After nine years, my dog has finally gotten sick enough to be cause for alarm. Normally, she drinks water constantly and will lie to me just to get a second helping of food, so when she refused to eat or drink I was concerned. It all started off with what appears to have been a sinus infection. After about a day, she was becoming lethargic and disoriented. I noticed she was drinking significantly less water, so I figured she was just dehydrated. We switched her food to chicken soup, which she loves. Fever ensued. After about another day, she refused to even eat that. What with the arthritis on her back legs, she was just stumbling around sideways like a drunken camel. Not so good.
We took her to her doctor and he prescribed her an antibiotic in a pill form, which is hard to feed a dog who doesn't want to eat. I snuck it in with the eggs and tuna that I had to actually put inside her mouth, but after another day she wouldn't even accept that. Even after her fever broke, she still refused to eat or drink.
Running out of ideas, I went online to look for some more information about dogs who won't eat or drink, and I stumbled upon this article, which talks about feeding dogs maple syrup and water or chicken broth via syringe or turkey baster. I must say, I felt strange injecting a maple syrup and water solution into the back of my beast's cheek, but she liked it. After a few minutes, she was willing to take a short walk, which opened up her appetite for a little more tuna and turkey (in which I hid her pill). She even ate some by herself out of her bowl and then had a little water. This morning, she had more maple syrup, plenty of water, and some puppy treats with a few bites of tuna. The puppy treats she's willing to eat on her own. We will take another stroll soon and hopefully open up her appetite a little more. She's definitely on the mend.
Awesome Tip of the Day: Spoil your dog when they're sick. Just give them whatever is necessary to get them to eat and drink and take their medication (if applicable). Try not to think about how impossible they will be once they're both healthy and well-accustomed to eating gourmet dodo bird eggs drizzled lightly in unicorn tears and served up on a gold platter.
Update: Osa is eating just fine now and drinking plenty of water. Now it's just a matter of weening her from being picky, now that she's used to all the special treats. I let her be hungry all morning and she finally ate her food. We had some blood drawn a couple of days ago to test for Lyme Disease, which is quite possible in coastal California, just in case. Just waiting for the results.
Update on Lyme Disease: Results- negative. (No more excuses... ;) )
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements
If you haven't already, first read Core Strength and Me and Introduction to Isolating Movement.
Linear movements are fairly simple and easy to do and a good way to get yourself ready for more complicated movements like figure eights and snake-like rolling movements (called "camels" in belly dancing). Lower body linear movements work exactly how they sound. They involve moving your hips back and forth or front to back in specific trajectories and articulating from varying points. The articulation point determines what area is not involved in movement, meaning from which point your body will be staying still.
Don't forget that all of these movements should be initiated with your legs. The core work will come from keeping your articulation points still. And keep your eyes on that mirror! It really makes all the difference.
VIDEO LINK!
Back and Forth Slide
The first movement is a simple back and forth. Starting from good posture (lifted chest, tucked hips), give your knees a little bend and get low in your center. You will articulate from the ribcage (at about the diaphragm) down. Slide your hips to one side as far as you can without moving the ribcage. This movement will be done with your legs. You should feel a little stretch in your side. Once this is achieved, push the other hip out to the other side. Again, nothing from your ribcage to your head should be moving. Keep a close watch in the mirror to make sure this is the case. You will notice that the muscles in the ribcage are working not to move your hips but to counter the movement in your hips. This is a result of having an articulation point above which nothing moves. This is where the core work comes from.
Up and Down
Starting from good posture and low in your center, you will be lifting one hip while lowering the other simultaneously. The articulation point in this will be a single point located in the center of your pelvis. The movement will occur by bending one knee, and then bringing it to neutral while bending the other knee. This is an important motion to get as it will be the basis of many other related movements, so give it some attention and make sure it feels comfortable. Your torso should not be moving.
Pendulum
This motion will combine the previous two. Slide your hip out to one side. As you reach your full extension, incorporate your up and down motion so that your hip lifts on the side of the extension. Because of the extension, you may need to come up on the ball of your foot a little on that side, but the other foot should be firmly grounded. Let your hip come down and you return to the neutral position and repeat on the other side. With your ribcage still, your hips should appear to swing as a pendulum would in the mirror. Check to see if your movement looks like this.
Inverted Pendulum
This movement is a little trickier than the pendulum because it feels less natural and involves a bit more of a stretch. You will do this exactly the same way as the pendulum only your hip will drop down instead of lift at the extension of the hip. Again, make your best efforts to maintain posture and not allow your ribcage to move from around the diaphragm up. At the very least, your head and chest should be still and he ribcage will follow with practice. If you were not moving side to side, your articulation point would be at your pubic bone.
Front to Back Slide
The concept here is exactly like like the back and forth slide only it is front to back. Try not to roll over your heels or toes. Do your best to keep your ribcage from moving.
Pelvic Thrust
Men love this one. Try to articulate from about your belly button down. If you were to do this sideways in front of the mirror, it would bare resemblance to the pendulum motion you were doing a moment ago. Start from the neutral position. Bring your pelvis forward and slightly up as far as you can go without moving anything just above the belly button. Now bring it back to neutral and mirror the motion for the same distance in the opposite direction. You should feel a squeeze in the lower abs when you move forward and probably a little butt squeeze as well. You should feel the same thing on the lowest part of your back as you move backward. That's it. You've got it. You're a rock star...
Pelvic Rock
This one is also really good for your lower back and is excellent for training yourself to keep your pelvis centered (not tilted backward, which is the tendency). Like the Inverted Hip Circle and Inverted Pendulum, the articulation point will be at about the pubic bone. Rock your pelvis forward from that point so that your belly button pushes forward as far as you can without losing technique. Now reverse the motion pushing your lower back out while pulling the belly button area in. Your pubic bone should not be moving forward and backward in space and the ribs up should not be moving either. This is a tricky one so give it some time and practice.
Awesome Tip of the Day: Since linear movements are done on both sides of the body, all linear movements must be done twice as many times receive equal attention as neutral movements like circles. Left and right or front and back each count as one. So, if I were doing ten each of my circles, I must do ten per side or twenty total of each linear movement (and figure eight, as you will see in the next installment of this series).
NEXT IN THIS SERIES...
