Although many runners will have heard that running at 180 steps per minute is ideal, the truth is that optimal cadence is specific to each individual and varies with your speed.
To run faster we increase our stride length and our cadence. To run much faster the contribution of increasing stride length will be greater as we quickly max out on leg turnover. These increases are neither linear nor the same for every runner.
When health professionals and coaches get runners to increase their cadence they are usually trying to reduce how hard a runner lands on their heel, or reduce the vertical and horizontal loading rates thought to cause shin splints, knee and hip pain.
Runners with a very slow or fast cadence may benefit from increasing or decreasing their cadence to improve how they recycle energy stored in their soft tissues— essentially optimizing their stretch and recoil in their Achilles tendon. It is important to note that changes to your run form take time and, in fact, initially those changes can make your run feel harder until adaptation has occurred.
One way to mitigate that is isolating those shifts. Rather than specifically trying to change your cadence, for example, you may get the same benefits through drill sets, strides and intervals.
There are two times when we all might benefit from increasing our cadence: on uphills (as this will reduce how far we lift each foot and may make the hills easier to climb) and on technical trails (making you more sure-footed and less likely to injure yourself).
Key Points:
- Cadence varies considerably between individuals.
- Increasing your run cadence may decrease the braking impulse if you are heel striker and reduce the likelihood of shin splints, hip and knee pain.
- Changing from your preferred run cadence will feel harder until you have adapted to your new run form—this should be done after discussion with your coach or the very knowledgeable staff at The Runners Academy
- Working on other areas of your run economy through drills and fast running (strides/intervals) may be a better option to changing your cadence.