Once upon a time, a dyno was
considered bad climbing form, but today, many top climbers have a
distinctive dynamic style. There are two major reasons why dynos or dynamic style climbing
has become more popular. First, modern routes often necessitate a burst of power to
overcome a short crux. Secondly, dynamic movements require brief recruitment of muscle
fibers rather than a extended periods of contraction. This often taxes the muscles less,
especially if alternatives take time to figure out. The properly executed dyno, in other
words, can help you climb more efficiently and mean the difference between success and
failure.
Many types of "dynos" exist, and each type requires the integration of
different bodily elements. In this technique article we discuss a full blown or
"thrusting" dyno which resembles a slam-dunk in basketball with its emphasis on
on explosive power and height gain. Although dynos involves some degree of power, the
success of a dynamic movement depends on the proper technique. The proper technique
involves an integration of elements that vary depending on the nature of the holds you're
on and the angle at which you must propel your body. However, with the proper experience,
you can learn to apply the proper body movement instinctively to a variety of situations.
To utilize a "thrusting" dyno, handholds must be secure enough to
accommodate a large dip and thrust of the body. The following two climbers demonstrate a
thrusting dyno. The climber to the left, "Grover" executes the dyno slightly
more efficiently than the climber on the right, "Bob", and therefore latches the
final hold where Bob fails. Watch the climbers dyno a couple times.
A Dyno Demo
To Practice the Proper Thrusting
Dyno
1.) Pick a position with good handholds and
pick a large finishing hold.
2.) Position feet high and close to your
hands to get the maximum extension at the top of the "thrust".
3.) Keep your eyes on the prize (the
finishing hold) and dip low.
4.) Keep your arms relatively straight and
thrust with your legs.
5.) Sail through the air, latch the final
hold with authority, and keep body tension as your legs whip out from under you.
6.) Glance back and waive to your adoring
fans.
Tips for Thrusting Dyno Success
1.) Thrust with your legs which are more
powerful than your arms. To transer the force from your legs, you must often use your hips
and torso as well. Experiment with the coordination of different body movements.
2.) Keep your arms
straighter and "sling shot" your body to the hold. Watch the animated
demonstration closely and notice that Grover keeps his arm straighter than Bob. In fact,
this is a sign that Grover is using his legs more than Bob. Bob bends his arms, a sign
that he's pulling too much with his biceps, and that's not where the power is. With your
arms straight, they act as a sort of tether around which you propel your body. In other
words, your body will end up traveling in an arc to the final hold and your arm will
tether you as you gain acceleration - like the sling David used to slay Goliath.
3.) Dip down to get the maximum thrust. A
close inspection of the animation shows that Grover actually dips down slightly more than
Bob. This allows Grover to eke a little bit more acceleration out of his legs.
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Full Blown Dyno: Traveling in an arc
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4.) Don't let go too soon.
Because the thrusting dyno often involves travel in an arc, letting go too soon will cause
you to catch the hold while pulling away from it. Notice that Bob lets go sooner than
Grover, and Bob never reaches the final hold.
5.) If all else fails, try something
different. As we mentioned in the introduction, there is no one correct dyno technique for
all situations. These tips are meant to help you in a certain type of situation, namely
when the starting handholds are large enough to accommodate a large dip and thrust. If you
find these tips unhelpful on a certain move, forget them and do what feels right.
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