In the running world, there’s a concept experienced runners know well: junk miles.
Junk miles are the miles you rack up when you’re just running to hit a number of miles in your training log. Unlike intentional training miles, the ones your run purposefully to build speed, endurance, strength, or clarity, junk miles lack focus or strategy.
In my experience, junk miles were always the ones that lead to fatigue, overuse injuries, and burnout.
On a run a few days ago, the idea of junk miles got me thinking about how we approach movement in Pilates and fitness in general, especially after a recent debate I had with another Pilates instructor.
During the discussion, the other instructor argued that form isn’t particularly important. They claimed there’s no real evidence linking poor form to injuries, pain, or other problems. Their perspective was that movement itself is the point—as long as someone is moving, they’re doing it right.
While I understand the idea and intention behind encouraging people to move, I couldn’t get on board with the idea that form is irrelevant.
Movement Without Intention:
The Pilates Equivalent of Junk Miles
In Pilates, as in running, not all movement is created equal. Simply “doing the reps” without paying attention to alignment, mechanics, or intentional engagement is the Pilates equivalent of ranking up junk miles in a running program. This kind of unchecked movement might not seem harmful in the short term, but over time, it can lead to overuse injuries, imbalances, and compensation patterns.
Here’s the thing. No matter what you believe about movement, the science is clear. Overuse injuries often stem directly from poor mechanics. When you repeatedly load your body in ways that don’t align with its natural mechanics, stress builds up in the wrong places.
A runner who collapses their knees inward with every step may develop knee pain over time.
A Pilates practitioner who doesn’t engage their deep core during a roll-up might strain their lower back instead of strengthening their core.
The body is amazing and it can adapt in some super cool ways, but it’s also prone to compensating. Those compensations can eventually lead to dysfunction and dysfunction can lead to aches, pains and weird injuries.
Proper form ensures that movement serves its intended purpose, whether that’s building strength, improving flexibility, or enhancing mobility.
We’d Never Tell a Weightlifter That Form Doesn’t Matter
Imagine telling a weightlifter that form doesn’t matter—that as long as they’re moving, they’re doing it right.
No way! It hurts to even think about, right?
Everyone knows that in weightlifting, proper form is non-negotiable. Without it, you’re looking at a high risk of acute injury (like a herniated disc or rotator cuff tear) and long-term damage to joints and muscles.
Why, then, would we dismiss form as unimportant in Pilates or other forms of mindful movement? This line of thinking may be rooted in outdated stereotypes that Pilates is “just stretching”, “just for women”, or not “real” exercise.
But anyone who’s ever spent time in a Pilates studio—or worked with an athlete to improve their mechanics—knows this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Pilates and weightlifting actually have a lot in common:
Both prioritize alignment and control to protect the body and build strength.
Both rely on progressive overload to safely challenge and improve.
And both require intentionality to yield the best results.
The idea that movement alone is enough, overlooks the depth and nuance of effective training, whether you’re lifting a barbell, practicing the Pilates Hundred, or running intervals on a track.
Intentional Movement Matters
Intentionality is the cornerstone of Pilates. Every exercise has a purpose, and proper form allows us to maximize the benefits while minimizing the risk of injury. Think of it this way:
In running: Intentional miles are planned with a goal in mind—speed intervals, hill training, or long endurance runs. Each type of run serves a purpose in building a well-rounded runner. (And yes, somedays you’re just running because it’s fun! But with proper form.)
In Pilates: Intentional movement focuses on alignment, breathing, and precision. Each exercise strengthens the body holistically, rather than reinforcing poor movement patterns. The fun in Pilates comes from the flow. And the flow comes from doing the exercises properly.
The argument that “movement is all that matters” just doesn’t cut it. Movement is wonderful, but movement without mindfulness can do more harm than good. Just as junk miles can sideline a runner, careless movement can create a foundation for pain and dysfunction for a Pilates practitioner.
Balancing out Form and Exploration
Not every movement needs to be perfect and we shouldn’t avoid trying new activities for fear of doing them “wrong”, but we need to balance form and exploration, joy and intention, freedom and awareness. There’s a time and place for everything.
Explore with reckless abandon at an intuitive dance class? Yes, absolutely.
Explore with reckless abandon while weight training or on the Reformer? No. Absolutely not.
As instructors, our job is to guide people toward movement that supports their goals and respects their bodies. That means emphasizing quality over quantity, form over mindless repetition, and intentional practice over aimless effort.
Whether you’re running a half marathon, lifting weights, or practicing Pilates, movement isn’t just about doing—it’s about how you do it. So let’s move with purpose, cultivate awareness, and leave the junk miles—on the mat, under the barbell, and on the road—behind.