My Core Sequence, Part 3: Lower Body Figure Eights
Linear movements are fairly simple and easy to do and a good way to get yourself ready for more complicated movements like figure eights and snake-like rolling movements (called "camels" in belly dancing). Lower body linear movements work exactly how they sound. They involve moving your hips back and forth or front to back in specific trajectories and articulating from varying points. The articulation point determines what area is not involved in movement, meaning from which point your body will be staying still.
Don't forget that all of these movements should be initiated with your legs. The core work will come from keeping your articulation points still. And keep your eyes on that mirror! It really makes all the difference.
VIDEO LINK!
Back and Forth Slide
The first movement is a simple back and forth. Starting from good posture (lifted chest, tucked hips), give your knees a little bend and get low in your center. You will articulate from the ribcage (at about the diaphragm) down. Slide your hips to one side as far as you can without moving the ribcage. This movement will be done with your legs. You should feel a little stretch in your side. Once this is achieved, push the other hip out to the other side. Again, nothing from your ribcage to your head should be moving. Keep a close watch in the mirror to make sure this is the case. You will notice that the muscles in the ribcage are working not to move your hips but to counter the movement in your hips. This is a result of having an articulation point above which nothing moves. This is where the core work comes from.
Up and Down
Starting from good posture and low in your center, you will be lifting one hip while lowering the other simultaneously. The articulation point in this will be a single point located in the center of your pelvis. The movement will occur by bending one knee, and then bringing it to neutral while bending the other knee. This is an important motion to get as it will be the basis of many other related movements, so give it some attention and make sure it feels comfortable. Your torso should not be moving.
Pendulum
This motion will combine the previous two. Slide your hip out to one side. As you reach your full extension, incorporate your up and down motion so that your hip lifts on the side of the extension. Because of the extension, you may need to come up on the ball of your foot a little on that side, but the other foot should be firmly grounded. Let your hip come down and you return to the neutral position and repeat on the other side. With your ribcage still, your hips should appear to swing as a pendulum would in the mirror. Check to see if your movement looks like this.
Inverted Pendulum
This movement is a little trickier than the pendulum because it feels less natural and involves a bit more of a stretch. You will do this exactly the same way as the pendulum only your hip will drop down instead of lift at the extension of the hip. Again, make your best efforts to maintain posture and not allow your ribcage to move from around the diaphragm up. At the very least, your head and chest should be still and he ribcage will follow with practice. If you were not moving side to side, your articulation point would be at your pubic bone.
Front to Back Slide
The concept here is exactly like like the back and forth slide only it is front to back. Try not to roll over your heels or toes. Do your best to keep your ribcage from moving.
Pelvic Thrust
Men love this one. Try to articulate from about your belly button down. If you were to do this sideways in front of the mirror, it would bare resemblance to the pendulum motion you were doing a moment ago. Start from the neutral position. Bring your pelvis forward and slightly up as far as you can go without moving anything just above the belly button. Now bring it back to neutral and mirror the motion for the same distance in the opposite direction. You should feel a squeeze in the lower abs when you move forward and probably a little butt squeeze as well. You should feel the same thing on the lowest part of your back as you move backward. That's it. You've got it. You're a rock star...
Pelvic Rock
This one is also really good for your lower back and is excellent for training yourself to keep your pelvis centered (not tilted backward, which is the tendency). Like the Inverted Hip Circle and Inverted Pendulum, the articulation point will be at about the pubic bone. Rock your pelvis forward from that point so that your belly button pushes forward as far as you can without losing technique. Now reverse the motion pushing your lower back out while pulling the belly button area in. Your pubic bone should not be moving forward and backward in space and the ribs up should not be moving either. This is a tricky one so give it some time and practice.
Awesome Tip of the Day: Since linear movements are done on both sides of the body, all linear movements must be done twice as many times receive equal attention as neutral movements like circles. Left and right or front and back each count as one. So, if I were doing ten each of my circles, I must do ten per side or twenty total of each linear movement (and figure eight, as you will see in the next installment of this series).
NEXT IN THIS SERIES...
My Core Sequence, Part 3: Lower Body Figure Eights
My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles
If you haven't already, first read Core Strength and Me and My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating Movement. If you're having a hard time with circles, start with Lower Body Linear Movements. It may help you get a feel for it.
There are many ways to make lower body circles. You can articulate your circles from different points on your body, but they are all circles. That means that whatever part of your body becomes the widest part of the circle, it should stay an equal distance from the center line you would have if you were standing up straight. This is important for the circle to stay fluid and also important to ensure that you are working and stretching the muscles on all sides evenly. For example, if you push your circles more out to the front than to the back, you will be doing more work on the front than on the back and, therefore, develop unevenly.
Awesome Tip of the Day: Remember to keep good posture throughout the movements. Lift your ribs and tuck your hips. Letting your back or shoulders sag or curve unnaturally can put undo strain on specific vertebrae, which can cause you pain or exacerbate pre-existing injuries. None of these movements should hurt.
VIDEO LINK!
Big Circles
Big circles articulate all the way from your head. Your stand from good posture and lean to one side while sticking your hip out to the other side. Try to keep your head in the same place. It will be impossible to keep it in exactly the same place, but do your best. Now try it on the other side. Once you see how this feels and looks, try it to the front and to the back, making sure that when you stick your hip out in any direction, the end of your movement places your hip at the same distance from your center line as it would in any other direction. Once you have a feel for that, try taking your hip in a big circle connecting all the dots from side to front to side to back. Do maybe ten and then try it in the other direction, making sure that your head is staying in the same place as much as possible. Big circles should resemble the big hip circles one does to stretch before working out.
Upper Hip Circles
The idea of these is exactly the same as the Big Circles only instead of articulating from below the head, you will articulate below the ribs as viewed from the front (so right around your diaphragm). That means that from the ribs up, you should not be moving. Your hips will still be the outside of the circle. You may just jump into this if you feel up to it. Otherwise, try the same approach of feeling each side individually before connecting the dot. Do the movement slowly in front of the mirror. As you move in a circle, you will notice that the muscles surrounding your given articulation point will engage in attempt to keep that area still. Those muscles are countering the movement that you are doing. Keep your movements even and controlled and those muscles will build strength and control all the way around your body. Do ten in each direction.
