Sept. 8, 2026
Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu
Video by Eric Kiekeben
Being Truman the Tiger is hard work.
Between racing down the sidelines, knocking out pushups after every touchdown and keeping more than 60,000 fans energized, game day requires strength, stamina and plenty of Mizzou spirit.
Fortunately, Truman has some experts in his corner.
Faculty in Mizzou’s College of Health Sciences are using the sport science principles that are applied to athletes to help Truman prepare for the rigors of the job.
“Mascots are performers, but they’re also athletes in many ways,” said Jacob Linn, assistant teaching professor of physical therapy. “When you look closely at what Truman does on game day, the physical demands are substantial.”
Training for game day
Before developing a training plan for Truman, Linn started with a needs analysis, a common sport science approach used to identify the physical requirements of a specific activity.
In Truman’s case, those demands are anything but ordinary. He needs the endurance to stay energized throughout a game, the upper-body strength to power through pushups after every touchdown and the mobility to keep movements fluid and expressive. Balance and coordination are equally important when navigating crowds, stairs and other unpredictable environments.
Then there’s Truman’s head. Weighing roughly 10 to 15 pounds, it shifts the body’s center of mass and places additional strain on the neck, shoulders and core, making movement more challenging than it might appear from the stands.
“The goal is to understand what the activity requires and then prepare for it,” he said. “That’s what we do for athletes, and the same values apply here.”
Using concepts taught in Mizzou’s sport science curriculum, Linn designed training around those specific requirements with an emphasis on injury prevention. It’s the same approach Mizzou students learn to use when preparing athletes and others for the physical demands of sports, work and everyday life.
Strength for whatever comes next
Truman is celebrating his 40th birthday on Sept. 13.
Tigers, of course, age exceptionally well. For the rest of us, reaching 40 can be a good reminder to think about the strength and mobility we want to maintain in the decades ahead.
Stephen Ball, Curators’ Distinguished Professor with the College of Health Sciences and director of Mizzou’s Stay Strong, Stay Healthy program, said the same strategies that help prepare Truman for game day can help people stay strong and active as they age.
“Forty is often an age when people begin noticing that maintaining strength and fitness requires a little more attention than it did in their twenties,” Ball said. “But it’s no different. You must train for what you want your body to be able to do. For most people, that means being strong enough to carry groceries, climb stairs, play with children and grandchildren or continue enjoying favorite activities for decades to come.”
That’s the idea behind Stay Strong, Stay Healthy, an evidence-based program offered through MU Extension that helps adults improve their strength, flexibility and balance. While many participants are older adults, Ball said building and maintaining strength is important throughout adulthood.
“As we get older, strength becomes increasingly important,” Ball said. “The sooner people begin thinking about it, the better positioned they’ll be later in life.”
Truman’s training needs may be unique, but the goal is the same: Build the strength you need to keep doing what you love. Whether that’s firing up 60,000 Tiger fans or keeping up with your grandchildren, Mizzou experts are helping people prepare for what comes next.
