Heather: How fast do your feet move when you're running? Have you even ever given that any
thought? Well, today I'm going to be looking at cadence, otherwise, known as strides per
minute, covering, what it is, why it matters, and how to improve yours?
[music] Cadence is simply the number of strides you
take per minute. A lot of smartwatches will automatically measure that, but just be aware,
they quite often take just one foot, so just your left or just your right foot per minute.
That would be if you get a number somewhere between say 70 and 90, you just simply need
to double it to get your actual strides per minute.
Yes, this can be referred to as SPM or cadence or strides per minute, it's all interchangeable.
If you don't have a smartwatch, but you want to work out your strides per minute, it's
pretty simple, you just need to count how many strides you take over a 60-second period.
[music] Now, we know how to find our cadence. How
do we know if it's good or not? Well, this is a difficult one as there is no solid perfect
answer, but a 180 strides per minute has often been that target for runners. This comes from
studies in elite long-distance runners, who tend to have an average of around 180 strides
per minute. We do need to remember when looking at this number that most of us aren't elite
long-distance runners, so we're unlikely to be running as fast as them, and it is an average,
and there's obviously going to be outliers either side of that.
That said, a lot of us could benefit with increasing our cadence, even if just by a
few strides per minute, as a low cadence is often associated with overstriding, and with
that, comes a dominant heel strike, and normally a slower or longer ground contact time, which
can, in turn, lead to injuries as you're putting more impact up through your joints, plus,
you're going to be a less efficient runner. If you do want more detail on the running
gait and foot strike, then, do check out our video on how to run properly. Back to cadence,
you've realized that you could benefit from increasing your strides per minute. That's
great, but how? Well, I've got a selection of drills here that will get you moving your
feet faster and have them spending less time on the ground.
[music] To start off, very simple, just jogging on
the spot nice and easy. Then, for 10 seconds, I want you to move your feet as fast as you
can, and remember to pump your arms really fast as well, as if your arms are moving fast,
your feet will naturally follow. Have a rest, recover, and then, repeat it again. This is
exaggerating, over the top speed with your strides per minute. Then, you can progress
this out to actually covering some distance. Set out a distance of say around 10 meters.
It doesn't need to be exact. I want you to run that distance pretty fast, but concentrating
on, most importantly, moving those feet as fast as you can. Again, recover and repeat
it. If you do maybe have some paving stones or some natural lines on the ground, then,
great. You can even use those to practice touching each one and just getting those feet
moving really fast. If you're really lucky and maybe you've got
some equipment at hand, then, one of those step ladders or mini hurdles are an even a
better way reiterating that fast feet. Skipping with a rope is another great drill because
you're going to find it pretty hard to skip well when having really heavy, slow feet.
Literally, just do 30 seconds of light skipping. Concentrate on making it as fast as you can
manage. Put your skipping rope down, and go jog for 30 seconds or so. Come back and then
repeat it again. [music]
When you're actually out running, there are a few aids that can help remind you of your
cadence. The first one is rather nice. Download some music that's at the rate of your strides
per minute you want to hit. You'll be amazed at what difference that can make, because
it's quite a subconscious thing that you'll just find naturally your cadence is probably
going to match that music, if it's close to where you would normally be.
Not quite as pleasant, but probably as effective is a metronome. You could simply download
a buzzer or something on your phone that's just going to beep in your ear every time
you need your right or your left foot to touch the ground. Maybe not as sociable, but if
you do want something that's a bit more sociable, and you've got a selection of runner friends,
then, try to run with someone who's got a slightly quicker cadence than you.
You quite often find, again, subconsciously, that you will start to match their stride
pattern. I've got a few friends who have a very similar cadence too, and it's quite soothing
to run at that pace. I find when Fraser and I are doing a long steady run, we have quite
a similar run pattern too, and it just feels quite natural and nice. Another thing is if
there's some little steps or something that's in the natural terrain of where you're running,
some short, sharp steps are a great way to pick up in the middle of your run and do some
quick, snappy fast feet, or even incorporate a drill into a long run.
Like I said earlier, there is no perfect number as we all run in different ways and at different
speeds. I thought it'd be interesting to have a little comparison between Mark, Fraser,
and myself. Those guys have given me their numbers for a 5K. Their strides per minute
for a hard 5K, Mark came in at 170 strides per minute, Fraser a 180, and then, I was
in the middle with 176, which doesn't really support any theories at the moment.
Then, I also compared our long steady runs. Mark came in at around a 162, Fraser, a 165,
and myself at a 170. Now, that makes more sense since my legs are shorter, and, therefore,
I'm likely to take a quicker stride as a result. Finally, I thought we'd compare something
over a race distance that's hillier, and the boys have given me their results from Norseman
and Celtman respectively. I've used my results from Comrades, which, admittedly, is a bit
different, and it shows in these numbers here, because Mark at Norseman took a 146 strides
per minute on average for his marathon, Fraser was very close, a 145 in Celtman.
Now, you have to bear in mind that both of those guys were running at the end of a triathlon
having already swum and biked, and it was incredibly hilly and offroad, because my Comrades
Marathon, which was 87K of running and it was uphill, I actually still had a stride
length of 172. That just goes to show the difference that a terrain can make, and also,
the type of race it is. Following on from that, I want to quickly
address some of the factors that could contribute to the variety in strides per minute between
different runners. You've got your running experience. How much running you've been doing,
how long you've been running for, and to what level? The type of running that you're doing,
what you're training for. Are you training for an ultra marathon or trying to break your
PB over a 5k? That's going to make a big difference. Then, you've got the terrain that you're running
on, uphill, downhill, flat, that will make a difference, as well what's actually underfoot.
If you're running on something really soft and heavy compared to say asphalt. Age and
weight will of course affect your gait, as will height, but more importantly, your length
of your legs, as the longer your legs are, the more likely to have a longer stride, and,
therefore, a lower cadence. Finally, speed, as the faster you run, you've
either got to have a longer stride or a faster stride rate, or a combination of both. As
you can see, a lot of those factors can't even be changed. There's no point in chasing
a cadence that's completely unattainable or just too unnatural for yourself. After all,
we're basically just all trying to become more efficient runners.
Focus on what's going to be the optimum cadence for you, and work towards that. On that note,
please don't get too obsessed with the number on your watch for your cadence, whilst you're
actually running. If you're continually looking at your watch, then, you're not going to find
any rhythm, and you'll ruin your running efficiency. After all, that is what we're trying to improve.
Instead, just practice the drills, and then, try and relax when you're out running. I know
that's easier said than done. You can analyze the numbers once you're home. Think about
how that run felt, look at your cadence, and then, compare that to your next run, and you'll
soon start to realize what's going to be working for you and what your optimum is. If you do
start to actually incorporate these drills on a regular basis, then, I'm pretty sure
you will see a change in your cadence. If this has been helpful, well, give us a
like, and do let us know what you find works for you. We love to hear from you guys. You
can do that in the comment section below. Remember, you can check out all of our social
media channels, give them a follow, and do subscribe to our YouTube channel too.
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