Lifting: Week 1, Day 1

"I wanna be startin' somethin'"-- Michael Jackson

Everything old is new again in regards to lifting. There I was in the summer heat contemplating finding a new lift plan, when it dawned on me: why not try to best your previous programs numbers?

At the start of the new year, I did Lee Hayward's 12 Week Program and saw some terrific results. Coupled with the diet plan that I've posted previously, I felt unstoppable. I can't recommend Lee's site enough. Check it out.

So, yeah, after completing the 12 week plan, I sort of went out on my own with targeted lifts for my arms, chests, and legs. That worked to break the cycle a bit, but now that I've decided to give Lee's 12 week program another go, I can see where some minor modifications might allow for more specific results here and there.

For example, in today's lift, I'm using lighter weights for my squats than I've used in the past, but I'm also taking the squat much lower and much deeper. I want to really focus on getting the strength into my hips to help further my yoga practice. Don't let my vanity fool you, I want functional muscles, not just pretty ones.

Make a lift book if you don't have one yet, and jot this down on a page:

Week 1, Day 1

Full Squats
- 5 sets of 5 reps (train heavy, but don't train to failure. my weight may not [and probably will not] be your weight.)
Week 1: 200lbs: 5 sets of 5 reps
Week 2:
Week 3:

Dead Lifts
- 5 sets of 5 reps (train heavy, but don't train to failure)
Week 1: 180: 5/5
Week 2:
Week 3:

Standing calf raise:
- 5 sets of 10 reps
Week 1: 320: 5/5
Week 2:
Week 3:

Leg raises:
- 5 sets of 10 reps
Week 1: na: 5/5
Week 2:
Week 3:

Incline sit ups:
- 3 sets of 10-20 reps
Week 1: na: 3/20
Week 2:
Week 3:

I'm Baaaaaaaack!

Vacation kicks ass, but its nice to be home.

Lets see if I can bulletpoint the whole trip for you:

Tennessee & Bonnaroo:

Awesome. The Smokey Mountains are as beautiful as Dolly makes 'em out to be. When the dawnbreak cracked through the fog, and as the treeline seemed smaller, my breath was yanked from my chest in disbelief at the beauty. I saw the "smoke" for which this amazing piece of earth was named. Amazeballs.

Little Rock: Lame-o. I got to see some junior-senator-somethingerother campaign speech down on the waterfront. Unlike getting to see the Tennessee mountain's namesake at full majesty, if this is what the good people of Little Rock think grandstanding is supposed to look like, well, they're certainly mistaken. More like sham-standing. Har Har.

Shawnee: Awful. Went to a diner and wasn't approached until heterosexual best friend Chris joined me. "Tolerance" in action. They "tolerated" me sitting there, without service. Hate reaches far. Also: their Super 8 made me want to die inside. I'd have rather stayed in a tent (I tried!)

Oklahoma City: Gettin' better. Sometimes I love the ridiculousness of these United States. Shawnee may have left me feeling terrible, Oklahoma perked me right back up. Why? They had a Pepsi billboard that read "Howdy." A few bus stops down 14th Street in DC we have one that reads "Yo!" As y'all know, I sure do love me a colloquialism! OK City was definitely A-Okay.

Amarillo: Cute little town, with some great food. I may have finished a delicious Dos Equis Michelada and a savory-spicy Shrimp Enchilada. And by "may", I mean I did. And, fine, it wasn't one michelada and enchilada, it was two. Yum!

Albuquerque: Neat as all get out. We saw a snippet of a ghost tour, had some delicious locally roasted coffee, and hunted for an armadillo.

Vegas: Heart! Heart Heart! Chris and I successfully snuck into the Flamingo's pool and had a margarita in the sun.

Finally, LA and Santa Monica: Great! I did tons of yoga with Bryan Kest and his teachers, as well as with Vinnie Marino at Yoga Works. A class every day, as well as a few runs to Marina Del Rey via Venice Beach, as well as a couple down to the Santa Monica pier. I only went out on the pier once, towards the end of my trip, but at least I saw it a few times. I was far more interested in the other side of the town, clearly. It was a little tourist-trappy for my liking down on the pier, but they had a New York Trapeze School and deligthful margartias, so it most def gets a passing score.

The air quality and the fact that you have to drive everywhere? Not so much. Give me DC any day. But, thats all Santa Monica stuff. I also did two evening in West Hollywood (aptly nicknamed WeHo), enjoying the city in the company of an old friend and making some new ones, as well.

One of those new friends managed to get us into a taping of the Price is Right, and I managed to make it onto the stage (but only maybe onto the show). In what was, without question the most surreal portion of my trip, I taught Drew a few Down Dogs. This is no easy title to earn, considering I had run ins with teletubbies at one point (seriously).

And now I'm home. And feeling feeling a little rusty. The jetlagged whooped my tail somethin' fierce.

Unlike Regis & Kelly, getting up bright and early is freakin' hard for me. I've been trying to learn to wake up at 7 or 8 am for the past three months or so, and vay-kay thew that right out the darn window. I'd gotten pretty good at it there for a minute, but throw in some cocktails and a three hour time difference, and I had (until today) only managed to get up by 10. I woke up at 10 yesterday, and was in bed by 11. Did I mention I only taught on class and napped for most of the afternoon?

Today I think I've gotten it mostly beat. I was up at 5:30 am for a nice six miler, and taught my class over at the SEC at 7:30 sharp. I missed my students! I also managed to get a lift in. What does all this mean? Back to the routine and maintenance that is required for Mid City Mike the person, Mid City Mike the blog, and his company, Mid City Yoga. Lets get sexy and successful together, shall we?

