Body position and technique effects on displacement in the dyno maneuver in rock climbing

Abstract This study compared vertical displacement of rock climbers performing a dyno maneuver using a squat jump (SJ) and a counter-movement (CM) technique. These techniques were tested at three different starting positions, varying in distance between hand and foot holds. Thirteen recreational rock climbers performed two SJ and two CM dynos at each starting position. Vertical displacement was measured through video analysis. Results showed that there were no significant differences in vertical displacement of the hand (VDH) between jump techniques (p > 0.05). There was, however, a significant improvement in VDH as the subjects moved from the low-to-medium and medium-to-high starting positions (p < 0.05). Therefore, a climber should base their technique on preference or experience while leaving a sufficient amount of space between the hands and feet if possible.