Training Plan
This is my first post on this subreddit, so please let me know if any of this is formatted incorrectly or in violation of any of the rules so I can fix it.
I'm starting at a new university this fall and I'm considering trying out for their climbing team. I want to be in the best shape that I can be by the time tryouts roll around, so I was wondering if you guys had any advice about training plans or general tips for improving.
Some context about me as a climber: I've climbed on and off recreationally for the past 5 years, but I've been very consistent about it again since November of 2025. I regularly climb v5s and v6s at my gym (second v7 done as of this week), but I think my gym grades fairly soft since I have trouble with lower grade Moonboard climbs quite a bit. As far as a general fitness overview, I am 5'7" with an ape index of +2.5 and a fairly muscular 170lbs (pretty heavy, but I am on a slight caloric deficit and have been running a lot recently to shave off some extra weight), can do around 5 or 6 pull ups in a row with good form, and am very flexible. Regarding my style of climbing, I try to climb in a very controlled manner whenever I can, doing my best to not cut feet unless it's necessary, and doing as much work with my legs as I can. My biggest weakness in terms of physical strength is definitely my core. I definitely want to improve my core strength, but I'm not really sure where to start, so any pointers are appreciated. I am not sure about my biggest weakness in terms of technique, but I've been thinking about climbing with people who climb harder than me to gain insight from them over the next couple of months. I climb 3-4 times a week usually and don't do any weight training as of now.
Overall, I was wondering if you guys had any insights about how I could focus my efforts to get into the best shape I can reasonably achieve by mid-September. Should I be weight training/doing calisthenics in addition to climbing? If so, what should I do? Should I try to Moonboard more? Should I prioritize weight loss? Any advice is welcome! Even if you don't think I have a chance of making the team by this fall, I would still appreciate some guidance to get better so I have a shot next year. I'm excited to hear what you guys think. Let me know if you have any other questions or if there's anything I can clarify.