Have you heard the term ‘cadence’ and never really understood what it means? If so, you’re not alone – especially if you’re new to the running world. To help you get up to speed, this beginner’s guide to cadence will explain what it is, why it’s important and how learning to ‘run light’ with a higher cadence can do wonders for your running performance and efficiency.
What is cadence in running?
Cadence – also known as stride length – is the number of steps per minute (SPM) you take, whether you’re running, jogging or walking. Finding your cadence is simple: grab a stopwatch, locate a straight, flat path or stretch of ground and count the number of steps you take upon it within a minute. Many GPS running watches measure your cadence, too, so this is another way to track your SPM.
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What is a ‘good’ cadence?
For decades, we’ve been told that the optimum running cadence is 180 SPM. This benchmark derived from legendary running coach Jack Daniels, who studied the turnover rates of elite runners competing in the 1984 Olympics. He deduced that these runners had a cadence of at least 180 SPM – with some even hitting 200 SPM – which is why 180 quickly became known as the target SPM among pro and amateur runners alike.
What affects your cadence?
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Despite Daniels’ influential findings, more recent research suggests that the average cadence is much more varied, with one study showing that the cadence of elite runners in one race ranged from to 155 to 203 SPM.
It makes sense, then, that the cadence of everyday runners should vary as well. While 180 SPM remains a good goal, factors including your height, weight, running ability and even footwear can affect your cadence. For example, taller runners generally have a lower cadence than shorter runners, as they typically take longer strides.
Why is cadence important?
Your cadence affects your ground contact time, which is essentially how long your foot stays in contact with the ground with each stride. The longer your ground contact time, the lower your cadence – and the longer you’re engaging and putting pressure on your joints and muscles. This, in turn, can negatively affect your running mechanics and increase your risk of injury. By contrast, a shorter ground contact time means a higher cadence, better running form and less stress on your body.
To demonstrate this, try walking a small stretch with large, overreaching steps – in other words, with a long ground contact time. As you move, you’ll start to feel all the effort you’re forcing on the joints and muscles in your legs. Then, try the opposite and walk the same stretch with shorter, faster steps. While you’ll find that this increases the effort on your cardiovascular system – causing your heart rate and breathing to become more rapid – your legs won’t feel the same level of exertion and impact.
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Beginner runners are more likely to have a lower cadence and longer ground contact time. So, if you’re just starting out with running and want to stay injury-free, it’s particularly important to think about the speed of your steps early on.
How can you increase your cadence?
If you’re a beginner runner, you may find that your cadence will naturally increase as you become more consistent and (quite literally) get into your stride with the sport. But, to really boost your SPM, there are various things you can consciously incorporate into your training as well. Sam Murphy, RW’s resident running expert, has shared five of the best things you can do to up your cadence while running:
- Focus on picking up your foot with each step, not on putting it down.
- Count the number of steps you take in one minute, without trying to control anything. Then, run for another minute and try to increase that number of steps by 5%. So, if you counted 160 steps for the first minute, try to hit 168 for the next minute.
- Shorten your running stride by landing with your foot beneath you, not out in front of you on a straight leg (as you would while walking). This will also prevent you from overstriding.
- To help to instil a faster rhythm, use a metronome or metronome app (set at 170-185) to perform some bouncing drills and running on the spot before you set off for your run. You could even listen to faster-paced music to help you squeeze in more steps per minute.
- Think fast and light!
How does cadence affect your speed?
A happy consequence of improving your cadence is that, more likely than not, you’ll become a faster runner as well over time. By following Murphy’s advice and building short intervals into your training over a period of several weeks, you’ll gradually attune your legs to a higher turnover and acclimatise yourself with speedier running.
In short, by increasing running cadence, you’ll oil your running mechanics and become a faster, more efficient runner who is less likely to find themselves on hold with an injury – and that’s certainly not something to sniff at.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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