how do you start the bowl?

[wyteboy]

At my hookah place in LA, I got used to starting the bowl by taking really long, hard hits in the very beginning to get it going, but I read somewhere that that isn't the best way to get the bowl going -- that some ppl take lots of really short small hits in the beginning...
How do you start your bowl and is there a consensus on the best way to do it?
 

[mushrat]

Whatever works for you man. Everyone has their own style...you can too!
I let my coals sit for a bit to build up heat. I also use the foil chimney wrap to build up heat (and to keep my coals from vibrateing off the bowl). Then I give it a few good pulls and away I go.

[entrailsgalore]

short hits or long hits work...if taking big hits gets you breathles
sfast, then try smalle rhits. Whatever works for you, as mentioned
above.

[SMOKE~N~BUBBLZ]

 
i put the coal on and wait till i can smell the massal...then i start to smoke , short hits first and then as it gets going i start to take bigger ones

[mikem]

I elt the coals sit for a bit and then hit it hard until it gets going

[King Mo]

I use two coals to start at both ends of the head.

after it's smoking great (A few puffs) I remove one coal andplace it on top of the other, so that half the coal is touching.

so one coal is leaning on the other piece. (both positioned on one side).

so you get about 1.5 coals worth.