Training for ice

Training for “Ice Climbing” is a pretty broad topic ice climbing could entail anything from Weeping Wall to ICWC events, some “ice climbers” have probably never even placed an ice screw in anger. By “ice” do we mean frozen water, stone, plastic, metal, what?

Rob, I think you raise valid points similar to how "training for climbing" could entail anything from a focus on hard bouldering to big wall free climbing. That said, this could be a great thread where people share their experience training for any of these disciplines of "ice climbing" as long as they expound on what it is they are training for. 

Days are getting shorter and with the Northwest in a record heatwave it's time to start getting stoked for winter climbing!

My sense is that it really depends what your goals are. Based on the training you described it sounds like your goals are all pure ice objectives. If so, great, if not, some changes should be made. 

Zac St Jules wrote:

My sense is that it really depends what your goals are. Based on the training you described it sounds like your goals are all pure ice objectives. If so, great, if not, some changes should be made. 

My goals for the near future are all pure ice, but i would love to hear what changes your would make for mixed objectives

ryan Smith wrote:

My goals for the near future are all pure ice, but i would love to hear what changes your would make for mixed objectives

Overall physical strength and conditioning and the ability to hold on after watching a number of whippers off the Designator over the last several seasons the aspirants simply lacked the firepower to climb and hang on for 40 meters and flamed out.

Running helps top up cardio for those nasty approaches and keeps your weight in check. Find a chainlink fence to hang on with your tools or move if the fence is large enough.  Your feet aren’t really much help so your hands will get pumped. Repeat until your tapped. Long boulder traverses until failure can also be good if available.