The Unlikely Trainer Behind Tom Cruise’s Signature Sprint Revealed by Rob Lowe
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Tom Cruise’s full-tilt sprint has become one of the most recognizable sights in modern action cinema, but according to Rob Lowe, the origins of that now-legendary running style might trace back to an unexpected source: Emilio Estevez’s running coach.
During a recent episode of the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade, Lowe reminisced about Cruise’s incredible physical performances, particularly his famous sprinting scenes in the Mission: Impossible films. When Carvey playfully asked if Cruise’s running sequences were perhaps sped up in post-production — considering the actor’s remarkable speed even in his 60s — Lowe quickly shut down the idea.
“I don’t think they speed it up,” Lowe said. Instead, he explained, “Tom and I, I could be wrong, but I think we both initially learned to run from Emilio Estevez’s running coach.” That coach, Lowe revealed, was none other than Milan Tiff, a world-class triple-jump athlete known for his record-breaking achievements.
According to Lowe, after the two actors worked together on The Outsiders in the early 1980s, they trained with Tiff to perfect their physical form. Tiff’s coaching techniques emphasized efficiency and style — notably the hand movement that has since become part of Cruise’s signature run.
“The hand thing was the big thing,” Lowe explained, referring to the way Cruise keeps his hands straight up and down to reduce wind resistance. He even demonstrated another element of the technique: a subtle, dolphin-like “flap” motion, curving his fingers slightly and moving his hands fluidly from head to torso. “You make it a little flap. Little dolphin move,” Lowe said, adding an extra layer of detail to Cruise’s methodical sprinting style.
While Cruise’s breathtaking stunts — dangling from helicopters, scaling skyscrapers, clinging to airplanes — often steal headlines, his ability to sprint with explosive power, especially in his 60s, remains one of his most consistent and awe-inspiring feats.
Fans can expect even more of Cruise’s gravity-defying action (and undoubtedly some intense running scenes) when Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 21, 2025. Thanks to Rob Lowe’s revelation, audiences now know there’s a bit of unexpected Outsiders history behind every epic sprint.
