Tom Cruise has been a multi-tasking running fool in movies since 1981 and he’s so good at it, we believe there should be a Tom Cruise School of Running.
Look, it’s no secret Tom Cruise is a multi-tasking running fool, and I say that with the utmost respect and admiration. While there are many actors who are runners, I dare say none of them hold a candle next to Cruise when it comes not just to running but to sprinting in movies, for long distances, usually in jeans or a suit while carrying something, and while repeating lines—sometimes in another language. At my house, we love Tom Cruise movies because, well, to borrow a quote from Forrest Gump, “That boy is a runnin’ fool,” and we’re curious to see which major city he’ll be running through next or which act of Mother Nature he’ll be trying to outrun altogether. Eventually my Cruise-watching evolved into excitement for watching all action movies because I’m always curious to see if we have ourselves a candidate. “A candidate for what, Keeley?” I’m glad you asked: a candidate for the Tom Cruise School of Running.
Yeah, yeah, I know there’s no such thing, but there should be. Dig it: Tom Cruise is the B.O.S.S. when it comes both to running fast for long distances and to doing his own stunts. He’s been running in movies since 1981. And while Tom’s earlier movies are devoid of the running lord we see today, he has improved greatly throughout his career, most notably starting with 2004’s Collateral. After that, Cruise got more serious about running and hired himself a professional coach. That’s when we started to see his technique evolve even more, now into the impressive spectacle we see today. There’s absolutely no reason I can think of that he shouldn’t have his own school of running … leave those magic carpets and weighted-wire systems for the superhero flicks.
So, what if there was a Tom Cruise School of Running? What would that look like? What would the requirements for entry be? What would the training be like? And who would be potential candidates? Join me on this magic carpet ride and let’s find out!
Tom Cruise: Running Form and Facts
To start, let’s look at what we’re dealing with here. Tom Cruise has a major running scene in all but 8 of his films. That’s 44 out of 52 movies. And, thanks to the passion of some film detectives out there, we know the actor was clocked at running 15.3 mph for 1,000 km during Mission: Impossible III’s famous running sequence, and he was 43 at the time. Today—think Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One—he is 62, and he’s still at it, with better technique. Nobody runs on screen like Tom Cruise, and that’s precisely why the fact that he’s always running in movies has become somewhat of a global obsession … and the source of many, many memes.
But it’s not just that Cruise is able to run super-fast for long distances that makes him some kind of mystical legacy: He also looks cool doing it. There’s a sort of storytelling in his technique that’s embedded amongst his facial expressions, perfectly wind-whipped hair, and in-tact pants suits glued to his body. The guy literally looks like a real-life action figure moving 100 mph, and when you find out that’s really him—no weighted-wire systems pulling him or dragging magic carpets—it ups his ante even more.
As far as his form goes, his high cadence is undeniable. Many have argued that Cruise’s “still” core is a key factor, and they’d kind of be wrong. While his core does remain tight and engaged, if you look closely a little over a minute into this sprinting scene in Mission: Impossible 4 – Ghost Protocol and watch his belt buckle, you’ll see his hips moving and turning quite a bit. It’s just subtle. In fact, to run this fast, your pelvis must turn; otherwise, well, give it a shot and let me know how that works out for you.
Cruise’s arm technique has evolved from pumping back and forth with closed fists to tucked-in elbows with hands open and slicing the air—a form on which he had to be coached. And if you pay close attention, he knows exactly how to use his arms and hands in those scenes where he decelerates (or accelerates), turns corners, grabs things, and just generally responds to the environment around him. His excellence comes not in his straight-line sprinting but in those moments where he’s sprinting and has to dodge, duck, dip, dive, (Dodgeball reference!) and get knocked around by explosions.
There are also the iconic faces he makes while running: animated eyebrows, bulging eyes, and stark-white teeth peering through pursed, slightly open lips … emoting to the max. There’s a reason for all that. See, when a runner’s head is too far back, it’s not effectively pushed forward by the feet, so facial muscles get recruited to pull it forward and keep it from falling farther back, thus slowing the running speed. So, when you see a runner grimace, now you know why.
There are also other factors to consider, so if you want a deeper analysis of Tom Cruise’s running technique, embark on some solo research and run your little heart out.
Qualifications to Enter the Tom Cruise School of Running
If it were me, I’d say the first qualification needed to enter the Tom Cruise School of Running is that you must engage in a foot race with Tom. You don’t have to be faster than him, but you do have to finish the race without stopping. Demonstrated technique, inherent talent, skill, and ambition are necessary. Further qualifications are as follows:
- Cardio. Jesse Eisenberg warned us in Zombieland that the first rule is always cardio. And you should limber up as well while you’re at it. Tom Cruise in no way could do all he does if he didn’t have solid cardio and a limber bod. They’re foundational.
- Emoting ability. You have to be able to sprint and make faces simultaneously. You must emit intensity, focus, and concentration, almost like you’re working out a strenuous math problem. You must also have a good teeth-gritting face.
- Parkour. You either need to know parkour or be open to learning parkour; otherwise, you’ll be like Jonah Hill in (22 Jump Street: “I don’t know parkour, so I’m just gonna go home.” Parkour is a must at the Tom Cruise School of Running.
- Form. You must demonstrate an ability to run with broad shoulders, your head up, and a fully erect spine (i.e., proper core engagement and extension).
