The Gorilla Kettlebell Swing is a really unique core and posterior chain exercise.
You will need a pair of kettlebells for this exercise (preferably the same weight, though if they're not, that might make for an even more interesting exercise!). I'm using a pair of 53 lb kettlebells in the demo.
Take a wide stance with the kettlebells set between your feet.
Now, staying in this bent-over position, you're going to do an alternating swing pattern...right arm forward while the left arm comes back.
It will take a swing or two to get the momentum of the exercise going but once you do, you'll feel this VERY strongly in the hamstrings and glutes as they work both isometrically to maintain the bent-over position and contract in short almost-isometric bursts to keep the dumbbells moving at the change of direction.
It's a little hard to explain with words but once you try it, you'll feel what I'm talking about. In the video, you'll notice the dip of my upper body at this point.
The change in direction requires a bit of "ham and glute" boost to keep the momentum going.
Keep this pattern going until you feel the power fading out on the change of direction on the swing and the height of the front arm starts to decrease.
Once you feel that happening, it means your core muscles are fatiguing and aren't transferring force as efficiently as they were. We don't want that torque to end up in the back, so we end the set.
Your hamstrings (and likely glutes) will be burning but it's most likely that your core strength will be the limiting factor here.
Set the kettlebells down. Rest for a minute or two, then repeat for 2-3 total sets.
You can do this with moderate weight kettlebells for power development or weight light ones for a good, blood-pumping warm-up. I wouldn't go heavy on this one, due to the torque that runs through the core with the cross-momentum.
Overall, this is a fantastic way to hit the posterior chain as well as the core with an exercise that requires controlling cross-body momentum.
A similar version of this done standing is the Alternating Arm One Arm Kettlebell Swing.
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