I’m quite in awe of both the work capacity and the knowledge base of Dr. Mark Cheng. He is a very respected man in both of the fields that I also currently work in – acupuncture/physical assessment and physical strength-conditioning/coaching. When Dr. Cheng says that he’s excited for something – my little ears perk up.
Upon his recommendation I got my hands on a copy of Lats: The Super Muscles – a DVD by Mark Reifkind, Master RKC.
This DVD by On Target Publications is shot from a seminar at Josh Everett’s fantastic Olympic lifting facility featuring Mark Reifkind. Mr. Reifkind is an ex-gymnast, ex-power lifter, ex-endurance athlete, and current expert in the area of kettlebells and coaching human movement. I believe it’s also fair to say after seeing him for only 90 minutes that Mr Reifkind’s passion for all physical human endeavors is quite extraordinary.
The production begins with a comprehensive explanation of the anatomy of the lattissimus dorsi (lat), the various origins and insertions, and the kinesiology or movement responsibility of the muscle. You understand very quickly the size and scope of this muscle as well as the breadth of the speaker’s knowledge on the subject.
Moving right into the actual movements, the DVD goes on to explain and demonstrate the easiest ways to engage your lats from various positions and through a variety of kettlebell movements, all of which have applications in barbell and dumbbell work.
When Mr. Reifkind said, “The deadlift is one of the great joy’s of life,” it instantly solidified my impression of him as not only and expert in his field, but a great human being as well.
We are moved through the press, the kettlebell swing, the pull up, the bench press, the row and shown specifically how to engage our lats with each movement. The explanations are clearly articulated, clearly demonstrated and where there are misspoken words during the live seminar, written explanations make quick, concise clarifications.
As a CrossFit coach, I found this DVD especially valuable as the kettlebell is an often-used tool and one of the many that is completely foreign to an athlete specifically new to CrossFit. Most people have picked up a barbell at one point in their lives; the same cannot be said for its round handled counterpart.
I immediately used drills that were taught in the DVD in my own classes at CrossFit Pacific Coast and saw improvements in the way my athletes engaged their entire bodies – not just their lats.
Lats: The Super Muscles is a very good DVD, well worth the $29.95 sale price, and something anyone teaching weighted movements can benefit from watching.
Lats: The Super Muscles is available for $29.95 at On Target Publications.