Middle Hip Circles
When you first start, it is difficult to drive distinction between upper, middle, and lower circles. When you get used to it, you will see that they engage very different muscles. Middle Hip Circles are exactly like Upper Hip Circles only the articulate from a lower point. This point should be around where the lowest ribs are (located on the back side). On a woman, this will be around your natural waist (smallest part of the waist). On a man, this will vary. Same as before, feel it out carefully and then do your circles, ten in each direction.
Lower Hip Circles
Same thing. Your articulation point should be around where your belly button is. You will notice that the circles are getting progressively smaller. Try to keep your good posture. Do your ten in each direction.
Sexy Hip Circles
These circles are a little bit different. Some people find them easier and some people find them confusing. Imagine your pelvis is a plate, parallel to the floor. You want roll around the edge of the plate. To illustrate, drop a coin on the table. Once it falls to once face up, it will roll around its edges (staying in one place) before finally laying to rest. This is what you will be doing with your hips. If the center of that coin or plate was in the middle of your pelvis, facing up, you will be making that same motion. Everything above that area should be still. The movement will be coming from your legs, as usual. You should feel the muscles working very low on your abdomen and back. Do your ten in each direction.
Inverted Hip Circles
This is the most confusing one and the one my ladies will probably find very useful. This one articulates from below the pelvis (around the pubic bone) up. Everything until this point has been from a given point down. The widest part of your circle will not be your hips, it will be probably around the height of your belly button. At first, this is all you need to worry about as it is difficult enough to figure out what you're actually doing in this movement. Once you figure it out, try to do it keeping still from at least the chest up. For a visual, imagine that your pelvis is a bowl. Do the same rolling motion with the bottom of the bowl that you did with the plate. Do your ten in each direction.
NEXT IN THIS SERIES...
My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements
There are many ways to make lower body circles. You can articulate your circles from different points on your body, but they are all circles. That means that whatever part of your body becomes the widest part of the circle, it should stay an equal distance from the center line you would have if you were standing up straight. This is important for the circle to stay fluid and also important to ensure that you are working and stretching the muscles on all sides evenly. For example, if you push your circles more out to the front than to the back, you will be doing more work on the front than on the back and, therefore, develop unevenly.
Awesome Tip of the Day: Remember to keep good posture throughout the movements. Lift your ribs and tuck your hips. Letting your back or shoulders sag or curve unnaturally can put undo strain on specific vertebrae, which can cause you pain or exacerbate pre-existing injuries. None of these movements should hurt.
VIDEO LINK!
Big Circles
Big circles articulate all the way from your head. Your stand from good posture and lean to one side while sticking your hip out to the other side. Try to keep your head in the same place. It will be impossible to keep it in exactly the same place, but do your best. Now try it on the other side. Once you see how this feels and looks, try it to the front and to the back, making sure that when you stick your hip out in any direction, the end of your movement places your hip at the same distance from your center line as it would in any other direction. Once you have a feel for that, try taking your hip in a big circle connecting all the dots from side to front to side to back. Do maybe ten and then try it in the other direction, making sure that your head is staying in the same place as much as possible. Big circles should resemble the big hip circles one does to stretch before working out.
Upper Hip Circles
The idea of these is exactly the same as the Big Circles only instead of articulating from below the head, you will articulate below the ribs as viewed from the front (so right around your diaphragm). That means that from the ribs up, you should not be moving. Your hips will still be the outside of the circle. You may just jump into this if you feel up to it. Otherwise, try the same approach of feeling each side individually before connecting the dot. Do the movement slowly in front of the mirror. As you move in a circle, you will notice that the muscles surrounding your given articulation point will engage in attempt to keep that area still. Those muscles are countering the movement that you are doing. Keep your movements even and controlled and those muscles will build strength and control all the way around your body. Do ten in each direction.
Middle Hip Circles
When you first start, it is difficult to drive distinction between upper, middle, and lower circles. When you get used to it, you will see that they engage very different muscles. Middle Hip Circles are exactly like Upper Hip Circles only the articulate from a lower point. This point should be around where the lowest ribs are (located on the back side). On a woman, this will be around your natural waist (smallest part of the waist). On a man, this will vary. Same as before, feel it out carefully and then do your circles, ten in each direction.
Lower Hip Circles
Same thing. Your articulation point should be around where your belly button is. You will notice that the circles are getting progressively smaller. Try to keep your good posture. Do your ten in each direction.
Sexy Hip Circles
These circles are a little bit different. Some people find them easier and some people find them confusing. Imagine your pelvis is a plate, parallel to the floor. You want roll around the edge of the plate. To illustrate, drop a coin on the table. Once it falls to once face up, it will roll around its edges (staying in one place) before finally laying to rest. This is what you will be doing with your hips. If the center of that coin or plate was in the middle of your pelvis, facing up, you will be making that same motion. Everything above that area should be still. The movement will be coming from your legs, as usual. You should feel the muscles working very low on your abdomen and back. Do your ten in each direction.
Inverted Hip Circles
This is the most confusing one and the one my ladies will probably find very useful. This one articulates from below the pelvis (around the pubic bone) up. Everything until this point has been from a given point down. The widest part of your circle will not be your hips, it will be probably around the height of your belly button. At first, this is all you need to worry about as it is difficult enough to figure out what you're actually doing in this movement. Once you figure it out, try to do it keeping still from at least the chest up. For a visual, imagine that your pelvis is a bowl. Do the same rolling motion with the bottom of the bowl that you did with the plate. Do your ten in each direction.
NEXT IN THIS SERIES...
My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating Movement
There is a common misconception related to any kind of abdominal articulations (hula, bellydance, etc.). People think that you work your abdominals because you're using them to initiate movement. This is false. If you see someone trying to move their hips, for example dancing salsa, and it looks awkward and wrong, this is probably why. The lower body (hip/abdominal) movements always start with the legs. The core muscles are used to isolate the movement. That's worth repeating because it is the core concept (you like that little pun?). Your legs will initiate all lower body movements. You will use the muscles in your core to counter those movements. If you use your legs only, your whole body will move. Add the muscles of the torso to keep everything else still and only the hips will move.
Awesome Tip of the Day: You will find that the upper body movements pretty much match up with the lower body movements. If you find that you are either very uncoordinated in the hips, or just nervous about looking goofy, upper body movements may be a good place for you to start.
