Sauna Talk

Today on Sauna Talk, we're pleased to welcome Lassi A. Liikkanen, author of "The Secrets of Finnish Sauna Design". The book is just now being released, end of April 2021. We start our conversation in a good place, with Lassi's early beginnings of sauna (before he could walk). And we transition into the definition of sauna, which for listeners new to sauna, is a great place for understanding. We la...

Let's welcome Eero Kipi to Sauna Talk! President of North American Sauna Society. The time we are living is very exciting. More and more people are becoming interested in and aware of the authentic sauna practice. In this episode, we get an understanding from Eero about his upbringing with sauna. And this experience is most likely not much different from most all Finns. A country of "more saunas t...

Sauna Talk global series continues. Today we welcome Sauna Sherpa to Sauna Talk. His real name is Kimmo Raitio, but he's known around many of the many saunas in Finland as Sauna Sherpa. He is a Sauna Sherpa guide to Finnish sauna. Like many Finns, (all Finns?) Kimmo grew up with sauna. Like many Finns (all Finns?) Kimmo takes good heat seriously, and welcomes those interested in learning more abou...

On this episode of Sauna Talk, we are able to visit with Dr. Zestcott about a current study under way regarding sauna mental health studies for the  Sauna Research Institute.  This is a survey based study analyzing the mental health benefits to sauna. The link to the sauna mental health studies work is  here. It's particularly interesting to learn how Colin has a keen experience and understanding...

The Sauna Talk global cross continent series continues We are pleased to welcome Mika Meskanen and his partner Wendy Liu to this joint podcast. We are publishing this episode on Sauna Talk as well as on their new podcast. Mika and Wendy are fresh on the beginnings of their enterprise entitled: Saunawave where they look to be "hosting meetings with remarkable heat seekers and embark on secret journ...

We are pleased to welcome Travis Skinner to Sauna Talk! We've been following Travis' work since 2017, starting with his Snail Shell sauna project. This sauna build project is a creative nod to the Fibonacci Sequence, one of the most famous formulas in mathematics. In this episode you'll hear from Travis about the origins of this sauna, using a yurt frame as a foundation for building this sauna. An...

Season 4 of Sauna Talk in the time of corona has been produced, like most all podcasts, via Zoom and teleconferencing. Yet this episode breaks that mold, where two people are gathered, once again, on the sauna bench to, er… sauna talk. Both Max and Glenn have been under pretty strict distancing: Glenn returning from 5 months on his island in Northeast Minnesota and Max running a tight ship, with h...

As we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of sauna book "The Opposite of Cold", we are pleased to visit with author Mike Nordskog, Mike was close to between sauna rounds at his home in Southwest Wisconsin. Glenn was Zoomed up from his island lake cabin in Northeast Minnesota. The sauna building journey vs. destination The iterative process of sauna building allows us to create a sauna that works for...

Cold & Heat It's interesting how many come to appreciate sauna from the cold, and conversely how many come to appreciate the cold from sauna. Whichever the point of introduction, Jesse and I agree that with cold plunge and sauna, 1+1=3. You'll hear from Jesse why this is. We will hear about his personal journey towards the powerful goodness of breath work and cold exposure. For most all Finns and...

Anyone lucky enough to have a hard copy of Mikkel Aaland's 1978 book  Sweat  can page through his journey into the various sweat bathing practices and traditions from all over the World. Throughout his book, we enter with Mikkel into a Mayan Temescal, a Russian Banya, a Japanese Mushu-buru, a Native American Sweatlodge, and of course a Finnish sauna, amongst other cultural sweat tradition practice...

Today on the bench, we hear from kindred spirits from across the big pond: Jake and Max Newport. As testament to our mutual love of authentic sauna, though this episode has been in the works for month, it was put together within minutes. I sent Jake an email, heard back right away, and we jumped on a Zoom call. We got right into the chatter, as mutual lovers of good sauna tend to do, and so it was...

I first learned of Scott Carney as he was writing his 2016 book, What Doesn't Kill Us, the story of Scott being commissioned by Playboy Magazine to write an article debunking the cold water deep breathing "iceman" Wim Hof. Scott went to Wim's training center in Poland. His intention was to get into the depths of Wim's cold water immersion therapy and deep breathing methods, to reveal the cracks an...

Today on the bench, we are pleased to welcome Jessica Kelso, founder, owner, and proprietor of Löyly in Portland Oregon, which today comprises two public sauna facilities. Growing up in Oregon, Jess first encountered sauna as part of "a bit of the hippy culture of the area" but she, like many sauna enthusiasts, became hooked on sauna from her time spent experiencing the public sauna scene in Europ...

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...

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)...

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 p...

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...

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,...

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 Sau...

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 we...

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...

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, whil...

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...

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 mu...

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...