You’re at the bottom of a frozen trail or a backyard ramp, looking up. It’s intimidating. Most people think ice skating is strictly a flat-surface sport, something reserved for the pristine, level sheets of a local rink or a frozen pond. But then you see those Red Bull Crashed Ice athletes—now known as ATSX Ice Cross—absolutely flying up inclines like physics is just a suggestion. Blade ice skating uphill isn't just possible; it’s a specific discipline that requires a complete rewiring of how you use your edges and your center of gravity.
Honestly, it’s brutal on the lungs.
If you try to skate uphill using a standard stride, you’re going to slip. Your skates will kick out behind you, and you’ll likely end up taking a faceplant into the ice. It’s not about power in the way a sprint is; it’s about the angle of the blade and the "bite" you get into the surface. Think of it like a mountain goat. A goat doesn't just walk; it finds purchase. On ice, your purchase is the inside edge.
Why Blade Ice Skating Uphill is the Ultimate Cardio Cheat Code
Let’s talk about the burn. When you’re on flat ice, you have glide. Glide is your friend. It’s efficient. But the moment the elevation changes, glide disappears. You are fighting 100% of your body weight against gravity with almost zero friction-based help.
Physiologically, this is a nightmare in the best way. According to sports biomechanics studies often cited by hockey power-skating coaches like Laura Stamm, skating uphill shifts the workload almost entirely to the glutes, hip flexors, and the tibialis anterior. It’s basically a weighted lunge repeated fifty times a minute. Most skaters find that their heart rate hits anaerobic thresholds much faster on a 5-degree incline than on a flat sprint. It’s raw. It’s exhausting.
You’ve got to be careful, though. Because the "push-off" phase is shortened by the slope, your recovery time—the moment your foot returns to center—has to be twice as fast. If it’s not, you lose momentum. And on a hill, losing momentum means sliding backward.
The Mechanics of the "V-Walk" and Toe-Picking
So, how do you actually do it? You can't just wish your way to the top.
The primary technique for blade ice skating uphill is a modified version of the duck walk or the "V-stride." In figure skating, you might see something similar in basic transitions, but for incline work, it’s much more aggressive. You have to turn your toes out at an extreme angle—think 45 to 60 degrees. This ensures that when you push, the blade is perpendicular to the slope, preventing the dreaded "backslide."
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- The "Punch" Phase: Instead of a long, flowing stroke, you need to literally punch your toe into the ice. If you're on hockey skates, you're using the front third of the blade. If you're on figure skates, for the love of everything, don't rely solely on the toe pick unless you want to trip. Use the edge behind the pick.
- Shortening the Lever: Long strides are for the NHL All-Star Skills Competition. On a hill, they are your enemy. You want short, choppy, "piston-like" movements.
- The Lean: You’ve heard of the "nose over toes" rule? Double it. Your chest should be so far forward it feels like you're about to fall over. This keeps your center of mass ahead of the contact point of the skates.
I remember watching a local downhill ice cross qualifier in Minnesota. One guy tried to use long, graceful speed-skating strides on the uphill bridge section. He looked great for about three seconds. Then his center of gravity shifted a fraction of an inch too far back, his skates washed out, and he slid twenty feet down the track. It was a mess. The winners were the ones who looked like they were "running" on the ice, staying low and compact.
Edge Control is Everything
If your blades are dull, don't even bother. You need a deep "hollow"—that’s the groove down the middle of your blade. Most hockey players use a 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch hollow. If you're planning on attacking hills, you might want to go sharper, maybe 7/16, to ensure the edges grab the ice rather than skittering across the top.
Real-World Applications: From Ice Cross to Backcountry Trails
Where are people actually doing this? It's not just for professional daredevils.
The rise of "wild skating" or "Nordic skating" has seen a surge in people taking to frozen creeks and hiking trails. In places like Sweden or the Canadian Rockies, trail systems can have significant elevation changes. Blade ice skating uphill becomes a survival skill there. If you’re skating a frozen river that has a slight incline due to the geography of the land, you have to adapt.
