The Speed Lab Podcast Stuart McMillan: Strength Training, Braking Forces, Sprinting
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Sep 10, 2025 
Stuart McMillan, Co-founder and CEO of ALTIS, is a leading authority on speed and strength in sports. He delves into evolving coaching philosophies, emphasizing the importance of individual athlete variability and complex systems. Stuart discusses the significance of leadership and purposeful structures in team dynamics. He shares insights on reflexive eccentrics and their impact on performance, the value of learning from outlier athletes, and the integration of complexity science in training. Plus, he highlights the upcoming Grand Cayman Team Speed Event, promising rich discussions and practical insights.
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Reductionism Limits Team Performance
- Stuart finds most professional teams operate reductionistically, focusing on parts rather than purpose and patterns.
- Bigger teams often add metrics and complexity, making true understanding and improvement harder.
Oval Days With Jump Mats And Barbell Loads
- Stuart recounts early work with Matt Jordan using a jump mat and barbell loads as crude but practical data.
- They tested hundreds of athletes daily and learned relationships between load and adaptation by repeated measures.
Jump Strategy Outperformed Barbell Metrics
- Concentric strength metrics often poorly predicted on-field performance compared with jump strategy and coordination.
- Athletes who showed better jump strategy and force attenuation tended to perform better in sport.
