Tom Cruise’s Sprinting Skills Evaluated by Running Experts
Tom Cruise, renowned for his high-energy performances, has sprinted his way through an impressive 44 out of his 52 movies. Recently, running coaches had the opportunity to assess Cruise’s running abilities, and while they acknowledged his exceptional skills, they also highlighted areas where he could improve to achieve even greater speed.
Ned Trim, the head coach of New York’s Mile High Run Club, observed that Cruise tends to tense up while running, which can hinder his performance. “You look at top-level sprinters, and it’s all about staying relaxed. The more relaxed your body is, the more you’re not getting in the way of the function of your muscles,” Trim explained to The Wall Street Journal.
Another expert, Ben Rosario, the executive director of the Hoka Northern Arizona Elite team, pointed out that Cruise tends to tighten his hands when he starts running. Rosario emphasized the importance of maintaining a light touch, comparing it to holding a fragile potato chip between the thumb and forefinger. “You’re just barely touching your thumb to your forefinger,” he advised.
In addition to his running form, Cruise has a reputed rule that no actor should run alongside him on-screen. This claim was somewhat confirmed by his co-star Annabelle Wallis during the filming of The Mummy. Wallis revealed that Cruise initially denied her request to run alongside him but eventually relented after witnessing her dedication on the treadmill. “I would time my treadmill so that he’d walk in and see me run. And then he added all these running scenes,” she disclosed to The Hollywood Reporter in 2020.
tom cruise’s running compilation is therapy pic.twitter.com/GIJwMEJA05
— . (@whocaresx___) July 13, 2023
As Cruise continues to captivate audiences with his intense on-screen performances, it’s evident that his dedication to perfecting his sprinting skills remains an integral part of his craft. With valuable insights from running coaches, it will be exciting to see how Cruise implements their feedback in future projects, potentially reaching new heights of speed and athleticism on the silver screen.
One reason to see the new “Mission: Impossible”? Tom Cruise running. https://t.co/l6oGXK98cR
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 13, 2023