Fitness: Accessory or Armoury?

I was walking, rather randomly through London, happy to see there are trees, though I didnt climb any, not today. A thought was developing, it had actually began a few days earlier.

The Accessory model of fitness! this thought however developed into the Armoury model of fitness, then an interplay between the 2.

Fitness is something we have to help us navigate through life, fitness is both personal and global at the same time. Ones own ability to move, sustain and achieve, for what they need and also paradigms, programs, systems that dictate what fitness is, or how it is measured or how it can be played out in a performative way.

The Accessory/Armoury Paradigm

Basically thinking ways in which we support our everyday/performative goals.

In strength/olympic lifting/fitness racing/sports we have accessory exercises. They are smaller exercises that support the main exercise or set of excersises. Some would argue against the word exercise here, but lets be honest its just words (to support some fitness snobbery, I know because I could honestly be the king of fitness snobbery)

Accessorise: the model of making the end result look better

Armoury: the model of defending oneself so the end result is better

Whats: the f***ing difference Matt?

---

Accessorize: The model of making the end result look better

Lets take a simple end result, running more fuidly, therefore achieving a faster time.

Running to look effortless, whilst aiding that rhythmic bounce that allows extra speed whilst lowering the impact.

You may need to do some strength training, and some skill training, these would be additional/accessories to your running sessions, maybe on a different day or pre/post runs.

You might start deadlifting to strengthen you "posterior chain" and lunging to help with your glutes. But you find you need to help some of the smaller or surrounding muscles because running isn't often linear. So you start doing calf raises, abductions, adductions, foot strength, core strength, so your doing strength accessory work.

You then think that this strength training is great but theres some tekkers you need to add in, and you start doing, (running in long grass), metronome arms and legs, running on a unicycle. And we have the accessory model. Building up a list of accessories that make your performance look better.

Armoury: The model of defending oneself so the end result is better

Lets use a different example, otherwise the point will be too obvious!

Everyday life- My job is a Farmer, (not really, its an example, because I'm currently reading The Shepherds Life, and it ties into Farming Stronger 4 Longer, and therefore 2 birds 1 stone)

I need to be strong, I can't get injured, I need to go from sitting to chasing/wrestling/rescuing animals, be out in cold, heat, rain, sleet, hail...... at any time all the time, and more. (Not going into barriers thats a different blog)

So I have functional "on the job since a nipper" strength, but it will take its toll, and therefore I need to put in measures, just like an athlete, to make sure I stay actually strong so that the end result is always strong.

I need to build the strength to be able to lift random objects in different ways when the pressure is on. Strongman style strength training. I also need to be agile, movement and flexibility work will build that ability. But, I seem to have a problem with the lifting, some bracing, and core work is in need. I feel stiff when im developing my movement and flexibilty, I may need to build some armour deeper down soft tissue, fascial work, and some good old fashioned breathing and relaxation. There then will probably also be some rehab to set right before the bulletproofing of the armour!

By the end of it I will have armoured my body ready to get out there and get the best out of my fitness on the farm.

(there's more to fitness than just exercises, but again different blog)

WHAT!: Is the F***ing difference Matt?

Just the words, although in a happy accident both begin with A's their different words, the rest is all the same. Its a preference in what you would like to say, I'm Accessorizing, or I'm building an Armour.

My point of this was really to say that these are extremely personal and yet many gyms will have them ultra structure into headings with accessories being right at the bottom. And yes the reason why is because they are selling a main paradigm and thats fair enough, as trainers we often have the need to allign/specialise and promote in order to win clients and earn money. My argument might be that its not hard to listen to an individual, or even watch and find out how they or you need to armour or accessorize!

Thanks for joining me on another thought,

Matt

If you would like to see some example goal to accessory/armour models let me know and I will write some.