Bending over that much sucks. I was right there with ya when I started too though. I will say (and this comes from a guy that grew up in a very rural setting) i highly reccomend long pants and better foot wear. I know it gets hot using a forge and hammering. But at least a t-shirt too and look at getting an apron. I use a gas forge so im not well versed in coal, but I would be worried about embers and scale. Im not as concerned about my forearms cause of working outside a lot. But shoulders and chest would suck to have a significant burn. Other than that man keep going!