My summer peakbagging plans have been derailed due to injury and limited finances. So I'm considering trying Mt. Elbert in the winter. I know the route can be done in the winter. I've never used snowshoes before so I have a few questions:

1. How do you train to use snowshoes? Do more calf raises, run longer, do other exercises to get used to walking in snowshoes?
2. Is this even advisable to attempt such a climb with no experience using snowshoes?

Thanks in advance for the input.

just practice walking or practice walking up hill

Snowshoes are easy to use, especially modern ones like the MSR Denalis; if you can walk you can use them. If there's a good layer of snow, traveling via snowshoe over an area which in the summer is a scree or talus field can be a lot easier than slogging through scree or hopping from rock to rock. I think the more important question is whether you have winter backcountry experience, in particular snow climbing and avalanche avoidance/rescue skills. Physical training for snowshoes is pretty much like training for peakbagging - practice hiking, especially uphill.

It's easier to learn to walk in snowshoes than to learn to walk in crampons (and less risk of bloodletting too). As with crampons, one of the hardest parts is getting the damn things on and off, especially in deep snow, freezing rain (or after crossing a stream), and other situations where the buckles can jam up, you don't want to take off your gloves, and there's no convenient place to sit down.

It's a good idea to use ski poles. Snowshoes are always just a little awkward, and it can be really hard to shift your feet when you need to keep your balance.

There's a particular gait you have to develop to keep from dragging the snowshoes - got to lift a little more than usual - and to keep from carrying too much snow - a sort of kick. If you drag your feet slightly, there's a tiny muscle you use to swing your leg forward, that will get a sudden workout. No big deal unless you do big mileage your very first day. Stair climbing or hiking on rough terrain (maybe with heavy boots) are all the training you really need.

Thanks for the feedback--brought up some points I had not considered yet.

How do you train to use snowshoes?

The difference between a novice snowshoer and an expert snowshoer is walking about 10 steps in them. Maybe less.

Is this even advisable to attempt such a climb with no experience using snowshoes?

Using the snowshoes won't be a problem. The winter challenges on Mt Elbert are dealing with the cold and wind.