...or is it just me

May 21, 2010 7:44 AM

Hot Boxed, one man's experience at the Sauna World Champonships.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse (17 comments total)

The last thing I'd want to do to someone who just won the sauna world championship is hug him.
posted by fatbird at 7:53 AM on May 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

This is real?
posted by josher71 at 7:56 AM on May 21, 2010

That's hot.™
posted by stringbean at 8:05 AM on May 21, 2010

Give it up for increased core temperatures and possible brain damage!
posted by Burhanistan at 8:07 AM on May 21, 2010 [2 favorites]

Funny, I have to test mil-spec hardware in a similar way. That test doesn't usually require the equipment to be operating during the test, though. So if you could stay functionally dead during the competition and then revived afterwards...
posted by backseatpilot at 8:18 AM on May 21, 2010

Is it wrong that my immediate thought after "I want to do this stupid thing" is "how do we dope for this sport?"
posted by adipocere at 8:19 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

adipocere, here's how you dope for it...

Me: "Oh, good lord! Do you drink a lot of water coming into the competition?"

Timo: "Oh, yes, about 10 liters [2.6 gallons] a day the past three days. [He smiles at my reaction.] You too, I'm sure, yes?"

posted by splice at 8:25 AM on May 21, 2010

It looks like blistering is the common reaction. What we need is something that reduces inflammation and associated responses.

Oh magical steroids, you have found a prospective home in yet another sport!
posted by adipocere at 8:32 AM on May 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

One would think that the champion would have checked out the grand prize before entering the competition.

Sauna speakers?
posted by empatterson at 8:39 AM on May 21, 2010

Are you allowed to bring your cats with you?
posted by fatbird at 8:43 AM on May 21, 2010

Oh magical steroids, you have found a prospective home in yet another sport!

Want to cheat? The night before the competion, fill a condom with water and put it in the freezer...
posted by longsleeves at 8:47 AM on May 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

the Sauna World Champonships.

this seems... like a not-so-good idea.
posted by Nothing... and like it at 9:08 AM on May 21, 2010

Kevin: How long are you doing?

Bruce: [sighs tersely] Five one-hour repeats with four-minute rests in-between.

Kevin: Ow. That sounds hard.

Bruce: It is. [expentantly] Do you want to watch?

Kevin: [quickly] No-- not really.

Bruce: Maybe Sunday, when I do my long-soak.
posted by utsutsu at 9:08 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

The Official Theme Song [sound!] is pretty special.
posted by cromagnon at 9:51 AM on May 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

There's something to be said for "sports" where even the winners are losers.
posted by tommasz at 10:45 AM on May 21, 2010

Ice enema + drink one gallon of icy water immediately before competition fast. If you can do it and get into the heat before you start shivering.

Also, you have to have a lot of fat for insulation, since clearly sweating doesn't help much.
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:08 PM on May 21, 2010

A good read... pretty horrible sounding event.
posted by ph00dz at 6:08 PM on May 21, 2010