What Is A Dyno and How To Do It

If you climb long enough, you’ll hear someone at the gym or the crag yell “dyno” and go flying off the wall. So what is a dyno and how do you do it? A dyno is a dynamic move where you jump to catch the next hold, and this guide walks you through exactly how to set one up and stick it. If you’re anything like me when I first started, you’re curious about the move and a little nervous to try it. That’s normal, and this article breaks it down step by step.

Definition: A dyno is a dynamic movement (hence the name) that requires you to jump to reach the next hold. Because you’re disconnecting from the wall when you jump, the dyno is one of the most difficult and dangerous movements in climbing.

That difficulty and danger are a big part of why dynos are so popular and such a point of pride for climbers. If you want to learn one, here’s an in-depth, stage-by-stage look at how to do a dyno, plus tips for pulling off the move. If you want the bigger picture on why some moves are static and some are dynamic, read our breakdown of static vs dynamic climbing movement before you start throwing for holds.

What Is A Dyno and How To Do It, Step by Step

Like we said above, a dyno is any dynamic movement that requires you to jump to reach the next hold. Every dyno is a little different (straight up, sideways, inclined, and so on), and there are a few techniques you can use to pull one off. 

These are the basic steps, and they apply to just about every type of dyno.

Identify the dyno

This is the moment you realize you can’t reach the next hold without jumping to it. That’s what makes it a dyno.

Calculate your trajectory

Before you jump, figure out the angle and the speed you need to move your body to cover the distance. This is mostly trial and error at first, but the more you practice dynos, the more accurate you’ll get at reading the move before you commit.

Prepare for the jump 

Now you set your hips, legs, and arms for the trajectory you just worked out. This usually means sitting down into the move. Right before you jump, get your center of gravity as far from the next hold as you can while still holding the angle you need. That gives you more room to build the momentum it takes to reach the hold.

Make the jump 

You’ve read the move and you’re loaded and ready. Now you have to trust yourself and go. Half-hearted dynos are the ones that miss, so commit.

Grab the hold

If you read the trajectory right and jumped where you needed to, you should be able to grab the hold. Most climbers catch it with both hands so they can stick the landing.

Control the swing

 You might think grabbing the hold is the last part of a dyno, but controlling it is what actually finishes the move. To keep the hold, you have to control your swing, which is a by-product of throwing your body through the air. Most climbers do this by getting their feet back on the wall and finding footholds that help them settle their body and stop swinging.

Tips For Your First Dynos

Sooner or later you’ll run into a climb that needs a dyno to finish the route. When you do, you might feel nervous or a little scared. Those feelings are totally normal. They fade the more you practice, but even climbers who dyno all the time still get a jolt of nerves before they throw. If the fear is what’s stopping you, our guide on how to deal with the fear of falling is worth a read. 

These tips should make your first dyno a little easier. 

Use Your Legs

A lot of climbers new to dynos try to muscle the move with their arms. When you do that, you leave out the most powerful parts of your body, your legs and your core.

Drive the move with your legs and your core fires up too, which makes the whole thing way easier than yanking with your arms. 

If you’re having a hard time picturing how much your legs do, try this little exercise.

1. Stand on the ground with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Without bending your knees and only using the momentum of your arms, jump as high as you can.
3. Now bend your knees and get as low as you can before jumping as high as you can (feel free to use your arms for momentum too).

Jumping off the ground is way easier when you load your legs, so it makes sense that using your legs to jump to the next hold on the wall is easier too.

If you’re struggling to trust your legs, ask yourself why. If you’re worried you’ll slip, set your feet so you can trust they’ll hold when you push off. Solid footwork is the base for this, and if yours needs work, our footwork drills for climbing will help you build it.

Angle Your Hips

Now that you’re driving with your legs, the angle of your hips matters just as much for reaching the next hold. Point your hips in the direction you need for a clean trajectory. 

Sometimes, like when you need to go sideways and up, that means turning your hips to actually face the direction of the next hold.

Here’s an exercise to show you what I mean.

1. On the ground, place your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Jump to the side as far as you can (use your arms, bend your knees, whatever helps with momentum).
3. Now place your feet shoulder-width apart and jump forward as far as you can (again, use your arms, bend your knees, and so on).
4. Measure both jumps to compare the sideways jump to the forward one, and notice how much harder the sideways one felt.

A lot of the time you can turn your hips so the jump becomes a “forward” move instead of a sideways one. That makes the move easier and lets you tap into the bigger muscles in your core rather than fighting it sideways.

Don’t Swing Back And Forth

If you’ve watched videos of climbers dynoing, you’ve probably noticed some swing back and forth before the move and some just go for it.

Any experienced climber will tell you that swinging back and forth usually drains more energy and makes the move harder. 

So keep the swinging to a minimum. If you feel like you absolutely have to swing for confidence, try to keep it to one or two swings at the most. 

More often than not, the energy you burn swinging is the same energy you’ll need to hold on once you catch the hold. The dyno is just one move in a big toolbox, so if you want to round out the rest of your skills, check out our rundown of the top 22 climbing techniques and how to do them.

The Dangers of Dynos

Dynos are exciting and they feel great when you stick one. But they’re dangerous, and it would be irresponsible of me not to say so. 

If you do practice dynos, which I recommend since there are some really fun climbs that need them, make sure you’ve got proper padding and access to medical care in case something goes wrong and you get hurt.

Injury is more common when you don’t commit to the move, but as you can see from the video above, even when you commit and catch the hold, you’re still not automatically in the safe zone.

Want one solid climbing drill in your inbox every week? Level up your climbing with 15 minutes of training. It’s a free newsletter with a short, focused drill you can knock out in about 15 minutes, dynos and plenty of other movement included.

Frequently asked questions

What is a dyno in climbing?

A dyno is a dynamic move where you jump to reach the next hold. Because you disconnect from the wall mid-move, it’s one of the hardest and most dangerous movements in climbing, and it’s a favorite for that reason.

How do you do a dyno?

Identify that you can’t reach the hold without jumping, read the angle and speed you need, set your hips and legs and sit into the move, then commit to the jump. Catch the hold with both hands and control your swing by getting your feet back on the wall.

Should I dyno with my arms or my legs?

Drive the move with your legs and core. They’re the most powerful part of your body, and using them makes the move far easier than trying to muscle it with your arms. Your arms mostly help with direction and momentum.

Are dynos dangerous?

Yes. Since you leave the wall completely, dynos carry real risk. Injury is most common when you don’t commit, but even a clean catch can go wrong. Always climb over proper padding and have access to medical care.

Should I swing back and forth before a dyno?

Try not to. Swinging back and forth usually drains energy you’ll need to hold the catch. If you have to swing for confidence, keep it to one or two swings at most.

Sara Climbing Coach, Climbing Trainer, Writer

Sara is the founder of Send Edition, author of '77 Drills to Help You Climb Better,' the creator of 'Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker,' and climbing coach.

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