Don't be afraid to bend your knees and get low in your center of gravity. Take off your shoes and feel the floor if you have to. These should all be very solid, grounded, strong movements. Try not to get too high up on your toes or on straight legs. There should be no jerking or straining. Everything should be very fluid and controlled.
You will need:
1 mirror, that's it.
It is really important that you can see what you're doing. When you first start, it feels completely unnatural, so you will have to train the motions by the way it looks and as your body gets used to it, you will get a feel for when you're doing it correctly. I have been doing these kinds of movements for near twenty years and I still prefer to practice in front of a mirror. That's another thing worth mentioning. I have been doing this for a really long time. For me, most of it is pretty easy. If this is new to you, you must have patience. It will probably take you quite awhile to get it right. For some of you, it will take a long while. I will do my best to explain and demonstrate, but it's really a matter of you practicing a little each day. Do the movements every time you pass a certain mirror in your house or every time you've been sitting at the computer too long and the practice will add up without having to sit down for long sessions that can become frustrating.
I will be writing and later demonstrating related movements grouped together. These movements will be thoroughly explained, so I will have to do a series of posts, one group per post. Within each group, certain moves will be more basic and probably easier for you. Start with those and they will hopefully help you build up to the more difficult ones. Also, some movements may require more strength than you yet have. Work into these slowly so as to avoid injury. Learn one entire group, then another. It doesn't really matter which group you do first, so just choose one you think will be easiest for you and have at it.
Posture, posture, posture! Before you start. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. All movements start from one specific posture. That posture is called "good" posture. Check out the Good Posture Checklist on this page in blue. If you do not work from good posture, you are training yourself to have bad posture. If you already have poor posture, training from that position will not help you fix it. It will also have you engaging the wrong muscles and possibly hurting yourself.
As with any kind of exercise program, use good judgement. If something makes you sore, no big deal. If something causes you pain, check your technique. If that doesn't help, stop. Be mindful of any pre-existing injuries that you may have. Take your time. New movements may be using underdeveloped muscles or use muscles in new ways. Give your body a chance to adapt and develop.
NEXT IN THIS SERIES...
My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles
Awesome Tip of the Day: You will find that the upper body movements pretty much match up with the lower body movements. If you find that you are either very uncoordinated in the hips, or just nervous about looking goofy, upper body movements may be a good place for you to start.
Don't be afraid to bend your knees and get low in your center of gravity. Take off your shoes and feel the floor if you have to. These should all be very solid, grounded, strong movements. Try not to get too high up on your toes or on straight legs. There should be no jerking or straining. Everything should be very fluid and controlled.
You will need:
1 mirror, that's it.
It is really important that you can see what you're doing. When you first start, it feels completely unnatural, so you will have to train the motions by the way it looks and as your body gets used to it, you will get a feel for when you're doing it correctly. I have been doing these kinds of movements for near twenty years and I still prefer to practice in front of a mirror. That's another thing worth mentioning. I have been doing this for a really long time. For me, most of it is pretty easy. If this is new to you, you must have patience. It will probably take you quite awhile to get it right. For some of you, it will take a long while. I will do my best to explain and demonstrate, but it's really a matter of you practicing a little each day. Do the movements every time you pass a certain mirror in your house or every time you've been sitting at the computer too long and the practice will add up without having to sit down for long sessions that can become frustrating.
I will be writing and later demonstrating related movements grouped together. These movements will be thoroughly explained, so I will have to do a series of posts, one group per post. Within each group, certain moves will be more basic and probably easier for you. Start with those and they will hopefully help you build up to the more difficult ones. Also, some movements may require more strength than you yet have. Work into these slowly so as to avoid injury. Learn one entire group, then another. It doesn't really matter which group you do first, so just choose one you think will be easiest for you and have at it.
Posture, posture, posture! Before you start. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. All movements start from one specific posture. That posture is called "good" posture. Check out the Good Posture Checklist on this page in blue. If you do not work from good posture, you are training yourself to have bad posture. If you already have poor posture, training from that position will not help you fix it. It will also have you engaging the wrong muscles and possibly hurting yourself.
As with any kind of exercise program, use good judgement. If something makes you sore, no big deal. If something causes you pain, check your technique. If that doesn't help, stop. Be mindful of any pre-existing injuries that you may have. Take your time. New movements may be using underdeveloped muscles or use muscles in new ways. Give your body a chance to adapt and develop.
NEXT IN THIS SERIES...
My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles
Monday, November 29, 2010
Core Strength and Me
I'll just say it outright, I have a pretty strong core. I tend to do pretty well on sit-up tests and planks and bridges and other core related things, especially for one who rarely practices these things. Somewhere down the line of being a teenager, I decided that these things were boring (which I still maintain), and I didn't plan to do them unless I was told to or if I had little else to do in the way of exercise. So why am I good at them, you ask? I grew up dancing. Not ballet. Not jazz. Not modern. I grew up with homegrown salsa dancing from the womb. My mom is awesome. By the age of eight I started bellydancing, thanks to the talented mother of my childhood friend. In retrospect, this was such a wonderful start to my life for so many reasons.
Awesome Tip of the Day: Not so much a problem for my female readers, but many of the men will get scared when they read "dance" or "hips". Bare with me. I also mention "striking" and "grappling" if it makes you feel better. No one ever has to see you do my core sequence if you don't want them to. I typically do it in front of the mirror before I get in the shower either in my room or in the bathroom. Few people have ever seen it. Just keep it discreet and only impress the people you want to impress, like your wife or girlfriend. You will thank me later when you discover new things you are capable of...
Over time, I developed a changeable sequence of core articulations to make it easy for me to practice. It's a nice way to get warm in the morning or get a little physical activity in before a shower. It keeps me strong in some really important places, which does wonders for my back and posture, while making me feel like I'm actually digesting my food. I have a balanced muscle tone in the torso, which creates a natural-looking waist line. I feel that doing a lot of (boring) exercises tends to give people a square look or just a funny, overdeveloped "six pack" area and a really weak back with big "love handles".
