The Upper Bench
Experience The Upper Bench for unique sauna expeditions. Immerse in Finnish sauna traditions, embrace the allure of hot-cold bathing, and relish wood-burning sauna tales. Ignite your passion for sauna culture as we cover...
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- 🇮🇸Iceland · Society & Culture#124350 to 3.1K
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Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
350 to 3.1K🎙 Biweekly cadence·77 episodes·Last published 2w ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
500 to 4.5K🇺🇸71%🇮🇸29% - Active Followers
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200 to 1.8K
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/12/26 |  Defining sauna | Episode 79 - Eero, Sam, and Risto grapple with the question of, "What is sauna?"LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchTheme Music: Conga Se Menne "Guess Who's Coming to Sauna"CONTENTS00:00 Catching up and troubleshooting Eero's sauna mystery07:46 Previous episode on The Radiant Debate and how we define sauna12:10 Sauna is a mindset?15:56 Comparing attempts to define sauna (International Bath Academy, Aachen Sauna Congress)38:17 Low temp savusaunas?39:46 Sam and Eero choose IR over traditional sauna47:59 Reviewing Trumpkin's Notes | 1h 02m 21s | ||||||
| 9/24/26 |  The Radiant Debate | The Radiant DebateEpisode 78 - Sam, Risto, and Eero tackle the radiant question. Is radiant heat bad in the sauna?LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchCONTENT00:00 Intro & Sauna Updates 11:21 What Is the Radiant Heat Debate? 13:50 How We Debate Matters 26:16 Radiant Heat: Good, Bad, or Personal Preference? 40:52 Rocks, Steel & Heater Design 50:09 Sharp vs. Intense Radiant Heat | 1h 06m 22s | ||||||
| 8/25/26 |  Dan Sarya of Michigan Sauna | Episode 77 - Dan Sarya of Michigan Sauna joins the Upper Bench crew. Dan's passion is to share the "smile" of his Finnish cultural heritage with the rest of North America. We hear how he started his mobile sauna business in Traverse City, Michigan and what his sauna trips to Finland are like.LINKShttps://www.michigansaunas.comhttps://www.saunaexperience.fihttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchEpisode photos from: https://visitjyvaskyla.fi/en/experiences/ and https://www.virtualtampere.com/rajaportin-saunaCONTENTS00:00 Intro02:16 Dan's Finnish heritage06:32 Traveling to Finland and the birth of Dan's sauna company09:55 A sauna FIRE!12:10 Sauna 2.0 and nuances that makes for a great sauna13:41 Trips to Finland37:25 Nature, the sauna boom, and sharing sauna culture42:25 Growing sauna culture slowly... the long game47:54 Sauna saves lives and a hyperthermic river accident51:58 Tradition and the seven generation rule53:36 Robust sauna and the importance of resting between rounds | 1h 00m 17s | ||||||
| 7/28/26 |  A trip to Finland transformed Bill's perspective on sauna and health | Bill Gifford, author of Hotwired, and sauna fanatic joins us to discuss the science of sauna and how a trip to Finland totally transformed his perspective on health.LINKShttps://www.instagram.com/billgifford/https://lnk.to/Hotwiredhttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchCONTENTS00:00 Catching-up and news03:31 Introducing Bill Gifford & growth of sauna scene in Utah08:57 Hotwired book09:45 Why humans sweat and the orgins of sauna14:42 How Bill started writing about sauna 15:24 "Never a heat person" - how Bill got into sauna17:08 Why Eero sweats so quickly18:45 Heart health and other studies28:57 Sauna and Alzheimer's 36:16 Hydration and electrolytes41:34 Rest and cooling down44:26 Heat adaptation54:45 The importance of Finnish culture | 1h 00m 18s | ||||||
| 7/7/26 |  Adventures in Researching the History of Finnish Sauna in North America | Risto revisits his presentation from the Upper Peninsula History Conference in Marquette, Michigan: “Adventures in Researching the History of Finnish Sauna in North America.”From rare books and university archives to remote smoke saunas and unusual online discoveries, he shares more than a decade of exploring Finnish-American sauna culture. Along the way, he highlights historic public saunas, notable researchers, 360-degree sauna photography, favorite sauna books, and practical ways anyone can begin researching sauna history.The journey takes us through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, and beyond—and proves that sauna research can happen in a library, out in the field, or even from your couch.LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbench | 33m 44s | ||||||
