Static Vs Dynamic Climbing Movement: Pros and Cons

I was rewatching the US Combined Invitational from last January when Sam Farber, one of the hosts, asked what dynamic climbing is compared to static climbing. I’m a beginner, and getting my head around static vs dynamic climbing turned out to be one of the best things I’ve done for how I watch climbing and learn from it. 

If you’d rather not read the whole thing, here’s the short version: static climbing is slower, controlled movement, while dynamic movement is short bursts of powerful moves.

In this article I’ll walk you through what each style is and the pros and cons of static and dynamic climbing. I’ve also compared them side by side, covered what you should be best at (hint: it depends on the climb), and shared a few ways to get better at both.

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What Is Static Climbing

Static climbing is a style built on slow, controlled movement. It shows up across every discipline, and it’s most common in sport climbing. The move you’ll recognize most in the static style is flagging. 

Flagging is when you stick a leg out in the opposite direction of where you’re moving to keep your body under control. It’s a lot like how a cat uses its tail for balance. If you want to dial it in, here’s our guide on when to flag in climbing and how to do it.

Pros of Static Climbing

• Because static climbing is slower, climbers who are really good at it tend to have more endurance and steadier strength than climbers who lean mostly on dynamic movement. You’ll see it most in grip strength and in holding onto climbing holds for a long stretch.
• One of the biggest arguments for static climbing is that it lets you focus on technique. It’s a lot easier to nail your body position when every move is slow and thought out.
• A lot of climbers who want to build ab strength use static climbing on steep, inverted routes to work their core.

Cons of Static Climbing

• Static climbing makes lock-offs harder to manage. You’ll often need to hold a lock-off while climbing statically just to reach the next handhold, and lock-offs burn a lot of strength and energy, especially in your grip.
• Some climbs call for big moves, and those are much harder (almost impossible) to do statically than dynamically.

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What Is Dynamic Climbing

Dynamic climbing is a style that uses short, powerful movements to get through a problem. You’ll see plenty of it in men’s climbing, but of course it’s common for everyone. 

The move you’ll recognize most in the dynamic style is the dyno. 

A dyno is where you swing into a move and pull both hands off the wall at once. There’s usually at least one dyno boulder at a pro competition. If you want to break it down, here’s our guide on what a dyno is and how to do it.

Pros of Dynamic Climbing

• Dynamic climbing is a great way to move through a problem fast. A lot of climbers see it as more efficient because you can cut down the number of moves it takes to finish the climb.
• It helps you reach holds that would otherwise be out of reach, with barely any locking off.
• It also builds your agility and your ability to move quickly through sections that would be close to impossible with static movement.

Cons of Dynamic Climbing

• A common worry with dynamic climbing is that if you don’t have a foundation in the basics, it’s much harder to learn technique while you’re doing dynamic moves. It’s tough to pay attention to your body position and weight distribution when you’re focused on getting to the next hold quickly.
• Something I’ve noticed is that dynamic climbing is harder on my hands and skin. The moves seem to ask for tougher skin, since your hands come off one hold and slap onto another quickly and with a lot of force. In the gym it’s especially rough because the holds feel like sandpaper. 
• Climbers are also much more likely to fall on a dynamic move than a static one. That bumps up the chance of injury, especially in your ankles and wrists.

Static Vs Dynamic Climbing: Which Is Better?

A common way to compare static vs dynamic climbing is to look at where the momentum comes from and where your center of gravity is. With static climbing you move your center of gravity first and then reach for the next hold. With dynamic climbing you tend to throw your center of gravity toward the next hold at the same time you’re reaching for it. 

So which one is better?

If you want to know which one is better, watch a climbing competition. You’ll probably notice a pretty even mix of dynamic and static climbers, which tells you neither style is flat-out better than the other. 

Some climbs call for static movement and some call for dynamic movement. It’s best to be good at both, so if you want to push your grade up, it’s worth practicing both styles. Filling gaps in your movement, like the neglected techniques needed for V4 to V5 progression, goes a long way here.

A climber once told me that comparing dynamic and static climbing is like comparing a screwdriver to a hammer. They’re both great tools, and a good handyman reaches for the right one for the job.

Most beginner routes are built for static climbing, so seasoned climbers often suggest that beginners get comfortable with static movement before they train dynamically. That way you keep the injury risk down and get to practice technique in a controlled way.

How To Become Better At Both Styles

I’m weaker at dynamic climbing and I know I need to fix that, so I talked to climbers and read through a pile of articles and Reddit threads for tips on becoming a good handyman, or in this case, a well-rounded climber. If you like getting one small, doable climbing drill each week, our free newsletter sends a 15-minute drill straight to your inbox: Level Up Your Climbing With 15 Minutes of Training.

There are two common ways to get good at both:

1. You can focus and become really good at one type of climbing before you train for the other type of climbing. This way you can at least be really good at one type of climbing style instead of being mediocre at both styles.
2. Practice both equally. It may take longer for you to be good at either style, but it would allow you to level up on your climbing v-grade in all types of climbing styles and will make you a well-rounded climber.

For me, I like to mix those two approaches. I practice static climbing more than dynamic, but I still get on climbs that ask for dynamic movement. Honestly, I should be doing more dynamic work, because I keep running into climbs I have to repeat a bunch of times to finish, all because dynamic movement is one of my weak spots. Working through a broad set of climbing techniques and skills helps round out both styles.

Conclusion

If you’ve ever watched a climbing competition, especially a bouldering one, you’ve probably noticed that different climbers attack the same problem in different ways. It’s pretty clear that static and dynamic movement are both needed, and that climbers who are comfortable with both finish problems easier and faster than climbers who lean on just one.

For me, understanding that there are two main styles of movement helped me look at my own climbing so I could train smarter and get better by practicing both.

I mostly climb statically, and if I were better at dynamic movement I’d finish more climbs, or at least finish them easier. That’s not to say dynamic climbing is better. It’s to say you really do need both styles in your toolkit.

What climbing style do you prefer? Have you hit climbs that would have gone easier if you were more confident with the other style? Scroll to the bottom of this page to leave your response.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between static and dynamic climbing?

Static climbing is slow, controlled movement where you shift your center of gravity first and then reach for the next hold. Dynamic climbing is short, powerful movement where you throw your center of gravity toward the next hold as you reach for it. Flagging is the classic static move, and the dyno is the classic dynamic one.

Is static or dynamic climbing better for beginners?

Most beginner routes are built for static climbing, so seasoned climbers usually suggest getting comfortable with static movement first. It keeps your injury risk lower and lets you practice technique in a controlled way before you start throwing for holds dynamically.

Which style is harder on your skin and more likely to cause injury?

Dynamic climbing tends to be tougher on your hands and skin, since you move off one hold and onto another quickly and with a lot of force. You’re also more likely to fall on a dynamic move than a static one, which raises the chance of tweaking your ankles or wrists.

Should I train static and dynamic climbing at the same time?

There are two common approaches. You can get really good at one style first so you’re strong at something instead of mediocre at both, or you can practice both equally to become a well-rounded climber. Plenty of people, me included, mix the two and just lean a little harder on their weaker style.

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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