Stuart McMillan: Skipping Benefits for Fitness & Performance
We include affiliate links below. If you purchase through a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
Skipping is an amazing but often overlooked exercise for adults. Though many think of it as just a child’s activity, skipping offers tremendous benefits that most of us are missing out on.
Huberman explains that after a skipping workout, he felt his hips open up, his posture improve, and even felt stronger in the gym the next day. McMillan points out that while most adults stop sprinting in their teens or twenties, skipping provides many of the same benefits with much less risk of injury.
“Moving our body intensively with intensity is probably something we should be able to do for as long as we possibly can,” says McMillan. The problem is that as we age, our tissues and joints can’t handle the forces of sprinting anymore. That’s where skipping comes in.
McMillan recommends starting with just 30 seconds of skipping followed by 30 seconds of walking or jogging. Don’t make the mistake of going for a 10-mile skip on your first try! The benefits are numerous – it’s a plyometric activity that works on hip extension (getting your knee behind your butt), coordination patterns, and offers fascial, joint, and even brain benefits.
When you skip, you naturally become more expressive. You stand taller, swing your arms more freely, and engage your whole body in a rhythmic pattern. Unlike jogging, where people tend to be closed, small and just trying to get through it, skipping encourages you to be “big and free and open and bouncy.”
If you’re worried about looking silly skipping down the street, just think of it as plyometrics. Every single sprint group on the planet incorporates skipping because of its importance for developing proper gait patterns. McMillan, who is 6’3″, skips for 20 minutes every morning on public roads and has even completed a 10-mile skip!
Skipping rope is another excellent option. It teaches coordination of the ankle, knee, and hip. Just make sure you’re not only moving through your ankles – think about bouncing as if you’re on a trampoline rather than just rising up on your toes.
The beauty of skipping is its simplicity and accessibility. You don’t need any equipment, and it’s something most of us did naturally as children. As Huberman suggests, try putting on an album and skipping to the music, letting the rhythm guide your movements. Before you know it, you’ve got 35 minutes of cardio done with just your body.
While there may not be extensive scientific studies on exactly how much skipping is optimal, the experience of elite coaches like McMillan, who has trained over 70 Olympians, speaks volumes. As he says, “Principles are few and methods are many.” Find what works for you and have fun with it.
