Polar exploration is a cold, brutal endurance feat that demands a very specific mindset and fitness philosophy — the ability to suffer, sure, but also a mindset honed to stay positive in the face of hardship. Eric Larsen explains what it takes to go for the long, frigid haul.
Reach Peak Fitness on Day 1
The first day Larsen hits the ice, with his supplies at their heaviest and the cold at its most shocking, is the hardest. “We don’t have the luxury of easing into things,” he says. “You go from zero to 100 in your first step. The first month is the heaviest, the temperatures are the coldest, and the conditions are the hardest.”
At Least One Day of Training Should be As Brutal As Anything You’ll Encounter
“When I’m guiding, I tell clients to go on a three-day weekend trip, and get out for a full eight hours,” he says. “I want them to move their body in boots, and wearing a pack for eight hours straight. A heavy pack will let you know how it rubs on your shoulder and on your hips, and how your feet feel in your boots.”
Treat Working Out Like Part of Your Work Day
As a professional explorer, Larsen must treat fitness like a job. But it’s also true for anyone who is serious about training for a particular activity. “If something goes wrong with my body, I can’t do my job,” he explains. “It’s scary to have your future and your family’s future directly connected to how well your arms work. Which is why working out is just part of my day, even if it takes four hours.”
Simplify Life With a Big Goal
Larsen says nothing calms the mind quite like a singular objective. “I love that idea of a big expedition — of setting that goal,” says Larsen. “It really helps define what your life is, as everything gets narrowed down to that one thing.”
http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/collections/polar-explorer-eric-larsens-fitness-philosophy-w475506/simplify-life-with-a-big-goal-w475510
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