Typical polar adventures run in the double digit thousands even before training time and gears costs are factored in. How can us normal people begin the journey without breaking the bank?
Penguins
I first learnt about the Polar regions and Antarctic Explorers when at school when I was 6 years old and we were introduced to penguins for the first time. There was something about the sense of adventure that was appealing to me, and since then I’ve found the stories of explorers to be very intriguing especially the bleakness of the polar landscapes. There’s something about it and glacial valleys that has led me to visit Svalbard during January for the polar darkness, the Faroe Islands in February, and to investigate working at Scott Base for an austral summer season (something that’s more competitive than you’d think with even the cleaners requiring first aid qualifications at the very least).
This interest meant I spent time over the years reading about Scott, Amundsen (I’d highly recommend the Fram Museum / Frammuseet in Oslo), and Shackleton primarily but despite camping, hiking, and skiing, I never once went on a snowy hike before visiting Svalbard let alone an overnight hike in winter conditions.
The thing is, the idea of a polar adventure (whatever that means) seems like an incredibly daunting, and expensive, ordeal. Something that us normal folks simply cannot afford: Polar Explorers, perhaps the most reputable organisation for this has their Greenland Ice Cap crossing at $21,500 USD in 2027, and taking around 30 days. How does a normal person commit to such a trip? Without undertaking an expedition in winter conditions can you be sure you actually like it? Maybe it’s the IDEA of such a trip that’s more interesting than the trip itself?
To answer these questions I signed myself up for a winter expedition skill course. This takes place in Norway over 3-days teaching essential winter skills (trip planning, packing, winter camping, navigation, first aid, and more). This seemed to be the best way to dip my toes into proper winter expeditions without emptying savings accounts.
Adventure for Beginners
This post is the beginning of that journey where I need to go from sofa to up to 6 hours a day in winter conditions carrying a backpack and pulling a pulk. The point of this winter expedition course was to bring forward a larger goal like “Reach the South Pole” or “Cross the Greenland Ice Cap” to something more attainable, and yet we need to way to reach that goal. It may even be the case that training for this winter expedition, something I spent $415 to book, is not for me thereby saving $21,000 USD and time. However, to answer that requires a training plan.
There exist a number of websites aiming at offering training plans for mountaineering and hiking style trips for example:
These websites focus on coaching services which violates our approach of testing before you commit large sums of money, to test the idea vs reality first. As such I’m not considering them for this trip instead I will focus on strength training to carry the backpack and pull the pulk, coupled with endurance to do so over the day. “Endurance” here means both aerobic fitness, and strength since training lunges, squats, etc for 12 repetitions with breaks between sets is very different to being under load for hours.
To pull a pulk requires core, leg, and posterior chain muscles. To carry a backpack requires a strong back and core at minimum.
Since the days of COVID I haven’t done much in the way of heavy hikes so I will be starting from 0, and hence giving myself about 30 weeks to reach a comfortable 6-hour hike with 15kg. This timeline aims to build in an allowance for sickness, holidays, work trips, and life that can get in the way of training.
Strength
My initial strength training programme will look something like the below, but I recommend you tailor it to your own body and medical situation.
Day A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet squats | 4 | 12+ | |
| Walking lunges | 4 | 12+ | Per leg, but walking rather than in-place |
| Step-ups | 4 | 12+ | Per leg. Bench around knee height. Control on the way down, don’t let yourself “fall” |
| Forearm plank | 3 | 45+ seconds | Try to add more time each session |
| Pallof Press | 3 | 12+ | Each side. Alternative: Russian twists or side planks |
| Suitcase carries | 4 | 30+ metres | Per side. Heavy. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand and brace your core and stand as straight and tall as possible |
Day B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romanian deadlift | 4 | 10 | Heavy, but you must feel your hamstrings working, do not go so heavy the back takes over |
| Bulgarian split squat | 4 | 10 | Per leg. Use dumbbells |
| Seated or chest supported row | 4 | 12 | Pull from the back, not the arms |
| Standing overhead press | 4 | 10 | Dumbbell or barbell. Consider seated on the floor as a superset or alternative to work your core more |
| Face pulls | 4 | 12+ | |
| Side plank | 3 | 45+ seconds | Try to add more time each session |
| Single leg balance | 2 | 45+ seconds | Per leg. You can hold a kettlebell like a briefcase in one hand, and overhead in the other for more challenge |
For the first 2-3 weeks learn the movements and work on the technique. Aim to have 2-3 more repetitions left in the tank after each set. Weeks 3 onwards gradually increase the workload. Try to add more repetitions per set until 15-20, then add more weight in the next session, but reduce the repetitions to what’s listed above.
Endurance/Cardio
Since accessing a long hike is not possible during the week for most, we’ll split this into gym endurance and hikes.
Gym Endurance
Continuous hill walking or stair climbers with backpack for 40mins. Gradually add weight each session.
Remember that as weight increases, you should use a backpack with hip straps so that 80% of the load is on your hips and NOT your back and shoulders. This will not only reduce the strain on your back, but it will work your posterior chain more, hence the strength training work.
Hiking (Without a Pulk)
Start with 2-hour hikes in your local area (use AllTrails to find them), beginning with flat land and/or gentle hills. Then work your way up to 6+ hour hikes (you may want to use Komoot for longer hikes if none exist near you).
For weight during these hikes, use the same or lighter than your gym endurance sessions for that week.
(I am assuming that hiking is a substitute for pulling a pulk, you may wish to tie some rope to an old tyre and pull that to simulate a pulk on a budget).
Game Day
Once the training has been completed, we still have the cold and wind to contend with, the camping in the snow, something those of us who live in warmer countries won’t get to test until the day of course, exactly why I chose to begin with one that teaches skills I can build upon in future trips.
Since this is the beginning of my journey and I don’t know what the future holds, you can follow my journey on this website and watch as the plan evolves over time.