Do you have an outdoor goal? A peak to summit, a big route to climb, a trail to hike? Or maybe you just have a particular fitness goal: a one-armed pullup or a three hundred pound squat.

Before you get into the specific mountaineering training, or alpine climbing training, or hiking training routines, you need to start with "base fitness," a total-body level of fitness that prepares you to put in the heavier work you may need to get you to your goals.

This video covers the different aspects of total-body fitness that you need to understand and train before you get into your more advanced routines.

Fitness is necessary for us to safely pursue our outdoor adventures, but it also a necessary part of of day-to-day health and lives. And there is never a bad time to start a lifetime relationship with fitness. But how do you start yourself or your kids down that path? We share eight principles that help us make fitness and exercise something we want to do rather than have to do. And once you enjoy training your body (and mind), then from there the sky can be the limit!

Ice Axes can be setup to meet the disparate needs of thru-hiking, peak bagging, and technical climbing in the alpine, and the right modifications can make a big difference in the safety margin you can add to your trip. This video covers some of the simplest ways climbers and hikers customize their ice axes, and we talk about the tradeoffs of those setups so that you can make the right changes to your ice axe so that it works best for you.

Ice Axes serve two main functions: to keep you from falling, using "self belay" techniques, and to stop your fall from shooting you down the slope by using "self arrest" techniques. In this video, we cover the basics of self belay for winter travel, talking about the different ways to use an ice axe in combination with our feet, depending upon our footwear and snow conditions.

Ice Axes serve two main functions: to keep you from falling, using "self belay" techniques, and to stop your fall from shooting you down the slope by using "self arrest" techniques. In this video, we cover the basics of self belay for winter travel, talking about the different ways to use an ice axe in combination with our feet, depending upon our footwear and snow conditions.

I took one my twin boys on a snow-filled, winter day hike. I helped him take the next step in his progression by showing him how to use some new winter hiking gear. We went over the basics of using an ice axe, which he has been itching to do!

You can get GPS devices on your watches, on your phone, and as devices that integrate with one or both of those. But I carry a standalone device: the Garmin InReach Explorer+. In this video, I review the features and functionality of the Explorer+ and talk about why I take it with me every time I travel into the wild.

In this video, we provide some information to support camping for beginners as well as some more advanced tips (like snow camping tips) for those more experienced at family camping. While our other videos go deeper into cooking, tents, and equipment, in this installment, we are taking a closer look at setting up camp. After many camping trips, here is how we approach insuring that we get our camp in the right location, position ourselves well for a comfortable night's sleep, and get our camping and hiking gear organized when we are out in the wild.

In this video, we are reviewing key items that round out our family camping kitchen gear. Having covered stoves and fuel in our How to Camp Cook video, today we are discussing the other items we take with us on family adventures when we have multiple mouths to feed so need light equipment but equipment that is also able to handle volume.

In this video, we discuss how to camp cook - at least, how our family approaches camp cooking when we need to be light enough to hike into our camp (we aren't car camping), but not so light (we aren’t thru-hiking) as to loose the pleasure of sharing real food with our family.

We are reviewing the Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 Tent, examining its ability to meet the needs of all seasons, whole family adventures.

Well, we've been in the COVID-19 "lifestyle" for about a year, now, and it's been trying on all of us... to deal with the work uncertainty, homeschooling, being on top of one another for so long... But it's also been a time of immense joy and profound connection with the family. When we start getting in our own way, my family heads into nature to rediscover ourselves and a sense of hopefulness. Come along with me and my twin, six-year-old boys as we take a winter camping trip to slow down, get some father-son time, and let go of some of the day-to-day stresses of life during these crazy times.

One of my twin boys and I went on a winter hike for some quality time and a chance to connect. With the pandemic keeping the family together in the home for schooling and activities, we find it's important to give each of the twins dedicated time to be their individual selves, rather than only a member of the family. These one-on-one times are a big part of that. And hiking, outside despite the cooler winter weather, is a COVID-safe way to go out and share an experience and fan the hopefulness that is such a big part of youth.

In this post you get an opportunity to learn from some "overpacking" mistakes that I used to make when going out into the backcountry for multiple days. Now, carrying some of the kids' gear when we go out, every ounce counts. So, here are four repair kit items that we no longer take with us as camping gear or backpacking gear... and the lighter, multi-use gear we replaced those original items with.

Here is a gear review of the High Stream Gear Ice Cleats for Kids. We've been searching for a kids set of winter traction devices that mimic that industry standard Kahtoola MICROspikes and which are similarly useful both around town and out in nature. These Ice Cleats for Kids cover a lot of the bases, but have some differences that do matter.

Here is a gear review of the Kamik SnoBuster 1 kids’ snow boots. We’ve mentioned these snow boots a few times, once talking about winter camping, and once regarding snowshoeing. In this installment, we go more in-depth to talk about the strengths and limitations of these boots, which have proven to exceed our expectations.

This is a bonus, fifth installment in our how to snowshoe series. In this video, both parents discuss some of the lessons we've learned and changes we've made to our gear and mental approach to having the kids out in the cold with us. Just a few adjustments have made all the difference in making our winter wonderland trips just that. With the COVID pandemic still limiting our indoor options, and with winter putting a cap on our outdoor options, this winter could look bleak for some families. We offer up the snowshoe series to help families access this low-cost, easy solution. You and your family can still go winter hiking and still get into the outdoors, even as the weather changes.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the www.shortguysbetaworks.com website! Visit our site for deeper content on the topics from our channel videos, for in-depth gear reviews, our perspectives on our family adventures, and information like itineraries and gear lists that can help you and your family get the most out of the outdoors.

This is our fourth installment in our how to snowshoe series. This video talking about the techniques needed to ensure you are efficient and safe on your snowshoes while confronting multiple terrain types. With the COVID pandemic still limiting our indoor options, and with winter putting a cap on our outdoor options, this winter could look bleak for some families. We offer up snowshoeing as a low-cost, easy to access solution. You and your family can still go winter hiking and still get into the outdoors, even as the weather changes.

This is our third installment in our how to snowshoe series. This video will go beyond clothing to look at the additional nine "essential items" you will want to have with you to ensure a safe and enjoyable snowshoeing trip. With the COVID pandemic still limiting our indoor options, and with winter putting a cap on our outdoor options, this winter could look bleak for some families. We offer up snowshoeing as a low-cost, easy to access solution. You and your family can still go winter hiking and still get into the outdoors, even as the weather changes.