I realize that there are special workouts like pilates and certain yoga sequences that are meant to deal with this, but I think mine is better. The reason I think this is that, in addition to making the muscles strong and evenly developed, my sequence also encourages flexibility, full range of motion, and the kind of coordination that helps you on the dance floor and in the bedroom (be you a man or woman). Also, instead of holding poses or doing small articulations, you are really moving the torso in all different directions, which according to me just feels really good. Plus, this kind of functional core strength helped me a lot in martial arts, both striking and grappling. I'm not a big girl and my arms and legs are not super strong, but I can pull my own weight because of my core strength and flexibility. I may gain or lose fat, but the muscle and strength are always there. By the way, if you have a weak core, increasing strength in that area will likely cause you to gain weight (muscle weight) with little to no change in size, so don't be alarmed if you put on a couple pounds and don't know where they are.
So what is this, "Core Sequence"? Essentially, I took all the basic bellydance/latin hip and torso movements and strung them together in a way that incorporates various articulation points, ranges of motion, and types of motion including some movements that are not as practical for this type of dancing but very practical for training for this type of dancing. That said, you can do them to music if you want, but I tend to just pop out the sequence in sets. I like to do the whole thing together in sets of 30 reps per movement. If I haven't done them for awhile, I will do 20. If I am doing them frequently and have the time, I will do 40 of each. I would recommend 10 for anyone just starting. It is important to keep the same number all the way through so that the body stays balanced. No fair doing more of the ones that are easier or the ones that you think will tone one specific area the prettiest. That would be ridiculous. This takes me anywhere between 30-45 minutes, depending on how quickly I do it, so it's a pretty good core workout.
I will be posting videos to demonstrate the movements via my YouTube channel. These will accompany written explanations (see below) and be grouped by movement area and type. Eventually, I may put together some more dance related combinations to practice (once you adventurous types master the movements) so you can dance like Shakira and impress your friends.
Disclaimer: I am in the process of getting back into shape myself, which is very difficult during the good food season, so just ignore the little belly you will most likely see in my videos. I have recently dropped 25lbs of fat, so please don't think that that little belly means my methods don't work. They do. It's really just a matter of time before I have my old body back. And before you all ask, no, I wasn't pregnant. I put on weight largely due to stress and a couple of other factors that made me unresponsive to things like good food and exercise for quite awhile. I've sorted that out.
FOLLOW THIS SERIES!
My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating Movement
My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles
My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements
Awesome Tip of the Day: Not so much a problem for my female readers, but many of the men will get scared when they read "dance" or "hips". Bare with me. I also mention "striking" and "grappling" if it makes you feel better. No one ever has to see you do my core sequence if you don't want them to. I typically do it in front of the mirror before I get in the shower either in my room or in the bathroom. Few people have ever seen it. Just keep it discreet and only impress the people you want to impress, like your wife or girlfriend. You will thank me later when you discover new things you are capable of...
Over time, I developed a changeable sequence of core articulations to make it easy for me to practice. It's a nice way to get warm in the morning or get a little physical activity in before a shower. It keeps me strong in some really important places, which does wonders for my back and posture, while making me feel like I'm actually digesting my food. I have a balanced muscle tone in the torso, which creates a natural-looking waist line. I feel that doing a lot of (boring) exercises tends to give people a square look or just a funny, overdeveloped "six pack" area and a really weak back with big "love handles".
I realize that there are special workouts like pilates and certain yoga sequences that are meant to deal with this, but I think mine is better. The reason I think this is that, in addition to making the muscles strong and evenly developed, my sequence also encourages flexibility, full range of motion, and the kind of coordination that helps you on the dance floor and in the bedroom (be you a man or woman). Also, instead of holding poses or doing small articulations, you are really moving the torso in all different directions, which according to me just feels really good. Plus, this kind of functional core strength helped me a lot in martial arts, both striking and grappling. I'm not a big girl and my arms and legs are not super strong, but I can pull my own weight because of my core strength and flexibility. I may gain or lose fat, but the muscle and strength are always there. By the way, if you have a weak core, increasing strength in that area will likely cause you to gain weight (muscle weight) with little to no change in size, so don't be alarmed if you put on a couple pounds and don't know where they are.
So what is this, "Core Sequence"? Essentially, I took all the basic bellydance/latin hip and torso movements and strung them together in a way that incorporates various articulation points, ranges of motion, and types of motion including some movements that are not as practical for this type of dancing but very practical for training for this type of dancing. That said, you can do them to music if you want, but I tend to just pop out the sequence in sets. I like to do the whole thing together in sets of 30 reps per movement. If I haven't done them for awhile, I will do 20. If I am doing them frequently and have the time, I will do 40 of each. I would recommend 10 for anyone just starting. It is important to keep the same number all the way through so that the body stays balanced. No fair doing more of the ones that are easier or the ones that you think will tone one specific area the prettiest. That would be ridiculous. This takes me anywhere between 30-45 minutes, depending on how quickly I do it, so it's a pretty good core workout.
I will be posting videos to demonstrate the movements via my YouTube channel. These will accompany written explanations (see below) and be grouped by movement area and type. Eventually, I may put together some more dance related combinations to practice (once you adventurous types master the movements) so you can dance like Shakira and impress your friends.
Disclaimer: I am in the process of getting back into shape myself, which is very difficult during the good food season, so just ignore the little belly you will most likely see in my videos. I have recently dropped 25lbs of fat, so please don't think that that little belly means my methods don't work. They do. It's really just a matter of time before I have my old body back. And before you all ask, no, I wasn't pregnant. I put on weight largely due to stress and a couple of other factors that made me unresponsive to things like good food and exercise for quite awhile. I've sorted that out.
FOLLOW THIS SERIES!
My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating Movement
My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles
My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements
Finally Updating Again!
Hello, Awesome Readers! As you know, it has been quite some time since I've updated my blog. My apologies, but I have had some important personal things to attend. It appears that everything is now back on track and I can spare some time and attention to produce more information to share with the world...
Please check back soon as I plan to have new articles up within the next couple of days.
Please check back soon as I plan to have new articles up within the next couple of days.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Safety and Awareness Go Hand in Hand
There is no such thing as complete and total safety. As living beings, it is up to us to assess risk for ourselves on a constant basis. Most of this is unconscious and purely habitual. We learn these behaviors from our parents and our societies. For example, any time you start you car, you are approaching a potentially fatal situation. You accept the risk and take precautionary measures such as checking your mirrors, buckling your seat belt, checking your brakes, using your signals, and driving defensively. Basically, someone is likely to dies in a car crash eventually soon. You don't want it to be you. It may still be you, but there are certain things you can do to minimize your risk.
