Posted by Gentry Stein
on November 29, 2025
The DNA has become one of the most recognizable yo-yo tricks in the world. And while it seems like almost every modern yo-yo can do the DNA, very few are actually designed specifically for finger spins.
As a 2x World Yo-Yo Champion who has spent over twenty years competing, designing, and teaching players around the world, I wanted to change that. So I started asking myself...
What would the best DNA yo-yo in the world actually look like?
That’s exactly what I set out to create. But before I tell you how we designed the DNA King, we need to go back to where the DNA started and see how one viral trick changed modern yo-yoing forever.
One quick note before we get started: the yo-yo I’m about to show you is a professional unresponsive yo-yo, meaning it requires a bind to return to your hand.
If you’re brand new to yo-yoing and want to learn your first DNA on a responsive yo-yo, start with my Easiest Way to Do the DNA Yo-Yo Trick guide, where I teach the beginner method using the Vyral.
The Real History Behind the DNA Yo-Yo Trick
There have been countless videos online attempting to tell the story of where and how the DNA trick started but none of them tell the whole truth. Most people think the DNA started on social media but the development of this trick actually began over 70 years ago.
The first Helix-style trick was born in the 1950's called the Sidewinder. It introduced the spinning motion that inspired the next generation of yo-yo players.
Then in 2004, a player named Andre Boulay combined the Sidewinder with a grind and over the next few decades players continued to experiment by combining these ideas together.
In early July, I posted my first video performing the fingerspin style trick that would eventually become known around the world as the DNA.
But it was a video I posted on August 1, 2020 that changed everything. As the video began taking off, someone commented that the string wrapping around the spinning yo-yo looked like a DNA strand. The name stuck, the video went viral, and suddenly players everywhere were trying the trick for themselves.
That moment helped turn the DNA into a worldwide yo-yo phenomenon.
The DNA became bigger than any of us could have imagined, replacing old school tricks like Rock the Baby and turning into a cultural movement. Suddenly every player, from young kids to pros competing on stage, was connected by this trick.
Want to learn more about the DNA? My Ultimate Guide to the DNA Yo-Yo Trick covers everything from the history and evolution of the trick to learning your first DNA, fixing common problems, and progressing into more advanced variations.
The Rise of the Original DNA Yo-Yo
When the DNA exploded online, I wanted to make a yo-yo built specifically for this trick, something affordable, accessible, and fun to use. That’s when we created the original DNA Yo-Yo, designed for perfect finger spins costing just $40.
The DNA yo-yo was capable of turning a crazy hard looking trick into something any beginner could learn so it quickly became one of the most popular finger spin yo-yos in the world, but as time went on and other similar more advanced designs began to appear, I noticed two big problems:
- many of the new models were extremely expensive, some costing nearly 3x times the price of the original DNA Yo-Yo, making them out of budget for most players.
- While many of these yo-yos were good, none of them felt exactly 'right'. None captured what I’d consider to be the perfect DNA yo-yo.
So I began to wonder what would happen if we went just a little beyond the original forty dollar limit. I still wanted it to stay affordable, but I kept askign myself: Could we create the ultimate finger-spin yo-yo without making it expensive?
Developing the Best DNA Yoyo In The World
So I went back to work with a single goal: to create the world's best yo-yo for the DNA and little did I know, that process would end up taking us more than a year.
It began first with testing every fingerspin yo-yo I could get my hands on and breaking down the engineering behind each one.
I needed to understand what made a DNA feel effortless and what could cause it to fail.
The deeper I got, the more obsessed I became. Once I understood the formula behind a flawless DNA, it was time to build it.
We sketched, prototyped, tested, failed, improved, over and over, until I could finally feel it all coming together and then I knew that we were building something that could change yo-yoing once again.
Introducing: The DNA KING
When the final prototype arrived, I opened the box and instantly knew this was the one. The design looked perfect, every curve and detail intentional, balanced, and powerful.
But looks don’t make a yo-yo great, it still had to prove it was worthy of helping build a champion.
When I threw it for the first time, I wasn’t testing it, I was finally experiencing it. Everything I had studied, designed, and hoped for came together in that single throw. The spin was perfectly balanced, the catch effortless, the DNA locked in like it had been waiting for this moment.
Holding it, I felt the weight of everything that came before it. Seventy years of creativity, innovation, and evolution, from the first helix style tricks to the DNA that connects players around the world today, all led to this one moment.
This wasn’t just a new yo-yo. It was the future.
Now let’s break down exactly what makes the DNA King different and why it works so well for the DNA.
