud about every unit that leaves our place, and it shows. Wood burning is more popular in Canada. The Baltic countries are strong in the wood burning category. 20% of Narvi sales are outside of Finland. Wood heat vs. Electric heat Cool down is a critically important part of sauna Foreigners who love the sauna have had to

We didn't Sauna Talk together while taking a sauna, but we did Sauna Talk on the sauna bench with Kimmo Riuttanen Product Manager & Sami Linna, Marketing Director from Harvia.   Wood species for saunas Red Cedar is something that can be found only in North America, not Europe. It equals to Elder in terms of structure, is the closest wood species. "oh, it smells like a pencil!" The color appears much like Elder. Spruce: Easy to get, easy to work with. Light enough to work with. Aspen: Also very light soft wood. Really easy to work with. Less knots. Elder and Pine. These are the classical species of wood for sauna. Heat treated: we can get some darker shades to the sauna. Knots on paneling for sauna walls: "I love the livelihood" Benches: Dense woods "massive spruce." Sammi: "You do it how you feel good, yourself." "You need to enjoy the sauna the way you like it the most." Keep enjoying the sauna, and sharing the good word!

It is day 4 into Glenn’s 50 saunas in 12 days in Finland journey. This evening we are visiting with Satu Freyberg, Head of International Marking and Carita Harju, Founder and Executive Director, of Sauna from Finland. We have gathered for Sauna from Finland’s 10 year anniversary. And what better spot than Savutuvanapaya, a lakeside resort featuring multiple saunas by the shoreline, in the heart of Finland’s Lake Country, central Finland. What is Sauna From Finland? Well, in my words, Sauna from Finland is a commercial sales and marketing company. They are all about promoting the authentic sauna experience. They represent Finnish companies that produce sauna and sauna related products. Satu and Carita recognize that sauna is perhaps Finland’s greatest export. And who is to argue this? In Finland, sure there is Rapala lures, and a handful of heavy equipment and industrial companies whose names I can’t pronounce let alone tell you what they export out of Helsinki harbor. And today Nokia could very well be behind

When traveling around North America, have you ever stayed at a place and thought: “wow, this would be a great place for a sauna.” Well, how about visiting a place with 7 saunas? Welcome to Varjola Resort! Day 4 of Finland trip. After a busy travel day 3 and interview with Dr. Jari Laukkanen, world leader in sauna research, Glenn checks in to the Varjola resort, with all eyes on one of the smoke saunas along the shoreline, heated and ready for action. He is entertained by 5th generation owner Marcus, who offers a few savu sauna instructions for this American amateur: “otherwise your ass is black after this moment.” In this episode of Sauna Talk we are visiting with the staff at Varjola Resort in Central Finland. A long relaxing savu sauna the night before, then a breathtaking morning hike, amongst old growth forest with trees reaching high to the sky, Glenn was able to relax in the dining room during an impromptu employee lunch with Riikka Ruunaniemi Marketing and Sales Manager (Markkinointi- ja myyntipäällikk

What a pleasure to sit down with Dr. Jari Laukkanen on this early June 2019 afternoon in Jyväskylä , a city and municipality in Finland in the western part of the Finnish Lakeland, some 130 km north-east from Tampere. You may not know his name, but as a fellow sauna enthusiast, I guarantee that you know of his work, especially if you have read about the reported sauna health benefits in the New York Times, Time Magazine, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, NPR, and pretty much every area of broadcast media in the past year or so. Sauna is a centuries old tradition from Finland, where people are known for being humble and quiet and low profile, How fitting is it that the person perhaps most responsible for the sudden explosive interest in sauna is equally humble, quiet and low profile? This is Dr. Jari Laukkanen. He seems less comfortable with the limelight, but very comfortable channeling his expertise as a Cardiologist towards sauna research, to help qualify and understand what we sauna enthusiasts know to be true: Sau

Today we learn about the International Sauna Association. Risto has been taking sauna since one month old. He has always been interested in taking good saunas. His wife tells him that he is “married to sauna.” He built two saunas in Zambia. Jijijjimjilbang was very popular in Korea, but they are disappearing as a public bathing place. The definition of sauna: “Sauna is a room, wood paneled, where you have a stove and stones, temperature measured at shoulder level, 80-100 degrees (175 – 212 degrees f). Relatively low humidity, which is controlled by introducing water onto the sauna rocks.” Risto has visiting many saunas in the United States. We are trying to get standards for sauna to avoid misleading information about what sauna is and what sauna is not. The biggest player in the sauna space are from Germany. If you try to sell “infrared sauna” in Germany, you will get fined. At a recent spa exhibition in Germany, the Intabad Exhibition Organization authorities forced a Chinese exhibitor to take down their si