All of that said, I've noticed that people are often extremely careless about their personal safety in relation to other people. At the risk of quoting myself, I would like to submit this little exerpt from the Break the Cycle of Dating Users article:
First and foremost, ask yourself if you ever feel vulnerable. Do you? The answer should be yes. There are certain situations that can make you notice your vulnerability, but you should be able to make yourself aware of it on your own. For example, if I am walking in the parking lot at night and there are only two cars there right next to eachother, who owns that other car? I know one is mine. I look around and don't see anybody. Does that mean the car is empty? No. That just means that nobody who can help me is watching. If the windows are tinted, I should be paying a little more attention. That's not because bad people tint their windows, it's because I can't see inside them at night and have no idea who or how many people are in their. Am I paranoid. This may surprise you, but no. I'm just a little suspicious. I like to ask questions. I like to pay attention. I've avoided a lot of pain and suffering in my life by keeping my eyes open and looking around. I'm not paranoid for putting my seatbelt on before I drive.
I'm going to pull a few examples from my own life in hopes of opening the minds of some of my readers. Hopefully, you all will be able to see the patterns and maybe pick out some examples in your own lives in which you could change the way you do something to cover your bases a little better.
Walking to My Car
If it is day time, I look around as I walk to my car to make sure that no other cars are coming to run me over. A lot of people don't pay attention to pedestrians while they're looking for a parking place so I don't just assume they will stop if I'm crossing the street. Next, I make sure my keys are in my hand. I hate the idea of fumbling for my keys in front of my car. I generally keep my keys clipped to my pants because I find it useful. If you wear a purse, you should fish those keys out before you leave the building. Keys are also a great thing for slashing at the eyes of an attacker. I've never had to do this, but if the time one day came, I would be glad I had my keys in my hand.
I'm a huge fan of keyless entry. I like having my car door ready to open when I walk up. This is useful if I'm carrying groceries. It also cuts down on the amount of time I'm just standing there in front of my car. The best thing about keyless entry is that when I push that little button, it turns on the light inside my car. If it's dark, this makes me really happy. Just think, I can see the inside of my car before I get too close to it. If there were someone inside or even next to it, it would be a lot easier to see them before I got too close to do anything about it. There has never been anyone inside my car when I got there (thankfully), but who knows? I've been rear-ended on the freeway and I'm really glad I had my seatbelt on that day.
As I approach my car, I look around. I look at the face of anyone near my car and smile at them if they look back. If there is anyone, I give them a quick sizing up. I just like to see if they look like they're noticing me, as someone looking for trouble would be. I open my car door, look around once more, enter immediately, check my mirrors and over my shoulder, and start driving. If someone is standing really close to my car, I give them the courtesy of letting them get into their car before I get into mine. I'm just being polite. I'm also clearing out anyone with whom I would share a tight situation between cars. If it is dark or I am in an unfamiliar neighborhood, I lock my door as soon as I enter. It's safe to say that I don't feel scared when I walk to my car. I just like to look around and pay attention.
Going Clubbing
When I go out with friends on a Saturday night, I like to follow certain guidelines to make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. First and foremost, my friends and I always know who's driving. Second, whoever shows up in a car gets a ride home in that same car. Everyone has their phone in case we lose someone. If one person for some reason wanted to seek alternative transportation to go home early, they are required to alert someone in the group or they will not be coming out with us again. Period. It's terrible to be looking around for someone at 2am who isn't there. We don't go out with people who need to be babysat. If someone has a habit of getting too drunk or out of control, or too stupid when they drink (doing dangerous things) they will not be given a second invitation either. It's selfish and brings down the whole group.
Once we're out, we keep an eye out for creepers and problem starters. If we are a group of only females, chances are that we will attract the date rape types more than any other type. As soon as they bother us, we get rid of them in no uncertain terms. We're not afraid to be rude because they are clearly not just "nice guys". Nice guys take no for an answer. Being very clear and firm is a good way of telling a predatory person that you're not their type. More than likely, they will move on and look for someone that is an easier target. You're never 100% safe from these people. However, you can last a pretty long time by simply not being at the top of the list. You're best off being at the lower 50% of the list. Remember, you just have to outrun the stupid ones. Just by paying attention, you are already typically below the top 20-30%, sadly enough. If you're really drunk or stumbling, you start moving back up the list. If you are alone, you move up the list. Remember to look over your shoulder a few times as you're leaving the establishment to make sure that no one is following you to wherever you're going. People have really stupid ideas when they're desperate/intoxicated.
If you are a guy, your risks are very different. You are much more likely to have problems with other guys who just want to start a fight. There are certain things you should keep in mind to avoid this. First, try not to step on anyone's toes. Both figuratively and literally, this is all the trigger needed for someone who is intoxicated and looking for trouble. If you do, apologize immediately. If you have girls in your group, notice if they're being bothered by a guy who looks like trouble. If she turns him down and then he sees her with you later, he may get territorial and/or jealous and try to start problems with you. There isn't much you can do to prevent this, but it's best to see it coming.
As was explained to me by a bouncer friend, there is a magical time of the night when most of the guys at the club realize they are going home by themselves. They each react to this in different ways. Some guys just have one last beer and catch a ride. Some guys get upset. Some guys try desperately to molest any and all females walking out the door. And some guys get really bitter about any other guy that looks like he's going home with someone, especially if that someone was someone he was interested in. That time of night is really when all the trouble starts. It's right around close when people are pretty well liquored up and making their last, desperate attempts to get whatever they wanted out of the night. That's when the bouncers go on alert. You should too. If you're out with only other guys, it's a good idea to be friendly with whoever you meet. This cuts down on the amount you threaten other groups of guys who are more likely to see your "team" and their "team" as an us against them situation. After a few drinks, it is difficult to get a group of guys to back down. Your best bet is to just get out of there as soon as possible of problems do arise.
Remember that there are bouncers at every bar and night club. It's a good idea to make friends with the ones who work the places you frequent. They are often really nice people, and they are there to look out for you. They have no problem putting someone outside if they are causing problems. They have plenty of experience with drunk and difficult people and they know exactly how to deal with them.