Then there’s the competitive side. ATSX (All Terrain Skate Cross) is the gold standard. These tracks are designed with massive drops, but they often include "bridge" elements or uphill climbs to test the skaters' conditioning. It’s the difference between a pure gravity athlete and a true powerhouse skater.
Common Misconceptions About Incline Skating
People think you need special skates. You don't. While some Nordic skates have longer blades for stability, standard hockey skates are actually the best for uphill work because of their rockered profile. The curve of the blade allows for more "bite" at different angles of lean.
Another myth: "It's all in the legs."
Actually, it’s mostly in the core. Your legs provide the force, but your core keeps you from folding in half when the incline gets steep. If your lower back starts hurting, your form is breaking down. You’re likely standing too upright.
Training for the Climb
If you want to get good at this, you can't just wait for the ice to freeze. You have to prep.
Off-ice training is arguably more important than on-ice practice here. Plyometrics are your best friend. Box jumps, but specifically lateral box jumps, mimic the explosive push required to move upward on a slippery surface.
- Hill Sprints: Run up grass or dirt hills. It builds the exact muscle memory needed for the forward lean.
- Low-Walks: Practice walking in a deep squat (the "Cossack walk"). This builds the hip mobility required to turn your feet out far enough to get an edge on a slope.
- Slide Boards: If you have access to a slide board, use it without the booties to practice the "V" placement, though be careful not to wreck the board.
Safety Check: The Descent is More Dangerous
Ironically, the hardest part of blade ice skating uphill is often what happens if you stop. On a flat surface, if you stop skating, you just glide to a halt. On a hill, you become a human sled.
Before you ever try to climb, you need to master the "hockey stop" on an incline and learn how to fall. If you feel yourself going backward, tuck your chin. Never, ever try to catch yourself with your wrists behind you. That’s a one-way ticket to the ER. Instead, try to fall forward or onto your hip where there's more "padding" (even if that padding is just muscle).
The Mental Game of the Incline
There’s a psychological barrier to skating uphill. Your brain sees the ice and thinks "slippery," then it sees the hill and thinks "impossible." Breaking that mental block requires a bit of aggression. You have to attack the hill.
In my experience coaching junior players, the ones who struggle most are the ones who are "polite" with the ice. They place their skates down gently. You can't be gentle. You have to be authoritative. Every stride should sound like a "crack" as the edge digs in.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you’re ready to try this, don't just find the steepest mountain you can. Start small.
First, find a very slight incline—maybe a 2-degree slope on a pond edge or a purpose-built ramp at a local park. Practice the V-walk without trying to go fast. Focus entirely on the "bite." Can you feel the edge holding? If you feel a slip, turn your toes out further.
Second, check your gear. If it’s been six months since your last sharpening, go to a pro shop. Tell them you’re doing edge-heavy work. A sharper blade is actually safer on a hill because it reduces the chance of unexpected slides.
Third, film yourself. It’s hard to tell how far forward you’re leaning until you see it on camera. Most people think they’re leaning forward like a pro, but they’re actually standing nearly vertical. You want that aggressive, "about to fall" posture.
Finally, keep your sessions short. The fatigue buildup from uphill skating is exponential. Five minutes of uphill work is equivalent to twenty minutes of flat skating. Don’t push until your legs turn to jelly, or you’ll catch an edge and take a nasty spill.
Get out there and find a slope. It changes the entire way you look at a sheet of ice. Suddenly, the whole landscape becomes a playground rather than just a flat surface to circle around in boring loops.
Practical Checklist for Uphill Ice Skating:
- Ensure blades are sharpened to at least a 1/2" hollow.
- Adopt a "nose-over-toes" forward lean to keep weight centered.
- Use short, explosive "V" strides rather than long glides.
- Keep your core engaged to prevent lower back strain.
- Practice falling forward or to the side, never backward.