Method for hot forming, in particular for forging, a workpiece , in which a) the workpiece is formed during a working stroke (H) in a working room (A) of two tools of a forming machine which are moved towards each other in a forming process, and b) the workpiece is held during the forming process in a forming position (U) located in the working room (A) by means of a handling device , whereby c) the handling device pre-positions the workpiece in the working room (A) in a predetermined pre-position (V) at a distance from the tools before the forming process, and whereby d1) the workpiece pre-positioned in the pre-position (V) is moved from the pre-position (V) to the forming position (U) by a tool moved in the working stroke (H) along a tool movement axis (W) to the forming position (U), and/or d2) the workpiece pre-positioned in the pre-position (V) is moved to the forming position (U) by the handling device in a movement synchronised with a tool moved in the working stroke (H) along a tool movement axis (W) to the forming position (U); whereby e) the handling device comprises a gripper system and a manipulator designed for the spatial movement of the gripper system , the gripper system being connected to the manipulator via an interposed damper element , and f) the gripper system is or becomes elastically decoupled from the manipulator via the damper element when the workpiece is pre-positioned, characterised in that the gripper system is supported or gets supported at least in the pre-position of the workpiece by a preload element with a variably adjustable or a fixed preload force on or against the manipulator . a) the workpiece is formed during a working stroke (H) in a working room (A) of two tools of a forming machine which are moved towards each other in a forming process, and b) the workpiece is held during the forming process in a forming position (U) located in the working room (A) by means of a handling device , whereby c) the handling device pre-positions the workpiece in the working room (A) in a predetermined pre-position (V) at a distance from the tools before the forming process, and whereby d1) the workpiece pre-positioned in the pre-position (V) is moved from the pre-position (V) to the forming position (U) by a tool moved in the working stroke (H) along a tool movement axis (W) to the forming position (U), and/or d2) the workpiece pre-positioned in the pre-position (V) is moved to the forming position (U) by the handling device in a movement synchronised with a tool moved in the working stroke (H) along a tool movement axis (W) to the forming position (U); whereby e) the handling device comprises a gripper system and a manipulator designed for the spatial movement of the gripper system , the gripper system being connected to the manipulator via an interposed damper element , and f) the gripper system is or becomes elastically decoupled from the manipulator via the damper element when the workpiece is pre-positioned, characterised in that the gripper system is supported or gets supported at least in the pre-position of the workpiece by a preload element with a variably adjustable or a fixed preload force on or against the manipulator . <EOS>