Inside Your Home
Just because you're home, it doesn't mean the world stops. Home is a great place to relax and kick your shoes off, but make sure you keep it that way. I always lock my door when I'm inside. I have a very large dog that lives in the house. She is a big puppy at heart, but she has an extremely intimidating bark and a set of teeth that isn't to be trifled with either. As soon as it gets dark, I close all the blinds. It drives me crazy when it's dark outside and the lights are on inside and the blinds are open. Why? Try this. Turn the lights on inside the house once it's dark and open the blinds. Have a friend stand outside the window. How close do they have to be before you can see them? On the flipside, anyone can see you and your every move from pretty far away. This is a great way to get attention from stalkers.
Running Outdoors
Speaking of stalkers, it's a good idea to mix up your running schedule. If you consistently run the same path at the same time, every day, you are more than likely to get noticed by someone eventually. This will likely be a normal person that has a similar schedule. It may also be someone who is not so normal that you would prefer not notice you. Break up your schedule a little bit. While you're at it, run with a buddy. The more people in your group, the more you move down that list I mentioned. Just make sure you know the people in your group or you may find yourself moving up one of their lists. For those of you who listen to the ipod while you run, try listening in only one ear if you're running through a less populated area. There have been cases of people being attacked near where I live because they had both headphones in and couldn't hear their attacker approaching. That moved them up the list.
Blind Dating
Online dating counts as blind dating because you really only know what you've been told. Any time you are going to meet up with someone new, let someone intelligent know where you're going, who you're meeting up with, and when. Send them a text to let them know that things are going well a little while into it. This goes for men as well. There are some crazy people out there. Most likely nothing will ever happen to you. On the other hand, it doesn't hurt to let someone know what you're up to. You don't have to tell them in a paranoid sounding way. Just say that you're going to meet up with a new date and you'll drop them a text if you need rescuing. Any good wing man (that includes females) will have your back. Do not get in this person's car until you know them. Do not let them into yours. Do not go to their house or have them at yours. Save it for after you've had time to reflect on what you've learned about them. If you must, take note of your surroundings, like what's in the car, how it smells, etc. All these things will give you subtle clues about who you're hanging out with. Some people do this naturally and without noticing it. Others have to learn.
Awesome Tip of the Day: While we're on that subject, consider the possibility that the things this person tells you may not be true. A predatory person will say and do things to get your trust. These things are often things that will gain sympathy, like telling you that they are too trusting. They may also manipulate you into giving up your skepticism if they notice it. Many predators call out their victims on their distrust. Once the victim's distrust is exposed, they often feel embarrassed into ignoring their instincts. Don't let this happen to you. This works on men, too, in case you are one.
Just remember that all situations have little precautions available to the aware and creative that are little or no extra effort but that go a long way in preserving your safety, even though that safety is subjective.
All of that said, I've noticed that people are often extremely careless about their personal safety in relation to other people. At the risk of quoting myself, I would like to submit this little exerpt from the Break the Cycle of Dating Users article:
I think it's important to know what a predator looks for. People like to do what requires the least effort and gives the most benefit, period. Predatory people are no different. This article was put together from the idea that all predators have a list of desired traits. To avoid predators, the best thing to do is to not possess those traits. Here's a story to help illustrate my point:
Two guys are hiking in the forest until they come across a ferocious bear. One guy starts running. The other guy follows, yelling, "What are your doing? You'll never outrun the bear!" The second guy yells over his shoulder, "I don't have to outrun the bear. I only have to outrun you..."Perhaps living in a college town has shown me an unusually high concentration of sheltered, naive, intoxicated, careless people who lack a healthy sense of vulnerability. Regardless, I feel this topic needs to be addressed.
So true. Although nothing will guarantee your safety, it's best to make sure that you are not the prime target in a roomful of people. Predators are not typically looking for a challenge. They usually are looking for the zebra with the broken leg, if you know what I mean. That said, if you show some assertiveness, show that you know what you want and deserve to get it, and show that have your eyes open for red flags, most predators will simply move on to the next target. If they see that you fit the profile of what they're looking for, they will start to focus their resources on luring you in and trapping you. Don't be that person.
First and foremost, ask yourself if you ever feel vulnerable. Do you? The answer should be yes. There are certain situations that can make you notice your vulnerability, but you should be able to make yourself aware of it on your own. For example, if I am walking in the parking lot at night and there are only two cars there right next to eachother, who owns that other car? I know one is mine. I look around and don't see anybody. Does that mean the car is empty? No. That just means that nobody who can help me is watching. If the windows are tinted, I should be paying a little more attention. That's not because bad people tint their windows, it's because I can't see inside them at night and have no idea who or how many people are in their. Am I paranoid. This may surprise you, but no. I'm just a little suspicious. I like to ask questions. I like to pay attention. I've avoided a lot of pain and suffering in my life by keeping my eyes open and looking around. I'm not paranoid for putting my seatbelt on before I drive.
I'm going to pull a few examples from my own life in hopes of opening the minds of some of my readers. Hopefully, you all will be able to see the patterns and maybe pick out some examples in your own lives in which you could change the way you do something to cover your bases a little better.
Walking to My Car
If it is day time, I look around as I walk to my car to make sure that no other cars are coming to run me over. A lot of people don't pay attention to pedestrians while they're looking for a parking place so I don't just assume they will stop if I'm crossing the street. Next, I make sure my keys are in my hand. I hate the idea of fumbling for my keys in front of my car. I generally keep my keys clipped to my pants because I find it useful. If you wear a purse, you should fish those keys out before you leave the building. Keys are also a great thing for slashing at the eyes of an attacker. I've never had to do this, but if the time one day came, I would be glad I had my keys in my hand.
I'm a huge fan of keyless entry. I like having my car door ready to open when I walk up. This is useful if I'm carrying groceries. It also cuts down on the amount of time I'm just standing there in front of my car. The best thing about keyless entry is that when I push that little button, it turns on the light inside my car. If it's dark, this makes me really happy. Just think, I can see the inside of my car before I get too close to it. If there were someone inside or even next to it, it would be a lot easier to see them before I got too close to do anything about it. There has never been anyone inside my car when I got there (thankfully), but who knows? I've been rear-ended on the freeway and I'm really glad I had my seatbelt on that day.
