By: Chris Gates

As you get deeper and deeper into your strength training journey, and your strength increases, you’ll likely run into this one specific difficulty.

The weights get heavy.

And when the weights get heavy, you may struggle to know how to get heavy dumbbells into position easily.

Let’s face it. Laying back on a bench with the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or even heavier is not a simple task.

And if you don’t know the proper way to get those dumbbells into position, you could risk injury.

Well, worry no more!

In this article, I’m going to teach you exactly how to get heavy dumbbells into position so that you can continue to make progress with lifting weights.

How to Get Heavy Dumbbells Into Position Easily: Why This Matters

Getting heavy dumbbells into position is a skill. And lacking this skill is something that can limit your strength potential as you continue to lift weights.

If you’re doing an exercise like a dumbbell shoulder press, and you can’t get the weights up to your shoulders so you can start pressing…

Well, you’re not going to get stronger at that exercise.

Same goes for a dumbbell bench press. If you can’t find a way to lay back on the bench and get those heavy dumbbells into position to start pressing…

You won’t get any stronger at the dumbbell bench press.

But luckily, there’s one really simple and easy technique you can use to get those dumbbells in place, so that you can keep getting stronger.

But First, One Caveat…

The technique I’m about to teach you is a skill.

And any skill needs to be practiced.

I don’t want you reading this article, or watching the tutorial video, and then going right into the gym to lift the heaviest weight you can.

Practice this technique first.

Grab some light dumbbells the next time you’re in the gym — dumbbells you can easily move around without any struggle or limitations — and practice the movements.

Rep it over and over again, just like you would for any other strength training exercise.

Practice makes perfect, and you need to have this technique nailed before you try it with heavy dumbbells.

How to Get Heavy Dumbbells Into Position Easily: How to Pick Them Up

While the goal is to get your dumbbells in position so that you can press, the technique of getting heavy dumbbells into position starts with picking them up off the floor.

• Start by standing over top of the dumbbells, with your feet outside of each dumbbell.
• Brace your core, bend down, and grab one of the dumbbell handles with your hand.
• With a firm grip, think about pushing your feet through the floor to get the dumbbell up to your knee.
• Then while supporting that one dumbbell on your knee, repeat the process to pick up the other dumbbell.

At this point, you should have both dumbbells on your knees, and you can sit back down onto the bench.

From here, you can get the dumbbells into position for the exercise you’re performing.

How to Get Heavy Dumbbells Into Position Easily: Dumbbell Bench Press

From a seated position with the dumbbells resting on top of your knees, what I want you to do is take a deep breath in, brace your core, and utilize your body’s momentum to get into position.

• Start by standing up just a little bit. Raise your butt off the pad 2-3 inches.
• Then rock your body backwards, bringing your butt back down onto the pad, and allow your upper body to lower down onto the pad under control.
• While lowering your upper body backwards, use your knees to continue supporting the dumbbells, and actually push the dumbbells into the starting position.

The tutorial video embedded above is a must watch, and I show you exactly how this process works. Be sure to give that a watch so you can visualize this part of the technique.

Once you have your heavy dumbbells in position, you can perform the set.

And the end of the set, with your arms extended at the top position, slowly lower the weights back down and then allow them to drop to the floor under control.

How About Shoulder Pressing?

For a dumbbell shoulder press, many aspects of this technique are going to be similar.

• You’ll want to take a deep breath in and brace your core.
• Once again, start by standing up a little bit, and then come back down onto the pad to generate a little bit of momentum.
• But instead of rocking your upper body all the way back down onto the pad, you can use the backwards momentum to initiate a kick with one of your knees, which will help assist you in getting the dumbbell up to shoulder height.
• Then, while resting that first dumbbell on your shoulder, you can do another kick with the other knee to get the second dumbbell in position.

If you’re able to do shoulder pressing with some type of support behind your back, it will make the process of getting the heavy dumbbells into position much easier and safer for shoulder pressing.

And once you’re finished with your set, you’ll want to drop each dumbbell back down onto your knees, by raising each knee individually and allowing the dumbbell to rest back down on top.

I Hope This Helps!

Once you’re able to nail down the form and skill of this technique, you’ll be all set to keep getting stronger!

I hope you found this article helpful. If you did, and you’re interested in a personalized program to help you build muscle and strength as fast, efficient, and sustainable as possible, that’s what I do!

I work with people all over the world to chase their fitness goals. Check out my coaching page to learn more about how 1-on-1 online fitness coaching works. And if everything there sounds good, fill out a coaching application form and I’ll follow up with you to talk more about your goals.

Thanks for reading!

~ Chris