| 6/18/26 |  Use what you have - Aaron Vainikka from Finnbilt | Aaron Vainikka from Finnbilt joins the show to discuss his Finnish-American sauna heritage and share his thoughtful but unorthodox takes on the Finnish steam bath.LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchhttps://www.finnbilt.cohttps://www.instagram.com/finnbilt/CONTENTS00:00 Intro07:09 Aaron's Sauna Days visit20:31 Aaron's first sauna build and his construction philosophy21:31 Starting his company: Finnbilt22:09 Unique sauna builds (shipping container, etc)24:06 Building a shop sauna in less than a week33:33 Two-by-four sauna build40:56 The beauty and benefits of log saunas53:37 "You don't need permission to build a sauna on a budget" | 59m 27s | ||||||
| 5/26/26 |  Sam's Sauna - Part 1 | Episode 73 - Sam is building a new sauna, so we take a look! | 1h 01m 26s | ||||||
| 5/1/26 |  Finns in Maine | James and Dan join us to share their stories of growing up Finnish-American in Maine, saunaing as kids, and building their own saunas.The Sauna: A Gift from the Finns bookhttp://www.finnheritage.org/FHH/styled-5/FHH/book_ordertwo.htmlCONTENT00:00 Introductions03:00 Finns in Maine 11:38 Sharing sauna with others... one person at a time14:03 The sauna they grew up with19:09 Water heaters, buckets, washing in the sauna25:33 Dan's sauna build29:30 Changing rooms31:41 James' sauna build35:45 What to do about HOT benches38:37 Propane outdoor shower39:38 Cold plunges and Sam's big fan41:59 Drainage44:46 The beauty of DIY saunas47:04 Ventilation51:31 Dan's trip to the U.P.54:59 James and Dan's normal sauna proceedure | 1h 00m 08s | ||||||
| 4/16/26 |  Sauna Week - Construction Session with Sam and Glenn | Sam and Glenn chat about sauna construction during Finlandia Foundation's Sauna Week 2026.Finlandia's Sauna Week playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgbPg6jjsQ3R2NrV6j00TpqWyq1BVYzlX&si=IRzTXHpZ60A-9OyJ | 48m 35s | ||||||
| 4/4/26 |  Breaking the Law of Löyly? Sauna Week Q&A with Lassi, Risto, and Minea | Lassi answers audience questions and discusses with Risto and Minea during Finlandia Foundation's Sauna Week 2026.Full talk: https://youtu.be/LwFL7pdK-T0https://saunologia.fiCONTENT00:00 Ventilation04:59 How does sauna process affect our design?11:37 Are rocks essential for sauna?14:35 Breaking the Law of Löyly16:28 How to light a sauna? | 18m 57s | ||||||
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| 3/17/26 |  We've Got Charts and Graphs! | Charts and graphs!Risto, Eero, and Sam are joined by Walker, Minea, and Ruut for Finlandia's Sauna Week 2026. We discuss Sauna Culture, Infrared, McSauna, and Ugly Saunas. And, of course, there are tons of graphs!Check out other Sauna Week talks on Finlandia's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgbPg6jjsQ3R2NrV6j00TpqWyq1BVYzlX | 54m 14s | ||||||
| 3/4/26 |  Sauna is RISKY business | Sam, Eero, and Risto catch up after National Sauna Week and swap notes on public saunas, especially the big question of whether you can throw water on the rocks and how good the rest/cool-down setup is. Sam tells a cautionary story about fainting at a Russian banya in Dallas and breaking his jaw, stressing hydration, food, electrolytes, and listening to your body instead of a timer. They finish by discussing pricing and time limits at new bathhouses and answering build questions (wood choice, stoves, ventilation, pass-through heaters) while teasing future episodes.PODCAST LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchCONTENTS00:00 Intro & National Sauna Week recap02:01 Risto's Wisconsin mobile sauna story (bucket control / “no splashing”) 06:51 “Sauna Village” / Brooklyn notes09:18 Sam’s fainting & broken jaw18:39 Risk management + rest between rounds (business vs real sauna needs)23:22 Pricing discussion: day passes, memberships, and time limits33:15 Brian Johnson “Longevity hacking” critique (timers/stopwatches vs listening to body)42:56 Q&A + gear/build talk (woods, stoves, pass-through, DIY) | 1h 18m 06s | ||||||
| 2/8/26 |  Eero's Sauna Message to North America | Selection from Eero's final speech as Finlandia Foundation National's lecturer of the year. Given January 20th at Scandinavia House in NYC. See their website and youtube channel for the full presentation. https://www.scandinaviahouse.org/https://finlandiafoundation.org | 47m 33s | ||||||
