Some good advice in this thread. The best advice may be to visit your local mechanic and ask for a demonstration. Once I was struggling mightily with a particularly difficult tire/wheel combo, developed blisters on my hands and still could get the tire mounted, so I called my mechanic, who makes house calls. He came over and mounted the tire in ten seconds, in the process showing me the right grip technique, which is something I can't explain over the 'net. Ask your mechanic.