XP-Antarctik Expedition: The Effect of a Month-Long Expedition in Antarctica on Physiological Performance

Abstract

Antarctica is a challenging habitat for humans. A group of 6 explorers (3 women and 3 men) participated in an expedition in Antarctica. The objective was to observe the physiological acclimatization of the explorers using the following strategies: physical preparation, highcaloric nutritional intake, and the latest physiological monitoring and outdoor equipment. Anthropometric measures (dual x-ray absorptiometry), specific maximal aerobic test, maximal aerobic running speed test, submaximal aerobic cold testing, strength tests (grip strength, leg press and chin up), and endurance tests (bar suspension and chair position) were conducted pre-and post-expedition. Due to the sample size, a paired t-test was used for normally distributed data and non-parametric (Wilcoxon) to compare values pre-and post-expedition. Effect sizes are presented as Cohen's d. The lean mass for the women was significantly higher after the expedition (45.4 ¡ 4.4 vs. 47.1 ¡ 4.1 kg; p 5 0.040, d 5 1.86); however, no significant difference was observed for the men (66.7 ¡ 7.3 vs. 66.0 ¡ 5.7 kg; p 5 0.581, d 5 0.11). Pre-and post-expedition values were significantly different for the specific maximal aerobic test, where the VO 2 peak was 40.8 ¡ 4.2 vs. 46.9 ¡ 7.4 ml/kg/min, respectively (p 5 0.027, d 5 1.01), but no significant difference was observed for the other aerobic tests. The muscular testing did not change significantly, except for the left leg one maximal repetition (295 ¡ 110 vs. 364 ¡ 135 lb, preand post-expedition respectively, p 5 0.031, d 5 20.56). The overall preparation for the expedition appears to be a key aspect in order to countermeasure the physical ability decay during an Antarctica expedition. However, further studies will need to be developed to discern the importance of the preparation components.

The short-term development of performance and aerobic endurance following prolonged low-intensity ski trekking in Svalbard: A case study

“…As this study appears to be the first to evaluate the development of LT following prolonged LIST, there are no studies with which to compare our results. However, it is worth mentioning that the improvement in LT % VO 2max following short-term prolonged LIST in the present study is similar to the increase (18%) in ski trek-simulated ventilatory threshold as a percentage of VO 2max reported following medium-term (30 days) prolonged LIST in moderately aerobically fit subjects (Parent, Martin, Morales, Boucher, & Comtois, 2018). Therefore, although more research should be conducted in this field, the finding in the present study and that reported by Parent et al (2018) indicate that short-term…”