| 1/20/26 |  Yooper Saunas Part 3 | Risto shows Sam and Eero even more Yooper saunas!National Sauna Week Schedulehttps://www.nationalsaunaweek.com/sessions-and-registrationCHAPTERS00:00 Our news07:54 Sauna 117:17 Sauna 222:56 Sauna 326:52 Sauna 430:55 Sauna 534:46 Sauna 641:41 Sauna 746:00 Sauna 8 | 56m 53s | ||||||
| 12/25/25 |  Todd builds an epic sauna in Alaska | We first met Todd Shearer at our 2024 Toronto meet-up. His enthusiasm for sauna was apparent from the start. We had a great time exploring the Canadian banya scene with him. But that isn't the end of his story. He went home to Alaska and built an epic sauna. He is also part of a growing sauna community that is rooted in culture.CONTENT00:00 Intro and catching up03:01 Sam's Dallas banya review12:10 Reviewing Chipotle's sauna marketing15:13 Todd's background with sauna19:10 Toronto 202421:04 Todd's sauna build1:20:06 Sauna practice with friends and family | 1h 32m 41s | ||||||
| 12/3/25 |  To Schvitz | Episode 64 - David Kosins and Joshua Womack join the Upper Bench to talk schvitzing in general and the Cleveland Schvitz in specific. We learn how they discovered sauna and what their current practices are like today. And we also compare the Schvitz to Banya and Sauna.PODCAST LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/GUEST LINKShttps://joshuawomack.comCONTENTS00:00 Intro and catching up04:23 David's sauna story (Detroit schvitzs, LA schvitz, trip to Finland, Banya5 in Seattle, etc.)22:01 Josh sauna story and book (Cleveland Schvitz and Soul Space)29:09 Eero: NYC bathhouse, growing up with public sauna30:48 David's sauna build38:04 Josh's regular sauna location (Soul Space)42:39 Schvitz vs Sauna vs Banya: Differences and Similarities | 58m 33s | ||||||
| 11/6/25 |  A brief history of sauna marketing in North America | Have we oversimplified sauna? A brief history of sauna marketing in North America.Episode debuted at the Seattle Sauna Festival 2025 | 35m 10s | ||||||
| 9/23/25 |  Nathan's Journey from Infrared to Real Sauna. | Nathan's Journey from Infrared to Real Sauna. A candid journey from infrared hype to authentic Finnish sauna, highlighting why real heat, löyly, and hot–cold contrast are so compelling. We discuss practice over marketing—ventilation, simple rituals, and family-friendly routines that deliver presence and stress relief. And we learn about Nathan's eye toward a future wood-fired sauna.PODCAST LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchCONTENTS00:00 Introduction and how Risto and Nathan became friends 03:56 Nathan's first hot cold experiences 05:24 Selecting and buying and infrared "sauna"07:45 Scientology and niacin14:03 Experience with his IR16:03 Getting a real sauna17:59 Stress relief and mental health benefits20:23 Saunaing with a young child 25:24 Nathan's sauna practice37:58 Why IR doesn't cut it39:00 The aim of sauna: sweat or something more? 42:35 Another lackluster IR experience46:38 How financial motivations skew sauna opinions 50:36 Any plans for a wood-burning sauna? | 55m 39s | ||||||
| 8/20/25 |  Private vs Public sauna practice and Sam's Big News | Episode 61 - Risto, Eero, and Sam return to the Upper Bench to dig into public vs. private sauna, heater tech (smoke, wood, flip-lid electric), masonry vs. metal, a simple rating framework for public saunas—and Sam’s upcoming move to Texas.PODCAST LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchCONTENTS00:00 Introduction06:59 Updates + Risto's lofted build08:18 Flip-lid heater & heat prefs12:47 Eero's Finland heater rebuild & boiling water tanks19:18 Stoves, rocks, masonry27:20 Public vs. private, ratings, utility vs. social, travel + Sam moves to TX | 52m 02s | ||||||
| 7/30/25 |  Ambassador Program brainstorming session | Episode 060 - Eero and Risto brainstorm about the NASS ambassador program and how to categorize different saunas in North America.If you have ideas, please leave them in the comments! | 1h 02m 06s | ||||||
| 7/16/25 |  Is there an authentic sauna culture in North America? with Michael Nordskog | Episode 59 - Michael Nordskog, author of The Opposite of Cold, joins the Upper Bench podcast to discuss his book and details about his two wonderful saunas.GUEST LINKShttps://www.facebook.com/TheOppositeofColdhttps://www.upress.umn.edu/9780816656820/the-opposite-of-cold/UPPER BENCH LINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchCONTENTS00:00 Introduction02:19 Writing the Opposite of Cold07:11 Michael's cedar log sauna16:01 How many savusaunas are there in North America27:07 Matti Kaups archive29:43 Michael's sauna practice34:22 His sauna build42:52 Sauna dogma and guidelines44:20 Oslo sauna visit with Mikkel Aaland50:38 Did Norwegian immigrants bring badstue (sauna) with them?52:51 Predictions for the future of sauna | 1h 02m 45s | ||||||
