The Silly-Looking Drill That Could Save Your Tendons

October 29, 2025 | By DLake

Video

You’re probably skipping… skipping. Yes, that really fun thing you would do when you were four years old to travel around your tiny world.

And skipping… skipping is why your strides feel awkward, your form drills break you, and your speed work leaves your tendons whimpering, “we are not ready!”

If you’ve ever had Achilles, plantar fascia, or calf issues, you know this scenario: one wrong workout/shoe choice/surface, and you’re in the injury twilight zone. Four weeks off fast running becomes eight — then a year later, you’re still checking in like, “Does it hurt today?”

For me, it meant no sprinting. Strides were risky, spikes were a no-go, and even concrete felt like a sketchy idea. I learned to work around it, like cross-training, running on soft surfaces (grass, the track, dirt trails), 12mm high shoes, and had very little fun.

Then I found skipping again.

It started with a ​Huberman Lab episode—sprint coach Stu McMillan​ broke down how skipping is the bridge between jogging and sprinting. It builds rhythm, coordination, tendon health, expression, and it’s low-risk primarily. I tried it the next day and was like, “yoooooooo… this is that thing.”

It had the bounce of plyos, the timing of strides, and it didn’t make my Achilles angry. It gave me back speed, safely, and, more importantly, I think it felt fun again.

Now I skip before runs, before lifting weights, and sometimes do them as a precaution instead of strides if my body is feeling slightly worn down.

How to Start Skipping (Starter Workout)

Do this workout 2x per week before a run or strength session. Keep it playful, expressive, and short. The dose is in the poison

1 Round:

• 50% skips 3 times per leg alternating (6 total) or 10 meters
• Walk back
• 75% effort skips 4 times per leg, alternative (8 total) or 15 meters
• Walk back
• 90% full expression and focusing on the pop and elastic snap with the least ground contact time
• Immediately stride out 15 meters

Tips:

• Keep foot contact light + fast
• Stay tall with relaxed arms
• Stop if anything feels off — this should feel bouncy, not brutal
• Progress this with longer skips or more sets in total (do two sets after 2-3 weeks, then three sets for a full workout if you’re feeling spicy).
• Advance to strides, wind-ups, sprints and more with this.

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