DNA King Yo-Yo Features and Technology
Designing this yo-yo wasn't easy but it changed how the world does DNAs forever. Every element of the DNA King was engineered with one goal in mind, to create the smoothest, most stable, and most powerful finger spin experience possible. Here's how we did it:
Metal Finger Spin Cap with Auto Orientation Technology
This precision-machined metal hub provides a secure, controlled connection during finger spins, delivering a premium feel and superior stability. The Auto Orientation Technology guides your finger into perfect alignment the moment you land the catch, automatically centering the yo-yo for smooth, long lasting DNA rotations. Beginners benefit from easier consistency, while pros gain the precision required for high speed transitions and advanced variations.
Optimized Shape and Rim Weight
The DNA King’s wide profile and carefully distributed rim weight create a unique combination of speed, spin power, and stability. It feels fast but controlled, effortless yet powerful.
Metal Thumb Grind Lip
Inspired by the early grind tricks that led to the DNA, this feature opens up new creative possibilities.
If the DNA King looks familiar, it’s because it draws from my Shutter series, the yo-yos behind my two World titles. I designed it to bring that same championship performance to the next generation.
You can see the full story behind how my yo-yo designs have evolved over the years in my Yo-Yo Evolution guide.
Even though it’s optimized for finger spins, the DNA King isn’t limited to one trick. Its balance, rim weight, and shape make it a powerhouse for every style of modern play. You can go godspeed, do horizontal tricks, technical string tricks and of course, creative and difficult variations.
▶ Watch: 3 DNA Yo-Yo Tricks From Easy to Hard
It’s a yo-yo built not just for learning the DNA, but for mastering everything that comes after it. Want to see just how far the DNA can be pushed? Check out my 10 Extreme DNA Challenges page, featuring some of the craziest DNA challenges from across the internet and see how many you can complete yourself.
The Perfect DNA Setup: DNA King + DNA String
When it came to perfecting the DNA, I realized the yo-yo was only half the story. The other half was the string. That’s why the DNA King was built to pair perfectly with the official DNA String, together, they create the smoothest and most reliable setup for DNA tricks ever made.
DNA String uses a custom swivel at the top that keeps it from twisting or tightening during play. It lets the yo-yo spin freely, stay balanced, and hold perfect tension through every trick. The result is longer spins, cleaner catches, and DNA tricks that feel effortless from start to finish.
Want to see what makes it different from standard yo-yo string? Check out DNA String vs. Regular Yo-Yo String for a side-by-side comparison. And if you want to see just how far the advantage can go, check out Why This String Might Get Banned.
Not sure which DNA yo-yo is right for you? Check out my Best Yo-Yos for the DNA Trick guide, where I compare the best options from beginner to pro and explain which yo-yo is right for each stage of learning.
The Future of the DNA Trick, Yo-Yos, and Strings
I’ve been yo-yoing for over twenty years, winning titles, traveling the world, and performing on the biggest stages. But what drives me isn’t the medals. It’s the chance to inspire the next generation.
The DNA King is only one chapter in that mission. Every new yo-yo, every trick, every innovation we release is built to move the sport forward and help more players feel the spark that got me hooked as a kid.
The DNA trick represents everything I love about yo-yoing: creativity, community, and constant evolution.
What started as a single moment has grown into a global connection point for players everywhere. This yo-yo is part of that journey, but the story is still being written, one throw, one idea, one new player at a time.
The Future of the DNA Is In Your Hands
The DNA King comes from decades of experimentation and passion, from the earliest helix concepts to the viral moment that changed modern yo-yoing. Now the next chapter is yours to write.
You can find the DNA King, DNA String, and the yo-yos to take you from beginner to world-champion level right here.
Frequently Asked Questions About the DNA YoYo Trick and the DNA King YoYo
Is the DNA King a good yo-yo for beginners?
The DNA King is unresponsive and requires a bind return. If you have already learned the basics of unresponsive yo-yoing, it is an excellent choice for learning and leveling up the DNA. Its metal finger spin cap with Auto Orientation Technology helps center your finger on the catch, improving control and consistency.
If you’re brand new to yo-yoing, I recommend starting with the responsive Vyral. It returns to your hand with a simple tug and features a fingerspin hub designed to help beginners learn their first DNA. Once you’re comfortable with the basics and ready to make the jump to unresponsive play, you can move up to the DNA or DNA King.
How is the DNA King different from other yo-yos that can do the DNA?
Many yo-yos can technically perform the DNA, but very few are engineered specifically for it.
The DNA King features:
- A premium Metal Finger Spin Cap with Auto Orientation Technology
- Rim geometry tuned for maximum spin stability and clean thumb grinds
- A wide catch zone that makes finger landings more consistent
Its design draws inspiration from my Shutter yo-yos, which I used to win multiple National and World titles. The DNA King will not only help you master the DNA faster, it will also give you the speed, control, and stability to level up your style across all forms of modern yo-yo play.