As I approach my car, I look around. I look at the face of anyone near my car and smile at them if they look back. If there is anyone, I give them a quick sizing up. I just like to see if they look like they're noticing me, as someone looking for trouble would be. I open my car door, look around once more, enter immediately, check my mirrors and over my shoulder, and start driving. If someone is standing really close to my car, I give them the courtesy of letting them get into their car before I get into mine. I'm just being polite. I'm also clearing out anyone with whom I would share a tight situation between cars. If it is dark or I am in an unfamiliar neighborhood, I lock my door as soon as I enter. It's safe to say that I don't feel scared when I walk to my car. I just like to look around and pay attention.
Going Clubbing
When I go out with friends on a Saturday night, I like to follow certain guidelines to make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. First and foremost, my friends and I always know who's driving. Second, whoever shows up in a car gets a ride home in that same car. Everyone has their phone in case we lose someone. If one person for some reason wanted to seek alternative transportation to go home early, they are required to alert someone in the group or they will not be coming out with us again. Period. It's terrible to be looking around for someone at 2am who isn't there. We don't go out with people who need to be babysat. If someone has a habit of getting too drunk or out of control, or too stupid when they drink (doing dangerous things) they will not be given a second invitation either. It's selfish and brings down the whole group.
Once we're out, we keep an eye out for creepers and problem starters. If we are a group of only females, chances are that we will attract the date rape types more than any other type. As soon as they bother us, we get rid of them in no uncertain terms. We're not afraid to be rude because they are clearly not just "nice guys". Nice guys take no for an answer. Being very clear and firm is a good way of telling a predatory person that you're not their type. More than likely, they will move on and look for someone that is an easier target. You're never 100% safe from these people. However, you can last a pretty long time by simply not being at the top of the list. You're best off being at the lower 50% of the list. Remember, you just have to outrun the stupid ones. Just by paying attention, you are already typically below the top 20-30%, sadly enough. If you're really drunk or stumbling, you start moving back up the list. If you are alone, you move up the list. Remember to look over your shoulder a few times as you're leaving the establishment to make sure that no one is following you to wherever you're going. People have really stupid ideas when they're desperate/intoxicated.
If you are a guy, your risks are very different. You are much more likely to have problems with other guys who just want to start a fight. There are certain things you should keep in mind to avoid this. First, try not to step on anyone's toes. Both figuratively and literally, this is all the trigger needed for someone who is intoxicated and looking for trouble. If you do, apologize immediately. If you have girls in your group, notice if they're being bothered by a guy who looks like trouble. If she turns him down and then he sees her with you later, he may get territorial and/or jealous and try to start problems with you. There isn't much you can do to prevent this, but it's best to see it coming.
As was explained to me by a bouncer friend, there is a magical time of the night when most of the guys at the club realize they are going home by themselves. They each react to this in different ways. Some guys just have one last beer and catch a ride. Some guys get upset. Some guys try desperately to molest any and all females walking out the door. And some guys get really bitter about any other guy that looks like he's going home with someone, especially if that someone was someone he was interested in. That time of night is really when all the trouble starts. It's right around close when people are pretty well liquored up and making their last, desperate attempts to get whatever they wanted out of the night. That's when the bouncers go on alert. You should too. If you're out with only other guys, it's a good idea to be friendly with whoever you meet. This cuts down on the amount you threaten other groups of guys who are more likely to see your "team" and their "team" as an us against them situation. After a few drinks, it is difficult to get a group of guys to back down. Your best bet is to just get out of there as soon as possible of problems do arise.
Remember that there are bouncers at every bar and night club. It's a good idea to make friends with the ones who work the places you frequent. They are often really nice people, and they are there to look out for you. They have no problem putting someone outside if they are causing problems. They have plenty of experience with drunk and difficult people and they know exactly how to deal with them.
Inside Your Home
Just because you're home, it doesn't mean the world stops. Home is a great place to relax and kick your shoes off, but make sure you keep it that way. I always lock my door when I'm inside. I have a very large dog that lives in the house. She is a big puppy at heart, but she has an extremely intimidating bark and a set of teeth that isn't to be trifled with either. As soon as it gets dark, I close all the blinds. It drives me crazy when it's dark outside and the lights are on inside and the blinds are open. Why? Try this. Turn the lights on inside the house once it's dark and open the blinds. Have a friend stand outside the window. How close do they have to be before you can see them? On the flipside, anyone can see you and your every move from pretty far away. This is a great way to get attention from stalkers.
Running Outdoors
Speaking of stalkers, it's a good idea to mix up your running schedule. If you consistently run the same path at the same time, every day, you are more than likely to get noticed by someone eventually. This will likely be a normal person that has a similar schedule. It may also be someone who is not so normal that you would prefer not notice you. Break up your schedule a little bit. While you're at it, run with a buddy. The more people in your group, the more you move down that list I mentioned. Just make sure you know the people in your group or you may find yourself moving up one of their lists. For those of you who listen to the ipod while you run, try listening in only one ear if you're running through a less populated area. There have been cases of people being attacked near where I live because they had both headphones in and couldn't hear their attacker approaching. That moved them up the list.
Blind Dating
Online dating counts as blind dating because you really only know what you've been told. Any time you are going to meet up with someone new, let someone intelligent know where you're going, who you're meeting up with, and when. Send them a text to let them know that things are going well a little while into it. This goes for men as well. There are some crazy people out there. Most likely nothing will ever happen to you. On the other hand, it doesn't hurt to let someone know what you're up to. You don't have to tell them in a paranoid sounding way. Just say that you're going to meet up with a new date and you'll drop them a text if you need rescuing. Any good wing man (that includes females) will have your back. Do not get in this person's car until you know them. Do not let them into yours. Do not go to their house or have them at yours. Save it for after you've had time to reflect on what you've learned about them. If you must, take note of your surroundings, like what's in the car, how it smells, etc. All these things will give you subtle clues about who you're hanging out with. Some people do this naturally and without noticing it. Others have to learn.
Awesome Tip of the Day: While we're on that subject, consider the possibility that the things this person tells you may not be true. A predatory person will say and do things to get your trust. These things are often things that will gain sympathy, like telling you that they are too trusting. They may also manipulate you into giving up your skepticism if they notice it. Many predators call out their victims on their distrust. Once the victim's distrust is exposed, they often feel embarrassed into ignoring their instincts. Don't let this happen to you. This works on men, too, in case you are one.
Just remember that all situations have little precautions available to the aware and creative that are little or no extra effort but that go a long way in preserving your safety, even though that safety is subjective.
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