The steep-ice footwork: from roughly 45 degrees upwards you kick the two front points in once, precisely, then leave that foot alone. On easier ground, flat-footing saves your calves.
On ice, footwork decides your endurance more than strong arms: stand cleanly on your front points and you are not hanging off your arms. The most common beginner error comes from the gym: lifting the heel as if you were on a small rock edge. That is what levers the points out of the ice. The fix feels illogical: after kicking in, drop the heel slightly until the foot is nearly horizontal, and the points press into the wall instead of prising themselves free. The second error is re-kicking — every adjustment breaks away the little ice step you stand on. One precise kick, then hold that foot still. What gets missed: front-pointing burns calves, so good ice climbers switch constantly and flat-foot the easier sections. And with crampons on, a lead fall is almost never consequence-free: as a beginner, stay on easy water ice, on toprope, with a course or a mountain guide.