| 7/1/25 |  Pit sauna, two-story saunas, savusaunas in NY, and Southampton Spa review | Catching up after a few weeks on the road... and talking about Eero's visit to the sauna village in Finland where he used a pit sauna and a two-story sauna. And Risto shows some photos of the NY savusauna he visited. Thank you Bryon MacWilliams, Catskill Weather, and Zach for the warm hospitality at Southampton Spa.CONTENT00:00 Intro01:57 Eero's visit to Finn Camp09:20 Savusauna in the Catskills17:50 Pit sauna at the sauna village21:36 Two-story sauna at the sauna village24:15 Why you should burn aspen for your final round25:38 Southampton spa review30:23 Eero's summer plans33:11 Listener question about sauna windows | 44m 54s | ||||||
| 6/20/25 |  Sauna construction deep dive with James Phelps AKA Jimmy Creel | James Phelps joins us to get super geeky about sauna construction.We dive deep into sauna ventilation, CO₂ testing, and stove design. James shares insights from his hands-on experiments and discusses what he learned writing his book Fire & Ice. Along the way, we cover practical tips for building a better sauna, managing humidity, and creating a truly breathable space.JAMES' BOOK https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Ice-tradition-technology-balanced/dp/B0D2RPWZS2/UPPER BENCH LINKS https://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchTheme Music: Conga Se Menne "Guess Who's Coming to Sauna"CONTENTS00:00 Introduction and meeting our guest James Phelps06:11 How he decided to build a sauna08:07 Exploring different sauna construction possibilities09:30 Getting ventilation right; comparing different strategies13:01 Prevailing winds and ventilation as seen with sweat lodge ventilation14:51 Cold plunge and winter experience16:47 Different stoves options and interior vs exterior feed20:00 Preheating the sauna: “Close your eyes and you can't tell where the stove is”22:20 High rock mass vs low rock mass32:37 Sharing his findings and writing a book36:00 CO₂ testing and results37:34 Will galvanized fasteners rust in a sauna?39:24 How should a sauna smell? Using essential oil and other scents48:04 Listener question about vent placement in garage sauna50:17 James’ cold plunge routine and preferred sauna temp52:41 Using sauna for recovery post-surgery54:34 Closing comments | 55m 57s | ||||||
| 5/27/25 |  Dan Raisanen | On this episode of The Upper Bench, Sam and Risto welcome Finnish American sauna entrepreneur Dan Raisanen whose family sauna history is rooted in Cokato, Minnesota and is now running his own sauna company in Michigan.Sauna Bath Companyhttps://www.saunabath.coLINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchTheme Music: Conga Se Menne "Guess Who's Coming to Sauna" | 1h 05m 48s | ||||||
| 5/12/25 |  Wade Litt - Sauna in Ohio and Other Adventures | Wade Litt - Sauna in Ohio and Other Adventures - 055On this episode of The Upper Bench, Eero and Risto welcome sauna entrepreneur Wade Litt to explore the sauna scene in Ohio and hear about his sauna adventures.LÖ-LU Saunahttps://lo-lu.comLINKShttps://www.theupperbench.comhttps://www.instagram.com/upper.bench.podcast/https://www.facebook.com/theupperbenchPhilly Steam with Bryonhttps://www.facebook.com/events/691959186507593Theme Music: Conga Se Menne "Guess Who's Coming to Sauna"CONTENT00:00 Introduction & Philly Steam-Up02:49 Wade Litt - first sauna experiences and parent's build10:23 Building his mobile sauna14:45 Mobile sauna use and location; running a business15:45 Sauna adventures and exploration21:41 Wade's favorite public saunas23:51 Banyas vs public "saunas"30:07 Saunas Wade would like to visit31:20 Future business plans34:25 Viewer Questions: Vegas sauna; safe for a single woman to visit Helsinki; Eero's savusauna38:37 Advice for starting a sauna business start-ups | 43m 46s | ||||||
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Chart history for The Upper Bench
Peaked at #124 in IS, currently #124 in IS.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IS | — | #124 | #124 | — |
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.