So today I went firewalking

[Folji]

And now I have small clusters of tiny blisters under both my feet. Not an exactly intimidating experience either, as we did it during the day while the coals almost looked cool (despite burning at a few hundred degrees celsius), but still totally worth it.

Anyone else here who have taken the trial by fire? How did it go?

 

[Folji]

Why did you do it?

I don't see the appeal.

It was a viking ritual, to affirm our manhood and assure our place in Valhalla.

Seriously though, campus seminar. Just two weeks left on campus before the year is over and everyone here heads each their way, so one of the teachers figured "hey, let's walk on glowing hot coals". Nearly everyone showed up, haha.

 

[Lionsfan]

How do you do it? Don't you like wet your feet before slowly walking across? And no I haven't done it, but it sounds fun to try

 

[Folji]

How do you do it? Don't you like wet your feet before slowly walking across? And no I haven't done it, but it sounds fun to try

Just walk calmly and normally pretty much sums up the secret. Coal sheds heat pretty quickly and will be covered by ash during the walking, so the surface is just a little bit warmer than your own body. You just have to avoid digging your feet in, which is what you'll do if you pick up the pace or walk unnaturally, or you'll hit the coal that's actually hot and burn yourself.

 

[Lionsfan]

How do you do it? Don't you like wet your feet before slowly walking across? And no I haven't done it, but it sounds fun to try

Just walk calmly and normally pretty much sums up the secret. Coal sheds heat pretty quickly and will be covered by ash during the walking, so the surface is just a little bit warmer than your own body. You just have to avoid digging your feet in, which is what you'll do if you pick up the pace or walk unnaturally, or you'll hit the coal that's actually hot and burn yourself.

Yeah I remember reading something like that in a Cracked article or something, but couldn't remember the exact way to do it.

It's something that I would if ever given the chance

 

[Folji]

Yeah I remember reading something like that in a Cracked article or something, but couldn't remember the exact way to do it.

It's something that I would if ever given the chance

Try remembering all of it when you're standing in front of the coals, though, haha. There were a few today who didn't and almost tried to skip across from the halfway point because it was getting hot. Can't be pleasant to walk on those feet for a few days onward.

 

[Jonluw]

I think I want to try that some time.
I'd need to have some easily impressed people around to witness it though. Wouldn't be as much fun otherwise.

 

[Folji]

I think I want to try that some time.
I'd need to have some easily impressed people around to witness it though. Wouldn't be as much fun otherwise.

Do it during a garden party, that's always a good idea.

Just kidding, that's... usually where it goes wrong the most.

 

[HarryScull]

did yu do any practice or training before hand? if do what?
were you nervous?
what were you thinking while you were doing it? (besides DONT FUCK UP!, DONT FUCK UP!, DONT FUCK UP!)

 

[Folji]

did yu do any practice or training before hand? if do what?
were you nervous?
what were you thinking while you were doing it? (besides DONT FUCK UP!, DONT FUCK UP!, DONT FUCK UP!)

Some people nearly freaked out any needed two-three tries in front of the coals before they actually went, but when you were walking the motto was more or less to keep calm and continue walking. We all had a thorough walkthrough of the physics and science behind it all before we even lit the fire, but no practice beyond just rehearsing the walk, to put it that way, if you felt the need to.

 

[Jonluw]

I think I want to try that some time.
I'd need to have some easily impressed people around to witness it though. Wouldn't be as much fun otherwise.

Do it during a garden party, that's always a good idea.

Just kidding, that's... usually where it goes wrong the most.

Bah, that doesn't matter because I'm invincible.

 

[Folji]

I think I want to try that some time.
I'd need to have some easily impressed people around to witness it though. Wouldn't be as much fun otherwise.

Do it during a garden party, that's always a good idea.

Just kidding, that's... usually where it goes wrong the most.

Bah, that doesn't matter because I'm invincible.

Hell yeah, that's the spirit. Go show those coals who's the boss.

 

[Jonluw]

Do it during a garden party, that's always a good idea.

Just kidding, that's... usually where it goes wrong the most.

Bah, that doesn't matter because I'm invincible.

Hell yeah, that's the spirit. Go show those coals who's the boss.

Yeah!
I'll go stomp and jump on those fuckers!

 

[LetalisK]

I think I want to try that some time.
I'd need to have some easily impressed people around to witness it though. Wouldn't be as much fun otherwise.

Do it during a garden party, that's always a good idea.

Just kidding, that's... usually where it goes wrong the most.

Bah, that doesn't matter because I'm invincible.

Hell yeah, that's the spirit. Go show those coals who's the boss.

I've had a machine gun firing bullets right over my head and didn't have a problem with it, yet I don't think I'd have the balls to walk on coal.

 

[Dags90]

I've had a machine gun firing bullets right over my head and didn't have a problem with it, yet I don't think I'd have the balls to walk on coal.

Here, maybe this is more your speed.

I know how clumsy I am, I wouldn't dare even try. Unless there was peer pressure, I'm a sucker for peer pressure.

 

[Folji]

Yeah!
I'll go stomp and jump on those fuckers!

Okey-dokey! You-a number one!

I've had a machine gun firing bullets right over my head and didn't have a problem with it, yet I don't think I'd have the balls to walk on coal.

Heh, damn. I'd say firewalking is pretty child's play in comparison.

 

[Guffe]

As long as you're walking calmly it shouldn't be a challenge, I've read that since the coal is actually not too hot on the surface, it's if you flip them too radically (running/panicing etc) that it actually burns.
I'd still like to try it though.

 

[Folji]

As long as you're walking calmly it shouldn't be a challenge, I've read that since the coal is actually not too hot on the surface, it's if you flip them too radically (running/panicing etc) that it actually burns.
I'd still like to try it though.

Yeah, that's pretty much how it works. Funny that you should say flipping them, because whenever someone did speed up or panic during the walk, haha, you could literally see the little bits of coals spraying up from the ash around their feet.