- Technique. You must be capable of running with high knees and arms (and use them with awareness) while demonstrating your ability to slice and karate chop the air, Daniel LaRusso style.
- Breathing. You must know how to properly use your breath when running (i.e., don’t be a mouth breather). If you’re accepted into the school, you’ll have to undergo some super-advanced long-distance breath training with short-burst sprinting breathing exercises, which will tie in with those arm and knee techniques.
- Multitasking. You must be able to multitask while running. You’ll be required to carry physical resources, like briefcases, weapons, or special suits with helmets, and it will bode well for you if you can recite lines mid-sprint.
- Trainability. Candidates must possess a deep mental focus along with stamina and have the ability to complete different tasks, like doing crunches ‘til your face hurts, navigating obstacle courses personally designed by Tom, and enduring Olympic gymnast-style core training. Your trainability demonstrates your ability to pass the exit exam, which entails revisiting your foot race with Tom and demonstrating your learned skills, this time as Tom runs behind you, dressed in 47 Ronin gear, and chases you with a Japanese sword while encouraging you in Japanese … or Mandarin, whichever language he’s feeling that day—his choice.
- No whining. There’s no whining in the Tom Cruise School of Running. Only sweating. And perfect hair.
Potential Tom Cruise School of Running Candidates
While I didn’t go back and examine every running scene in movie history, I did explore with some of the things I’ve seen. At my house, we get excited when we spot a potential candidate. It usually kicks off a series of movie quotes and giggles. It’s important to note, though, that this isn’t about gender or body size or body type or race or anything other than the techniques with which one moves his/her/their body. Here are a few potential candidates I’ve seen.
1. Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump
Why? Because he can “run like the wind blows” and he proves it in every single running scene in the movie. That boy was a runnin’ fool, and he displayed techniques very similar to Tom’s. I’d pay good money to watch Forrest Gump and Ethan Hunt in a foot race. In that kind of shape, Tom Hanks would kill it at the Tom Cruise School of Running. We might just go ahead and give him emeritus status.
2. Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in The Bourne franchise
Jason Bourne is a badass and, by default, so is Emeritus Matt Damon. We know from The Bourne Identity that at high altitudes, he “can run flat-out for a half mile” before his hands start shaking, and I bet even then he wouldn’t be winded. Damon not only has great runner’s form and technique, but he also has some pretty sweet parkour skills. Matt be nimble, Matt be quick, Matt is full of parkour tricks. No doubt he’d be a star at the Tom Cruise School of Running.
3. Sylvester Stallone & Carl Weathers in Rocky III
Sylvester Stallone and the late Carl Weathers as Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed would also be excellent candidates. At 50 seconds in, their beach training scenes in Rocky III are so exciting to watch, you can almost taste the salt in the air as they whisp by on screen. Stallone would teach some of the survey courses.
4. Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale
Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale goes without saying. His parkour chase scene is quite impressive and absolutely qualifies him to be a graduate of the TCSR.
5. Dylan O’Brien as Thomas in The Maze Runner franchise
This boy is a runnin’ fool, too. He clearly has the cardio and the endurance in the clip above from 2014’s Maze Runner movie. And his form and technique are there but are a little too loose; they need some work. O’Brien already makes a solid candidate and with some TCSR training, he’d make a worthy graduate.
6. Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune 2
Did you see this kid running atop the dunes in the sandworm scene in Dune: Part Two like he’s floating on air? Did you see those high arms and long legs? Yeah, he qualifies to be a candidate, and my guess is that after a wee bit more training, he’d give Tom a run for his money. Onward you go, Timothée.
7. Marcus Henderson as Walter (the gardener) in Get Out
I’m not sure there’s ever been a creepier running scene than Marcus Henderson darting straight for Daniel Kaluuya in 2017’s Get Out. Spectacular form. Man, he’d sail right through the Tom Cruise School of Running and leave a smokin’ trail of dust for others to follow.
8. Tom Holland in Uncharted
I love this kid in anything he’s in, but seeing his running scene in Uncharted blew my mind: parkour, parkour, parkour topped with speed and efficiency. Check it out above, starting at about 1:16. He’s a mini-Tom Cruise in the making and he’d no doubt be a teacher’s pet at the TCSR. He, too, would give Tom a run for his money.
9. Noomi Rapace, Prometheus
She’s tiny and mighty, and she does a fantastic job of sprinting in space gear in Prometheus. She needs some training, but she’d be a worthy candidate. So would Angelina Jolie in her Lara Croft and Salt days … maybe even these days, but who knows. Her long arms and legs yield high arms and knees, which yield that high cadence needed to keep up with the boss.
10. Ṣọpé Dìrísù as Elliot Carter/Finch in Gangs of London
Ṣọpé Dìrísù (pronounced Sho-pay) would make Tom proud as a fellow runner, if he hasn’t already. That’s a guarantee. In fact, he’s already been noted as a potential candidate for the next James Bond. He’s a worthy candidate based on his sprinting skills in Gangs of London, which are just as impressive as his fighting skills. And he’d make a killer James Bond. He’d be a TCSR favorite for sure.
Remember, these are just some potential candidates … for right now. I’m certain there are plenty more actors out there who’d qualify for the Tom Cruise School of Running, but for the sake of space, we’ll stop here. Who knows? Maybe one day we will get a Tom Cruise School of Running. Until then, we’ll just have to keep having fun tracking potential candidates. If you think you’ve seen one, follow us on X and let’s have some fun with it. #RunninFools
