How to Improve Your Dyno Climbing

Rock climbing is a diverse sport that requires different types of training. A vertical climber needs a large amount of strength to pull himself up a rock face, plus muscular endurance to keep going up a long climb. These types of strength are less useful to a boulderer who needs to be able to dyno. A dyno is a dynamic flying movement to reach a hold, such as on an overhang. Dynos require burst power.

  1. Dynos

    • Dynos are dynamic moves that send climbers flying through the air to get to a hold otherwise out of reach. To perform a dyno, extend your arms straight as you hang from a rock face, bend your knees, move your hips close to the rock and then quickly straighten your legs as you jump upwards. Your legs power the movement of a dyno; your arms guide your direction. The arms pull you inwards so that when you push off with your legs, you fly up toward the hold and not backwards off the mountain or boulder.

    Burst Power

    • Burst training specifically develops your muscles to improve burst power. Burst power is what gives your muscles the ability make explosive, fast movements. This helps your dynos because you improve your ability to push off the rock and thus lengthen your reach. Burst training involves executing maximum intensity bursts alternated with recovery time to improve efficiency. The dynamic intervals tax your muscles and force your body to convert glucose to lactate and adenosine triphosphate, ATP, for energy. Glucose is sugar. ATP and lactate are other substances you use for energy. Recovery time between dynos lets your body recharge glycogen stores.

    Circuit Training

    • Improve your dynos with circuit training. Circuit training is a type of strength training that uses back to back exercises with little to no rest. Dynos require you to lift your body weight. It is helpful to perform body weight exercises instead of using weights. Dynos use mostly leg strength, so perform mostly back to back leg exercises. Use one exercise for improving strength followed by a dyno for burst. For example, perform four down-climbs and then dyno up 7 feet four times. This plan strengthens your thighs to improve push-off distance and muscle memory. Increase speed gradually over time.

    Strength Training

    • Although training for burst power is the best way to improve your dynos, performing exercises for strength and endurance also make you a more powerful climber. Improve strength by using heavy weights during weight lifting. Perform four sets of five to 10 repetitions. This helps with climbing overhangs, negative slopes and for long-reach moves. Use low weights and increase the number of repetitions to improve endurance. You can then climb for a longer time before your muscles fatigue.