The Monster Dumbbell (MDB for short) is a unique implement and requires balance, strength and timing to master. The key to a great finish is a great start. The MDB must be placed in the perfect position on your shoulder allowing you to have the best line of drive to lockout. Before you even get to this point you must not waste unnecessary energy fidgeting around with the MDB position on the shoulder so getting it to the right spot as soon as possible should be priority number one. Let’s break it down from the beginning.
The Start Position
Starting in a strong balanced position over the top of the MDB allows you to be explosive in getting the MDB from the ground to your shoulder. This conserves energy for the press and helps your chances of getting the MDB into a good rack position right away. Holding the MDB right in the center of the handle is usually best however different size bells can balance differently so you need to practice a little with the one you’ll be using to find the sweet spot. Starting with a nice stable base grab the MDB with both hands, your pressing hand underneath, pull the db back underneath you slightly to create some momentum then swing it straight upwards towards the shoulders with as much force as possible. It’s important to aim higher than needed for this so you can “catch” the MDB on the shoulder rather than curl it the last few inches. You can practice this part alone if you struggle with the clean more than the press and a great way to do it is 3 cleans for every press.
The Rack Position
The best way to have the MDB racked on the shoulder is to have the bell of the MDB sitting on the back of your shoulder angled slightly down behind your neck. This part is the key. If the MDB is not directly over your center of gravity then you will naturally press the MDB away from the body rather than up over the body. If you struggle to hold the MDB on the shoulder this is your problem You will need to play around with slightly different MDB positions to find your best one. Keeping the hips underneath the shoulder is a big part of this so make sure you kick your hip underneath the MDB to keep the weight over your centre of mass. Right handed pressers will kick the hip under to the right side. It is an awkward lift and it will feel weird but it’s how it needs to be if you want to be good at it. As is the case with most lifts the position where you can keep the tightest posture will be best one to press from and generate the most force.
The Press
The aim of the game is to press the MDB overhead anyway anyhow. Split jerk, push jerk, strict press, bent press it really doesn’t matter. If competition is your aim then your strongest press is the best one. If you train for fun and the challenge of setting new personal bests and the sense of satisfaction you get from conquering your goals then a variety of the above is the best. Different pressing methods will usually require different accessory work to build the weak points in the lift. Split or push jerkers need to add in some strict pressing will build the shoulders which will carry over nicely to putting more weight overhead.
If you’re more of a strict presser then adding in some paused push presses will make a reap big rewards. Pausing at the bottom of the dip forces you to try and be explosive on the upward phase of the lift. As timing and balance improves this translates to a more explosive press.
The Finishing Touches
The Monster Dumbbell is a lot of fun when done correctly and is one of the more technical overhead lifts in strongman. If you are smart about breaking down the movement and honest with yourself about your weaknesses and limitations it’s easy to determine what you should be focussing your efforts on. If you get stuck with anything it’s always a good idea to seek out knowledge from an experienced coach or strongman competitor who is comfortable with the lift.
At Iron Revolution we run strongman training groups daily and tend to do our overhead pressing on Tuesdays and some more on Saturdays with the other strongman events. Feel free to contact us or drop by one day to check it out. Newcomers are all welcome
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