Why is the DNA King the best yo-yo for the DNA trick?
The DNA King combines over seventy years of yo-yo innovation with the latest finger spin technology. Every part, from the metal cup to the rim weight, was engineered for longer spins, better stability, and that perfect “locked-in” feeling that defines a clean DNA. It’s not just another yo-yo that can do the trick—it’s a yo-yo that was made for it. And as your skills improve, that same stability and control gives you room to experiment with harder and more creative DNA variations.
▶ Watch: Advanced DNA Trick with DNA King Yo-Yo
Can the DNA King do more than just the DNA trick?
Absolutely. While the DNA King is optimized for finger spins and DNA tricks, it’s a high-performance unresponsive yo-yo built for all styles of modern play. Its speed, stability, and wide catch zone make it great for Godspeed-style speed combos, horizontal tricks, technical string tricks, and competition-level play.
The design also draws from my World Championship-winning Shutter series, giving you the performance to keep progressing far beyond the DNA.
What is the best setup for learning DNA tricks?
If you’re learning your first DNA, I recommend starting with the responsive Vyral, which features a fingerspin hub designed to make the trick easier to learn. For unresponsive DNA tricks and more advanced play, my ultimate setup is the DNA King paired with DNA String.
The DNA King provides the stability and control needed for consistent finger spins, while DNA String uses a built-in swivel to help keep your string tension neutral as you perform the DNA. Normally, repeated DNAs can tighten or loosen your string, forcing you to stop and reset the tension manually or use a trick like the Sidewinder to correct it. DNA String helps manage that tension automatically, so you can keep practicing longer DNAs and more advanced variations without constantly stopping to reset your string.
What is the best setup for learning DNA tricks?
For the smoothest experience, pair the DNA King with the official DNA String. It features a swivel top that keeps the string from twisting, allowing you to perform the DNA trick up to four times longer while maintaining perfect tension. Together, they form the best DNA yo-yo setup in the world.
Why does my yo-yo string twist or tangle when doing the DNA?
Doing the DNA repeatedly can change your yo-yo’s string tension, causing the string to become too tight or too loose. When the tension gets too far in either direction, the string can twist, bunch up, or tangle and make the DNA harder to perform.
With regular yo-yo string, you’ll need to periodically reset the string tension manually or use a trick like the Sidewinder to tighten or loosen it. DNA String uses a built-in swivel that helps keep the string tension neutral while you play, so you can practice repeated DNAs without constantly stopping to reset it.
What is the best yo-yo string for the DNA trick?
You can perform the DNA trick with regular polyester yo-yo string, but if you plan on practicing the DNA repeatedly, I recommend DNA String. It was designed specifically to solve one of the biggest problems players run into when practicing the DNA: string tension.
Every time you perform the DNA, the string wraps around the spinning yo-yo, which can cause string tension to build much faster than during normal play. As the string becomes too tight or too loose, it can start twisting, bunching up, or tangling, making your next DNA harder to land and control.
With regular yo-yo string, you’ll need to periodically reset the tension by letting the string untwist manually or using a trick like the Sidewinder. DNA String uses a built-in swivel that helps release this tension as it builds, keeping your string tension closer to neutral while you play. This means less time stopping to untwist your string and more time practicing consistent DNA tricks.
If you’re just learning your first DNA, regular polyester string will work perfectly fine. But as you start practicing repeated DNAs, longer fingerspins, or more advanced variations, DNA String makes managing string tension much easier.
▶ Watch: DNA String vs. Regular Yo-Yo String
Where can I learn the DNA trick?
There are two main ways to do the classic DNA yo-yo trick, depending on whether you’re using a responsive or unresponsive yo-yo.
If you’re a beginner using a responsive yo-yo, start with my Easiest Way to Do the DNA Yo-Yo Trick guide. This method is designed to make learning your first DNA as simple as possible.
If you’re already using an unresponsive yo-yo, follow my How to Do the DNA on an Unresponsive Yo-Yo guide for a step-by-step breakdown of the fingerspin, string catch, and bind return.
For everything in one place, my Ultimate Guide to the DNA Yo-Yo Trick covers the trick from beginner to pro, including its history, technique, common mistakes, troubleshooting, and how to keep progressing.
The yo-yo you use also makes a big difference when learning the DNA. While many modern yo-yos can technically perform the trick, a yo-yo designed specifically for fingerspins can make it much easier to land and control. I’ve designed DNA yo-yos for different stages of learning, from responsive beginner models like the Vyral yo-yo, to advanced unresponsive designs like the DNA King. You can compare them all in my Best Yo-Yos for the DNA Trick guide to find the right one for your skill level.
Still have questions? We'd love to help! You can contact the YoYoChampion team here
