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How to Increase Your Speed, Mobility & Longevity with Plyometrics & Sprinting | Stuart McMillan

2025-03-17 Science & Technology
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Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman
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Description

My guest is Stuart McMillan, a renowned track and field coach who has trained dozens of Olympic medalists, professional athletes, and team coaches across a diverse range of sports. We discuss how to use plyometric work to improve mobility, strength, posture, and overall health. We emphasize the enormous benefits of skipping—a form of plyometrics—for joint health, aerobic conditioning, and coordination, as well as its advantages for people of all ages and fitness levels. We also explore the expressive nature of human movement, highlighting how certain movements reveal and can evolve one’s unique personality and abilities. Stu explains how resistance training, skipping, and striding can improve movement efficiency in all aspects of life. Anyone who exercises, as well as serious athletes, will benefit immensely from Stu McMillan’s knowledge of human mechanics and the practical tools he generously shares in this discussion. Watch a track and sprinting warm-up with Stu McMillan: https://youtu.be/Aj5SONT3T2o Read the full episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/TktUQjo *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman Wealthfront**: https://wealthfront.com/huberan Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman _**This experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients of Wealthfront, and there is no guarantee that all clients will have similar experiences. Cash Account is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) on cash deposits as of December 27,‬ 2024, is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. Funds in the Cash Account are swept to partner banks where they earn the variable‭ APY. Promo terms and FDIC coverage conditions apply. Same-day withdrawal or instant payment transfers may be limited by destination institutions, daily transaction caps, and by participating entities such as Wells Fargo, the RTP® Network, and FedNow® Service. New Cash Account deposits are subject to a 2-4 day holding period before becoming available for transfer._ *Stuart McMillan* Altis: https://altis.world Articles (Altis): https://altis.world/author/smcmillan X: https://x.com/stuartmcmillan1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fingermash Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fingermash YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sallBollocks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-mcmillan-89094215 *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Stuart McMillan 00:02:27 Running, Sprinting, Event Distances 00:09:01 Sponsors: Our Place & Wealthfront 00:12:13 Natural Sprinters, Kids, Sports Specialization 00:17:00 Athletes, Identity, Race Selection 00:23:38 Walking to Sprinting, Gait Patterns, Tool: Flat-Foot Contact 00:30:35 Visual Focus, Body Position, Running, Lifting Weights 00:36:00 Tool: Skipping & Benefits 00:42:18 Sponsors: AG1 & Helix Sleep 00:45:01 Tools: Skipping, Beginners, Jogging Incorporation 00:49:50 Transition Points, Tool: Skipping, Maximum Amplitude 00:53:03 Concentric & Eccentric Phases, Running 00:55:32 Transitioning to Striding, Posture, Center of Mass 01:03:11 Older Adults, Eccentric Control, Tool: Skipping 01:08:00 Naming Importance & Public Health; Skipping, Plyometrics 01:12:18 Sponsor: Function 01:14:06 Cross-Body Coordination, Rotation, Gaits; Phones & Posture 01:22:27 Expression Through Movement, Playfulness, Confidence 01:28:53 Being Yourself, Expression, Essence & Movement 01:36:39 Connecting with Movement, Building Cues, Mood Words 01:45:05 Pressure & Peace; Exercise, Movement & Age 01:51:39 Music, Art, Rhythm, Coaching; Soccer, Greatest Players & Countries 02:00:25 White & Black Athletes, Genetics, Environment 02:08:27 Running Form, Tools: High Knees, Stiff Springs, Hip Extension 02:17:21 Skipping Rope, Aging; Protocols & Rigidity, Principles Alignment 02:22:12 Resistance Training to Improve Movement, Sprinting Kinetics, Individualization 02:32:29 Transferring Weight Room to Track, Staggered Stance, Stretching 02:36:52 Performance-Enhancement, Elite Athletes, Androgen, Reputation 02:46:45 Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), Age; Pharmacology vs. Training 02:52:14 Single Physical Metric & Sprinting; Pressure & Peace 02:58:34 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #hubermanlab #health #plyometrics #sprinting Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Top Comments (10)

@DK412724 2025-03-19

I am 38 and made the conscious decision to start sprinting regularly 4 years ago. Best personal fitness decision I ever made. I don't feel like I lost a step and I garner a lot of attention at my local gym because of the elevation I get from my plyometric exercises. I can jump higher and ran faster than most 20 year olds at the gym and I don't plan on stopping. Glad to hear that sprinting is getting the love it deserves on the podcast.

206 8 replies
@hubermanlab 2025-03-17

Thank you for watching. If you enjoyed this topic and episode, please click the "like" button and subscribe to our channel here on YouTube. Thank you for your interest in science! -- Andrew

205 12 replies
@jopo7996 2025-03-17

All these techniques are great, as long as you're not skipping this podcast

181 4 replies
@zer0L0 2025-03-20

I understand the importance of names but *skipping* is already perfect. It connnects instantly with what everyone already knows how to do. It taps into the spontaneous joy in movement of childhood. You don't want to lose that. Any association with childishness will slip away as more grown ups recover this practice. Besides, you don't want to associate exercise with some macho attitude that some people might need from jargon like "plyometrics". It's actually less precise than "skipping" as it refers to a class of exercises, not this particular one. Make exercise joyful and natural again! Thanks to you both for an invaluable episode. I've already started skipping again and it's great!

75 1 replies
@Cameronwlee 2025-03-17

👏👏💪 count me in bro, I'm all in with the skipping movement. Turning 50 in 6 months, I plan on skipping through the next 50 😅👏💪🕺🙌

37 2 replies
@marius.dascalu 2025-03-18

I used to skip skipping but now i won't skip skipping and I'll skip without skipping a day

34
@liammurphy7748 2025-03-17

I skip a lot with my niece and nephews and it feels awesome, not least being totally unabashed that others adults are in the park and the fact the kids immediately start laughing and being joyous. We throw in some songs and kicks up the butt to make it even more fun.

29
@kevinkingrey4067 2025-10-16

I'm 65 and have been incorporating 50 yard sprints into my workout for the past four years, although after watching this, I realize they are probably strides? Runs? Whatever its called, I'm simply running as fast as I can at max effort and outrunning my 8-12 year old grandkids. I saw the previous skipping training video right before bed last night, and this morning I did my usual forest trail trot and included some skipping. I was instantly glad of it. Felt 8 years old again. I live in a small town, and people are probably going to be talking soon. Transformational stuff, thanks for sharing it.

16 1 replies
@jz5005 2025-03-26

My favourite episode! I was a sprinter / long-jumper in University. Have continued to play hockey 2x a week. Now in my 50’s, I resumed sprint training last year. It’s taken forever but I’ve gradually built up most of the weak links (hamstrings, quads, ankle strength) so I can ‘almost’ look like I’m actually running… but it feels great to be on the path. Next Step: Masters Athletics competitions this summer!

15
@NofirstnameNolastname 2025-03-19

I started skipping right away today! I love everything about this. It really does make sense and doing this for 30 secs is already quite exhausting. And it covers so many aspects of physical health. But also the mental aspect of letting go and being expressive it really helps to relieve the tension we hold nowadays. So many things that are considered childish we don't do anymore and this has effects mostly negative. I don't have children but I always imagined it helps to keep you young in some ways..

8

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