I've been climbing steadily for a little over a year. Yet despite my exercise routine, I still can't seem to last more than 20 minutes vertical. On a positive pitch I feel like I can go forever, but when I'm vertical or inclined, it seems like my endurance is just zapped from my body when climbing anything over a 5.6. There is a 60 ft 5.9 that I have been trying to beat for 5 months. About half way up there is a bit of a lip, this were I fail every time. By the time I get there, there is just nothing left in my forearms. They scream in pain as I continue to struggle my way up until they just finally give out. Is there a secret to forearm strenght and endurance.

The best way to build climbing endurance, imho, is climb, climb, climb, and climb some more.

I spend a couple of nights each week after work in the gym climbing and then get outdoors on the weekends for some real rock action.

I will vary my gym routine depending on what I'm wanting to accomplish but for "fitness" oriented climbing I always warm up slow climbing a 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9 and then spending some time in the 5.10-5.11 range for several climbs. I may or may not do some lead climbs as well in the 5.9-5.10 range at this point.

Then I stair step back down 5.9, 5.8. 5.7, 5.6 and on my 5.6 I lap it climbing up and back down to failure. After that, my buddy and I drop harness and go to the campus board/pull-up bars and do 2 additional sets of pull-ups to failure as well.

Following this routine my climbing strength and endurance both have increased dramatically over the last couple of years.

If I'm looking for short term power move strength then after warming up I'll drop harness and go to the bouldering area and work bouldering problems.

Mike

Rockpapa, Have you had any progress? There could be many reason why your forearms aren't lasting long enough. Many are related to technique that could be better or training to improve muscle endurance.