How to physically pick up another person? (okay, a woman)

[DoogieT]

A woman I'm involved with is coming back from a trip in a week. How does someone pick up another person in the classic "crossing the threshold" Hollywood movie scene? Assuming she's standing straight up, where do I put my arms/hands, etc? I'm assuming I stand at a 90 degree angle to her, bend my knees like for a squat/deadlift, place my arms behind her knees and her shoulder blades and then stand up? I'm 195 and she's 110 and I've been working out pretty hard, so I don't think strength will be a question, more a matter of technique.

I wonder if my gym has a heavy bag I can practice this on...

D

[Morrigainz]

Okay, this is adorable! And I would say yes. I would also say you are probably overthinking it - I imagine the move will come somewhat naturally. I picked up my friend this way over the weekend

[---]

Oh Doogie, you're almost melting my ice-cold heart.

I agree with MirGSS; it'll flow naturally, and I suspect you're overthinking it a bit. My husband had zero practice picking me up in the "bridal carry," but after our wedding (and thereafter), he had no trouble doing it--and with me in a gown with a full train no less!

[rtalencar]

There are plenty of ways to do it, but one of the more common ones is to bend at the knees slightly, place one arm somewhere on her hamstrings and the other somewhere on her back, then lift.

The primary concern should be to be wary of where her head, arms, and feet are and to not bump her against the wall.

[DoogieT]

Okay, so knees/hamstrings, then back and lift.

The reason I ask is I tried this once before and here's what happened:

When I was about 22 my girlfriend at the time (and first girlfriend ever) invited me for a romantic evening at her parents' place because they were out of town. This was before I had started working out and was basically a 99 pound weakling (I still have the emotional scars). I thought it would be just like in the movies.

I wanted to pick her up and take her upstairs but she didn't think I could manage the staircase, so she suggested I wait until the top. We got to the top of the stairs and I picked her up and awkwardly struggled to get her into her bedroom. Instead of gently (and romantically) placing her on her bed, my arms failed and I dropped her on the bed from about a foot above. She bounced off the bed, hit her head against the headboard in mid air, and crashed to the floor. Instead of the "sweep, carry, gently place" that I had envisioned, it was more of a "drop, bonk, *thud*.

I'd like to avoid something like that again.

Celidah, why is your heart ice?

['Roos]

As someone who deals a bit with dudes picking up ladies for dance - a lot of it has to do with her core strength, provided you're strong/stable enough. You'll know that it's a lot easier to pick up a 60 lb child who's trying to cling to your back, than a 60 lb sack of stuff which has no interest in helping in the least. Regardless, keep her close to your own center of mass and make sure to use your hips appropriately to get her to a comfortable carrying position.

[JamesAE]

Okay, so knees/hamstrings, then back and lift.

The reason I ask is I tried this once before and here's what happened:

When I was about 22 my girlfriend at the time (and first girlfriend ever) invited me for a romantic evening at her parents' place because they were out of town. This was before I had started working out and was basically a 99 pound weakling (I still have the emotional scars). I thought it would be just like in the movies.

I wanted to pick her up and take her upstairs but she didn't think I could manage the staircase, so she suggested I wait until the top. We got to the top of the stairs and I picked her up and awkwardly struggled to get her into her bedroom. Instead of gently (and romantically) placing her on her bed, my arms failed and I dropped her on the bed from about a foot above. She bounced off the bed, hit her head against the headboard in mid air, and crashed to the floor. Instead of the "sweep, carry, gently place" that I had envisioned, it was more of a "drop, bonk, *thud*.

I'd like to avoid something like that again.

Celidah, why is your heart ice?

I'm really sorry, but I just laughed out loud.

[DoogieT]

No worries. Tragedy + Time = Comedy. It was terrible when it happened, but now it belongs in a movie.

[Leimanu]

Hey Doogie...I hesitate to write this...weren't you just tussling with a lady in the library? The 90lb weakling has grown into a lady's man!

Practice on someone first, and I definitely second on looking out for her head and legs. I think everyone makes that mistake.

[DoogieT]

Yeah, that was me. It's not what you think. After the tussle I was chatting with her on Facebook and said, "is there something going on you're not telling me?" and she replied, "no, you just have one of those punchable faces."

: /

[---]

Okay, so knees/hamstrings, then back and lift.

The reason I ask is I tried this once before and here's what happened:

When I was about 22 my girlfriend at the time (and first girlfriend ever) invited me for a romantic evening at her parents' place because they were out of town. This was before I had started working out and was basically a 99 pound weakling (I still have the emotional scars). I thought it would be just like in the movies.

I wanted to pick her up and take her upstairs but she didn't think I could manage the staircase, so she suggested I wait until the top. We got to the top of the stairs and I picked her up and awkwardly struggled to get her into her bedroom. Instead of gently (and romantically) placing her on her bed, my arms failed and I dropped her on the bed from about a foot above. She bounced off the bed, hit her head against the headboard in mid air, and crashed to the floor. Instead of the "sweep, carry, gently place" that I had envisioned, it was more of a "drop, bonk, *thud*.

I'd like to avoid something like that again.

Celidah, why is your heart ice?

*falls over laughing* Ahem...*cough*...I mean, ok. Now I see why you're asking. Seriously, though, that is cool that you want to do it right this time.

The bit about a cold heart is a joke. Probably.

[EnygmaEve]

Fireman's carry. Nothin says lovin like a fireman's carry.

But joking aside, it's nice that you want to do things right this go round. I think the important thing is to not try to get wrapped up in the though process just because you flubbed it up once. Be confident first, the rest will fall in line.

[Luthorcrow]

For the love God don't round your back!

Seriously, if you can dead-lift and/or squat more than her weight I am sure you will do fine.

[leadchipmunk]

.

Barring that, it is pretty natural. Squat down, take you strong arm and rest it behind her shoulder blades and take your weaker arm and sweep her legs out from the knees.

Another option (and a personal favorite of mine) is to face her from a few feet away, go in like for a hug and when she spreads her arms to go around you, duck down and you are in prime position for 3 carries. You can either grab her around her thighs and throw her over your shoulder, drop to a knee and proceed with the fireman's carry, or duck under her arm and side step and go into the threshold (bridal) carry.