Sussex entrepreneur deadlifts on Arctic snow at –23°C during solo trip

ExCo

While travelling alone in Svalbard, the most northernmost permanently inhabited places on Earth, Aneela Rose borrowed a barbell and attempted a series of lifts outdoors during the region’s striking blue polar light season, when it remains dark for months.

Wearing a vest top, standard gym kit and snow boots, she performed several sets of ten repetitions, keeping the weight light and staying in constant motion between sets to maintain body temperature.

Temperatures were around –23°C.

Aneela, founder of Sussex-based Rose Media Group, was travelling solo to experience life in one of the world’s most remote environments, when curiosity led her to test whether lifting in extreme cold was even possible.

She has represented Great Britain at the AWPC World Powerlifting Championships in 2018, where she won gold in her age and weight category and is in training for an upcoming national qualifier for the 2026 British Championships.

“I wasn’t sure if my hands would freeze or if the bar would even be possible to grip,” she said. “I kept the load light, did several sets of ten and stayed moving between each one just to keep warm.”

The lift was not part of a structured training session, but a spontaneous moment during her time in the Arctic.

“Very quickly it became less about the environment and more about how you adapt your training to it, managing load, staying warm and maintaining control in extreme cold.

“I was driven by curiosity, but also about understanding how the body performs under those conditions. As a British Asian mum in powerlifting, I’m very aware how rare this is, especially in a setting like this. A local resident told me they hadn’t seen a deadlift attempted outdoors in Svalbard before, particularly a visitor.

“And honestly, it was an adrenaline rush, especially with that polar blue light all around me.”