Competent or Foolhardy?

What would you do if your GPS stopped working on the way to the North or South poles? Does your safety plan include a protocol for losing communications? What should you do if one of your team suffers hypothermia? How would you set up a rope pulley system to help haul your gear up a steep incline?

These are a tiny sample of the types of skills you really need to be an extreme traveller. AND not just know but be able to do something about. It's fine learning these things in theory but there is absolutely no substitute for practice and that should be as near "live" as possible. This not only proves you are able to apply your knowledge but the more you practice the more automated the process becomes when you have to apply it in the worst of conditions.
Whether I'm training an individual, a whole expedition team or a BBC film crew the importance of scenario based training cannot be overstressed.
Neither can the idea of measuring competence; right from the start of training through to the end. ..and it is only the end when you're happy in yourself that you're competent.
If you're contemplating a polar expedition then I'd be very happy to assess your current competence and suggest where your weaknesses lie and therefore your training needs.