I first had the pleasure meeting Jarmo Lehtona, then President of Finnish Sauna Society, about four years ago at Mikkel Aaland’s Sweat Summit in San Francisco. Mikkel Aaland’s Sauna Talk podcast episode is here. Yet today, i’m overjoyed to share with you my conversation with Jarmo Lehtona, who greeted me at the Helsinki airport upon my arrival to Finland. He was my guide during my first day, whisking me off for a day of sauna. Jarmo’s guide work is well tuned. He effortlessly walked me onto Metro trains, trams, busses, and around corners all over Helsinki today as we partook in a couple different saunas. Is there a better way to get over jetlag? No! Jarmo is a pro. He brought for me a Battery energy drink. 12 oz. can popular all over Finland. Jarmo knew that i’d need a boost/kick for my first day. Also, Jarmo brought for me my first of many bottles of Estonian Mineral water, which turned out to be critical for me throughout my trip. Mineral balance is critical for intense sauna action, or intense sweating act

Daniel has a great media mind. He’s a great interviewer and a curious person, who helped unpack Glenn’s sauna marathon in Finland. The trip was a balance of planning and spontaneity. A lot of planning through connections made, then emails and correspondences up to departure. Endurance: I got on my sauna game. There is no judgement with sauna. When you are hot you leave, when you are cold, you go back into the hot room. Sauna: whatever works for the individual. What feels right, you do. Every sauna has its own soul. Mineral water: key to sauna survival. More than just hydration. Sauna Water based on different body types. Independent cultures creating common practice. 1,600 kilos of rock. The rocks become 600 degrees c. (1100 degrees f.) and glowing red. Savusauna. 5-7 hour burn. Super hot rocks, lots of heat mass, all the smoke is released out of the room. Glenn recorded 10 Sauna Talk episodes over in Finland. We will be releasing these podcasts one by one.

Jamie and Will were ready to put winter behind us, and head up to the shores of the World's largest freshwater lake. In this episode of Sauna Talk, we hear from the winners of the free weekend package to Larsmont Cottage's Sauna Days! What they won Their very own free weekend package to Sauna Days! $504.00 value. 2- NIGHT FREE LODGING AT LARSMONT COTTAGES LAKESIDE SUITE Room & Tax Charges Included King Bed Gas Fireplace Microwave & Mini Fridge Flatscreen TV Private Bath w/ Whirlpool Tub Balcony with Lake Superior View PACKAGES ALSO INCLUDED: Unlimited sauna access via multiple saunas onsite Unlimited Lake Superior plunge access via largest freshwater lake onsite Sauna Lovers’ Social hour & Appetizers Saturday Smorgasbord Buffet Sauna Enthusiast Gift Basket Guided Tour and more! How they won Contest rules were straightforward and simple (much like sauna itself): Send us a photo of you, sauna related. You can be in front of your sauna, in your sauna, someone else’s sauna, or just standing t

The Sauna Talk Craft Brewery Series continues. We first interviewed Omar Ansari, founder of Surly Brewing, inside his wood fired sauna, episode here. Today, we head up to Duluth, Minnesota to Sauna Talk with Ben Hugus, co founder of Ursula Brewing. You will hear similarities with these conversations as there is a parallel to the craft brewing industry and sauna. In this episode of Sauna Talk, Ben Hugus, co founder of Ursula Minor Brewing, talks about the camaraderie and collaboration involved with starting Duluth’s 8th craft brewery. “We all get along. We share ideas and we all benefit by helping each other out” he says. Ursula Minor collaborated with Larsmont Cottages this year for Sauna Days, bringing their craft beers and even a special batch of Sauna Beer, specifically made for this past weekend’s sauna gathering (by the shores of Lake Superior!). The nuances of the beer are quite special. (hint: spruce tips!). Normally we Sauna Talk on the sauna bench, yet we recorded this episode in front of a live audi

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting on the bench with Omar Ansari, founder of Surly Brewing. You can listen to our Sauna Talk Episode here. Today on the bench, I have the pleasure of visiting with another enterprising icon in the Twin Cities. Today we welcome John Munger, Executive Director, Loppet Foundation. John and Omar have a few similarities Both John and Omar know each other from way back. Surly was an early sponsor of the Loppet Foundation. That relationship is still strong today. Their beginnings: John with the Loppet and Omar with Surly, each started as a kernel seed of an idea. And each have each grown into something long lasting and remarkable. Both have have swam upstream against established rules and structure, both political and policy, with fierce dedication to their clear visions and missions. As you’ll hear in this episode, John notes that “real change in the world is stuff that lasts.” In the case of Surly Brewing, we have Surlyville, a substantially cool and beautiful brewery destinati