There are certain essential skills that every guy needs to know, because they’re, well, part of being a guy.
These hacks will add to your arsenal of manly tools and some if nothing else, will come in handy if you want to impress your mates.
How to Give a Proper Handshake
Scarily 70% of men don’t know how to give a proper handshake. That’s a lot of soft, limp wristed attempts going on. A good firm handshake speaks volumes about you, so maintain eye contact, smile and keep your forearm and wrist firm. Give two to three pumps, five at a max and maintain light but firm pressure, there’s no need to prove you’re The Terminator.
How to break down a door
Ok, so you may not be a fireman but there if there’s an emergency knowing the correct way to break down a door might just save someone’s life. Don’t, however, run at the door with your shoulder or try to jump kick it, you’ll only hurt yourself. A door that opens away from you will be easier to kick down so check the hinges. Keep one foot grounded and with the other drive the heel of your foot into the weakest part of the door that is by the lock. The door should then splinter (hopefully).
How to cook the perfect steak
There’s nothing manlier than knowing how to cook a perfect steak, so better make sure you know what you’re doing to avoid disappointed dinner guests. Take the steak out of fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Season the steak with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Add a dash of oil. Add steak to a hot pan and sizzle for a minute to sear, turn over every minute to cook evenly. Add butter and some fresh garlic, baste. Take steak out of pan when ready and let rest. Two minutes for rare, four minutes for medium rare. Use the hand trick (pictured below) to amaze and astound your dinner guests with steaks to order every time.
image from lifehacker.com
How to light a decent fire
You might think you know how to light a fire, but there’s actually a knack to it, so you don’t just end up with smouldering logs and a lot of smoke. The upside down fire stack is a clean burning method that you don’t have to attend to and will burn for hours. Start off by laying larger logs on the bottom and top with smaller logs. Then add a layer of dry kindling and newspaper. Light the fire from the top and, if using a fireplace, open the damper for the smoke to pass through.
How to survive a plane crash
According to studies, there are things you can do to increase your chances of survival in a plane crash and as a guy you should know what these are. Larger sized planes have greater impact absorption, and if you crash land, you’ll have a better chance of surviving. Secure your seat belt low and tight. Ideally you want to be in a seat within five rows of an exit and on an aisle so you can get out quickly upon landing; you only have 90 seconds before the fire. Being slim and fit helps with maneuverability and, most importantly, forget about your carry on luggage!