Click any moment to jump to that point in the video
This clip discusses the unique qualities that make someone a natural sprinter, focusing on ground interaction and efficiency rather than just form. It highlights the importance of effortless movement in elite athletes.
Stuart McMillan shares his perspective on drug use in elite sprinting, stating that it is not common now. He acknowledges the history of doping in certain regions and sports but expresses confidence that the top athletes are competing clean.
The speakers discuss the challenges of naming health practices, using hypnosis as an example of a valuable practice hindered by its name. They consider renaming "skipping" to overcome its childlike connotation and increase its adoption among adults. They brainstorm alternatives like "bounding" and "plyometrics," ultimately favoring "plyometrics" to emphasize its scientific validity and appeal.
This clip provides guidance on visual focus during running, explaining how eye position affects body posture and movement efficiency, especially during sprinting. It offers a cue to allow the torso to determine when the chin and eyes come up, avoiding hyperextension.
The speakers discuss how incorporating skipping into a workout routine can serve as a transition point for both physical and mental activities. They highlight the importance of these transition activities in overcoming the feeling of being overwhelmed by numerous fitness protocols. Skipping, in particular, is presented as a way to add enjoyment and expression to cardio routines, potentially improving both zone two training and high-intensity interval training by enhancing pliability and explosiveness.
Stuart McMillan details a plyometric skipping workout, emphasizing the importance of a thorough warm-up before engaging in maximal effort skips. He recommends a 10-15 minute warm-up with low amplitude skips, jogs, and stretches, followed by 10-15 repetitions of maximal amplitude skips over 50 meters, with a walk back for recovery. He stresses that the quality of movement should be prioritized over fatigue, ensuring participants feel good post-workout. This approach provides beneficial plyometric work while minimizing the risk of injury.
Stuart McMillan differentiates between concentric and eccentric phases in running, explaining that running is primarily concentric dominant, while striding and sprinting are eccentric dominant. He highlights that eccentric force capacity is a key differentiator for elite athletes, as it relates to handling breaking forces effectively. McMillan references testing data showing that concentric force capacity does not differentiate elite from sub-elite performers, whereas eccentric capacity does, underscoring its importance in athletic performance.
Stuart McMillan emphasizes the importance of eccentric control for overall health, not just elite sports. He shares that his 78-year-old father includes skipping sessions in his routine, combining walking, skipping, and striding. McMillan believes the ability to express oneself maximally through running is a key metric for vitality and health, and skipping is a great way to work on eccentric force capacities and move expressively.
This clip provides a practical tool for improving running form by focusing on flat-foot contact. It explains how the body self-organizes towards the most efficient mechanical solution and how external cues can disrupt this natural efficiency.
This clip explains why sprinting is the ultimate human activity and how elite sprinters are truly at the pinnacle of human performance. It also touches on the tactical elements involved in the 200m race.
This clip shares the story of Jod Williams, a British sprinter, and how she transitioned from being a 100/200m runner to a 400m runner after a decade. It highlights the importance of self-understanding and connection in finding the right athletic path.
Stuart McMillan explains the importance of knee extension and posture for locomotion, contrasting the forward-folded posture common in daily life with the open, expressive posture encouraged in skipping and sprinting. He suggests skipping as a potentially better alternative to jogging for improving heart rate and insulin regulation due to its expressive and coordinative aspects.
Stuart McMillan describes the four key components of sprinting: force, speed, direction, and body mass. He explains that while force is important, there is a threshold, and the focus should be on how quickly and in what direction force is applied.
Stuart McMillan explains that at the elite level, the transmission of force (how effectively you use the force you generate) is more important than the magnitude of the force itself. He suggests exercises that focus on force transmission, such as jump squats and Olympic lifts.
Stuart McMillan emphasizes the importance of cross-body, full-body force transmission exercises, ideally from the left foot to the right hand and vice versa. He stresses the need to find ways to transfer the capacities built in the weight room directly to the track, as most weight room exercises don't have a direct transfer.
The speakers discuss the importance of stride workouts as a progression from skipping, emphasizing the quality of movement over the quantity of work. They highlight that high-intensity sprint work should always be governed by the quality of the movement and how it feels, similar to resistance training. McMillan describes striding as taking up more space than jogging or running and happening in front of the center mass, with a longer eccentric phase. He suggests that most people can walk, jog, and run, but not stride, as it requires a level of tissue and joint capacity that many lack.
The speakers discuss the importance of moving the body in diverse ways and connecting with the joy of movement, as opposed to solely focusing on structured exercise routines. They advocate for incorporating activities like hiking, sports, and even skateboarding to maintain physical and expressive abilities throughout life. They also touch on how different cultures and personal histories can influence movement styles.
Stuart McMillan shares two contrasting examples: Andre De Grasse, who won Olympic medals despite being relatively weak, and Ben Johnson, who was incredibly strong but later disqualified for doping. This illustrates the wide spectrum of abilities and capacities that can lead to success in sprinting.
