You can lift heavier weights, complete more repetitions and follow a training programme religiously. But are you moving better?
I’ve spent more than 35 years working with people who want to become stronger, improve their posture, regain confidence in their bodies or simply move with greater ease. One thing I come back to repeatedly is that what you do matters, but how you do it matters just as much.
Strength training is valuable. It builds muscle, improves physical capacity and can make everyday tasks easier. The point isn’t to choose between strength and movement quality. It’s to develop them together.
Strength isn’t just about how much you can lift
When people think about strength, they often think about weight, repetitions and visible muscle. Those are legitimate training goals. But useful strength also involves being able to produce and control force through movements that suit your body and what you want it to do.
Think about a squat. Adding weight can be a sensible way to develop leg strength. But first I want to understand how you squat: how you distribute your weight, how your hips and ankles contribute, whether you can control the movement, and whether the exercise is appropriate for your current ability. The answer won’t be identical for everyone.
There is no prize for performing a movement that looks textbook-perfect if it doesn’t suit your anatomy, mobility or goal. Equally, there is little value in repeatedly pushing through a pattern you cannot control just to increase the numbers on a weight.
What do I mean by movement quality?
Movement quality is not about looking elegant or holding a rigid idea of perfect posture. To me, it means moving with awareness, appropriate alignment, control and enough freedom to complete the task efficiently.
I look at a few connected elements:
- Control: Can you manage the movement rather than simply let momentum take over?
- Mobility: Do you have the range of movement needed for the exercise, without forcing a position?
- Stability: Can you maintain the support and balance the task requires, even when it becomes challenging?
- Co-ordination: Are the different parts of your body working together effectively?
- Progression: Is the demand increasing at a rate you can genuinely manage?
None of these means every repetition needs to be slow or effortless. Challenging resistance is an important part of getting stronger. The aim is to choose the right challenge, then build on it intelligently.
Why doing more isn’t always the answer
It’s tempting to respond to a difficult exercise by working harder: more weight, more repetitions, another session. Sometimes progression is exactly what you need. Sometimes the more useful adjustment is to change the movement, reduce the load or work on the control you are missing.
If someone struggles with a loaded movement, I don’t automatically assume they lack strength. I want to see the whole picture. Is the movement unfamiliar? Is a joint restricted? Is the exercise too advanced for where they are today? Are they compensating for something elsewhere?
This is why I value observation and assessment. A programme should be built around the person doing it, not the other way round.
Where Pilates and resistance training meet
Pilates has long valued precision, controlled movement and body awareness. Resistance training provides a practical way to develop strength by gradually increasing the demands placed on the muscles.
In my Pilates Mat Strength approach, I bring these principles together. It’s not a choice between gentle control and meaningful strength. You can challenge your muscles while paying attention to how your body is moving.
That makes the approach relevant whether your goal is improved muscle tone, better overall strength, greater movement confidence or support for the physical demands of everyday life.
Good movement isn’t one-size-fits-all
Two people can arrive with the same goal and need very different programmes. One might benefit from learning to control a basic movement with less resistance. Another may already move confidently and be ready for heavier strength work. Someone returning to exercise after injury or surgery may need to follow a clinician’s rehabilitation guidance before progressing further.
I don’t believe in gimmicks, blanket promises or chasing exercise trends for their own sake. I believe in looking carefully, asking sensible questions and making each session purposeful.
My aim is for you to understand what you’re doing and why. When you know how to recognise a movement that works for you, you gain something more useful than a collection of exercises: confidence in how to train and move.
How to make your strength training more effective
Before adding another set or increasing the weight, ask yourself three questions.
- What am I trying to improve? Be specific. Strength, muscle tone, balance, a particular activity or more comfortable everyday movement each calls for a slightly different emphasis.
- Can I control the movement at this level? Some effort and fatigue are expected in strength work, but you should still be able to perform the exercise with appropriate technique.
- Am I progressing with purpose? Build the load, range, complexity or repetitions when you’re ready, rather than changing everything simply to make the session feel harder.
If an exercise causes pain, or you are recovering from a medical condition, injury or operation, seek appropriate clinical advice rather than attempting to train through it.
Move with purpose. Build strength that serves you.
I’m not interested in movement for movement’s sake, nor in doing endless repetitions without understanding their purpose. I want you to build strength you can use, alongside the control, mobility and confidence to move well.
That’s what intelligent movement means to me: less guesswork, more awareness and training that has a reason behind it.
If you’d like a more individual approach, I offer one-to-one movement coaching and private fitness sessions in Fulham and other parts of London. We start by looking at how you move, what you want to achieve and what sort of training is right for you.
- Explore private fitness coaching: https://www.tanyawyatt.com/private-fitness-coaching/
- Explore movement support: https://www.tanyawyatt.com/movement-support/
- Enquire about a session: https://www.tanyawyatt.com/book-a-session/
Frequently asked questions
Is movement quality more important than lifting heavy weights?
They serve different purposes and work best together. Sufficient resistance is important for developing strength, while appropriate technique and progression help you train effectively for your goal.
Can Pilates help with strength training?
Pilates can help develop control, co-ordination and body awareness. When combined with progressive resistance work, those skills can form part of a well-rounded strength programme.
Do I need a movement assessment before starting strength training?
Not everyone needs a formal assessment. But personalised observation is particularly useful when an exercise feels awkward, you have a specific movement goal or you need support returning to activity.
Sources and further reading
- NHS, How to improve your strength and flexibility: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/how-to-improve-strength-flexibility/
- American College of Sports Medicine, Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults (2026): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41843416/
- National Strength and Conditioning Association, Progressive Strategies for Teaching Fundamental Resistance Training Movement Patterns: https://dxpprod.nsca.com/education/articles/ptq/teaching-resistance-training-movement-patterns/