Ice Cream Maker

These notes combine advice from 5 reviewed passages across 3 workouts.

Overview

Ice Cream Maker is used as front-lever training. In the demonstrated variation, the athlete uses bent legs, moves into a tuck front lever, holds it for one second, and returns to the upper position. This variation is intended to develop front-lever ability. [1]

Technique

As you move backward, keep the bar forward and as close as possible to your body’s center of gravity. Keep your shoulders down throughout the position. [4]

Keeping the bar forward and near the body’s center of gravity while depressing the shoulders can provide an advantage. With sufficient shoulder strength, these specific positions can make the hold more comfortable. [4]

Programming and safety

Coach’s claim

If you suspect a strain in an area that Ice Cream Maker may affect, consider skipping the movement and saving it for another day. [2]

Coach’s claim

Ice Cream Maker may place load directly through the shoulder-blade area. When that loading is a concern, it can be removed from the current program and reconsidered in a later one. [3]

Coach’s experience

In his coaching, slow and deliberate downward pulls on a lat machine and standing rope work were used as early preparation for similar movement patterns. After about a month of practice, the athlete was still considered to have only recently started the movement. [5]

Sources

1. 2025-03-05, 2596.0-2638.4s

Workout: workout:2025-03-05

Passage: passage:2025-03-05:000889-000910

2. 2025-03-05, 2683.9-2708.2s

Workout: workout:2025-03-05

Passage: passage:2025-03-05:000928-000928

3. 2025-03-18, 640.7-658.2s

Workout: workout:2025-03-18

Passage: passage:2025-03-18:000188-000192

4. 2026-01-11, 2588.6-2624.5s

Workout: workout:2026-01-11

Passage: passage:2026-01-11:000680-000690

5. 2026-01-11, 2663.4-2697.8s

Workout: workout:2026-01-11

Passage: passage:2026-01-11:000704-000720