Stuart McMillan highlights the importance of run-specific isometric strength training, particularly in the position where the foot is directly underneath the center of mass with a slight knee and hip bend. He recommends holding a heavy bar in this position for 3-5 seconds to build strength in a way that directly translates to running.
The speakers discuss the importance of exploring and individualizing stretches to find what works best for each person. They emphasize that while there is a 'right' way to do a stretch, individuals should experiment with variations like rotation, side bending, and hand flexion to optimize the stretch for their unique bodies.
The discussion shifts to crossbody coordination in movement, emphasizing its importance in walking, running, and sprinting. The speakers explain how the pelvis and shoulders rotate and counter-oscillate during locomotion, connected by the spine in a torsional system. They note that some individuals utilize this system more effectively than others, resulting in more athletic-looking movements. The conversation highlights the potential negative impact of constant phone use on crossbody coordination and encourages listeners to pay attention to their body's natural movement tendencies.
Stuart McMillan explains that sprinting performance depends on a combination of genetics and environment. Genetics determine potential, while environment and training determine achievement. He uses the examples of Jamaican sprinters and Kenyan marathoners to illustrate this point.
Stuart McMillan emphasizes that runners should not try to copy the running form of elite sprinters like Usain Bolt because body structure and capabilities vary. Instead, one should focus on understanding their own body's constraints and action capabilities to develop a running style that suits them. He also suggests focusing on key elements such as bringing the knees up, maintaining stiffness upon impact, and achieving effective hip extension.
The guest explains the importance of authenticity and self-expression in sports and life, using examples like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. He emphasizes that people are drawn to those who are genuinely themselves and that movement can help individuals discover and express their true selves. He also touches on how coaches can sometimes hinder athletes by imposing preconceived notions instead of nurturing their unique abilities.
Stuart McMillan describes the 5 key factors he looks for when evaluating sprinting form: force, velocity, range of motion, control, and repeatability. This provides a framework for assessing and improving running mechanics.
Stuart McMillan encourages listeners to have fun with skipping, experiment with different ropes and techniques, and express themselves through movement. He advises finding a way to enjoy the movement and not be overly constrained by what experts say is the 'right' way to do it.
Huberman and McMillan discuss how to incorporate music and rhythm into skipping workouts, using external cues to guide movement and intensity. Huberman shares how he uses albums to dictate the pace and variations in his skipping routine, adding an element of fun and mindfulness.
Stuart McMillan emphasizes that there are many ways to achieve the same goal and that methods should align with principles. He highlights the limitations of peer-reviewed science in capturing every variable and stresses the importance of integrating data with personal experience.
Stuart McMillan provides a practical on-ramp for incorporating skipping into existing jogging routines. He advises against intense initial skipping sessions, recommending starting with 30-second intervals of skipping followed by jogging or walking. He emphasizes the expressive and coordinative benefits of skipping, contrasting it with the closed-off posture often associated with jogging. McMillan highlights the opportunity for self-expression and rhythm in skipping, which can enhance overall movement and coordination, making it a valuable addition to any exercise routine.
Huberman and McMillan discuss the importance of eccentric control, particularly for older adults, to prevent falls and maintain mobility. McMillan suggests skipping as a safe and accessible activity for individuals in their 60s, 70s, and 80s to improve eccentric control and overall health. He emphasizes that skipping can be done anywhere, without equipment or a trainer, making it an ideal exercise for promoting longevity and vitality.
McMillan explains why sprinters with shorter calf muscles tend to run faster. It's not about the size of the calf itself but rather the length of the tendon. Longer tendons allow for more efficient energy storage and release, which is advantageous for plyometric movements like sprinting.
Stuart McMillan explains the importance of coordinating flexion and extension at the ankle, knee, and hip when skipping. He emphasizes that skipping should involve more than just ankle movement and encourages listeners to focus on bouncing and using all joints of the lower body.
This clip introduces skipping as a valuable plyometric tool for improving coordination, tissue capacity, and joint health. It explains why skipping is often overlooked and encourages adults to normalize and incorporate it into their fitness routines.
The speakers discuss the dichotomy between pressure and peace in high-performance activities, particularly in sprinting. They explain that elite sprinters often experience a state of flow where they are not consciously thinking about their form but are fully immersed in the feeling of the sprint. They also discuss how coaches can help athletes align their technical cues with emotional mood words to achieve this state of flow.
Huberman and McMillan discuss the idea that the ability to maximally sprint can be a single metric for overall health and vitality. They discuss that it's a proxy for many other important factors.
Huberman and McMillan discuss the ability to exert pressure and feel peace is the essence of a meaningful life. They discuss that to generate pressure around doing something hard that takes the organization of the mind and body could be a physical pursuit.