Santa Monica Michael

Wondering where Mid City Mike has been? Wonder no more!

I'll be home from my cross country road trip on Friday, June 26th. Real updates return the following Monday!

Practice Fail

Yoga isn't always graceful. And you can't be afraid to look like a big dummy sometimes.

I'm a firm believer in the importance of levity. Approaching your practice with gravitas is one thing, being stern and miserable while practicing is quite another. You don't have to be serious to be serious.

The old employee shirts (of which I own many) at the DC Improv were emblazoned with a great Oscar Wilde quote: "Life's too important to be taken seriously."

Succinct!

There are so many things wrong with the video that follows. I was obsessing over angles, and (vanity!) how lined up I was-- reaching out and drawing in muscularly, but managing to do neither mentally. I wasn't, as some other yogis say, "being present."

I'm glad I think to record my practices here and there: it brings levity to my practice and gives my ego a good what-for.

Dixie Carter Does Yoga

On Amazon, Dixie Carter's Unworkout Yoga VHS has a five star rating. People RAVE in the comment section about it.

How on earth did I not know this thing existed? My love of Julia Sugarbaker is undying. Thank you, Dlisted. And by the by, I'll be darned if thats not a darn good Lion. She totally has her yoga chops. I could not love this woman more.

Free Donut Day!

Ooooh! Fatty Pride! June 5th is National Donut Day (what, its not on your calender?). Do you know what that means? Free freakin' donuts! Go here and find your closest Dunkin' Donuts** and then go get yourself a nice glazed treat. 

Just remember, donuts are a sometimes food. And, oh yes, please remember that Krispy Kremes may eventually make your innards look like Lorton's sewer system. They, incidentally, have a free donut day on June 5th as well, what with it being national donut day and all.

I'm also tickled that I get to use this picture again. 

**For those of us in Mid City, the closest DD:
1511 17th Street NW

Big Brother Gets It Right

There's a new crime camera at Kalorama Rd. and Champlain Street NW, according to DCist.

My best friend used to live in like the third house up from that sketchy tunnel. Talk about close proximity! Anyway, it never really felt all that unsafe. There were always people walking around, so long as you didn't go *in* the tunnel it was well lit... it just didn't strike me as a real "trouble spot" until we were almost bike-jacked. 

One drunk guy tried to knab my bicycle as I was walking it home. He was with a group of guys that clearly wanted no part of his machismo malarkey.  I acted like an idiot and fought back, involving the group of guys who very well could have shot us, which is not an unheard of occurance at that corner. Anyway, it cost me only a busted lip, remarkably managing to keep my bike. It was one of those "you shoulda seen the other guy" moments that makes me a little proud and a little surprised at seeing my own barbarism rear its head. 

I don't know that I much like the idea of crime cameras, but I'd rather no one else have to deal with something so gratuitiously avoidable.  Frankly, I think a camera would go along way to making the not unheard of unheard. So, I dare say: Good job, Big Brother!

Ugh. I feel dirty just typing it! 

I'm Too Old For This Crap (Real World MTV Edition)

Notice the movement over at 20th and S Street NW? See the camera crew loading stuff into a building?

Uh huh.

*does best Poltergeist voice* 

They're Here!

Thomas Circle Hotel Gets Hot New Spot

Donovan House gets new restaurant - Washington Business Journal:: 

"Popular dishes from the Hong Kong native’s New York City spot and other restaurant Lee in Toronto will be served, and sushi plates will land on the rooftop lounge starting this summer.

New York-based Thompson Hotels manages the 193-room hotel at 1155 14th St. NW, which boasts an ultra-contemporary design that includes imported Italian leather seating and a roof-top pool."

I teach at a facility directly behind the Donovan Hotel, a little spot called Thomas Circle Sports Club. A rooftop lounge with a pool serving quality sushi just next door? Please, please sign me up.

Zantan @ the Donovan Hotel

1114 14th Street NW

Mid City Caffe (no relation) Gets Opening Date

Borderstan Getting New Cafe/Coffee House on 14th Street � Borderstan

(also Via PoP):

Oh my! So, the Mid City Caffe that I told y'all about earlier has an official opening date. The owner and designer, Fernando Acha and Mick Mier, respectively, say that we have counter culture coffee to look forward to beginning June 14th.

So sad I'll miss the grand opening-- just in time for me to be at Bonnaroo, they decide to open. So happy I'll have an alternative to Starbucks and Caribou upon my return, especially when I want some quality espresso. 

They're purporting (via press release) to have outdoor seating... does this mean street level or rooftop? I secretly hope roof top. We can send SOS style light messages from my fire escape over! I sure hope they open the weekend of the 14th... they don't want to miss all the Pride festivities. Pink dollars = good dollars.

Anyway.

Mid City Caffe (above Miss Pixies)

1626 14th Street NW

(also: I don't like the way they're spelling caffe)

Michael and the Mechanical Bull

For my birthday this year, we had a cowboy themed boat party that led us from the Georgetown Marina to the Alexandria Marina for a cook out. Good company, beer, and box wine got us primed for our next stop: The new National Harbour.

A monstrous new convention facility located just across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Maryland, the behemoth features one thing that we wanted:  a Cadillac Ranch. 

Why would yours truly and his cowpoke compatriots end up in Maryland and especially at a TGIFridays meets Roadhouse type establishment? 

The mechanical bull.