Do you know what cadence means?
Cadence refers to the number of strides you do per minute when you run. There are some researches pointing out that a higher cadence leads to less impact load on your joints.
The higher the cadence, more steps per minute. The lower the cadence, less steps per minute.
I would like to make an analogy, before explaining the technical benefits of an ideal cadence, to help you understanding how you could benefit from a higher cadence when running.
Think about walking in a slippery surface (Canadians know it very well because of the winter Lol). When you step on ice, you automatically tend to reduce the length of your strides and the amount of pressure you put on the ground (reducing the ground contact time). That gives you better stability and control. That’s it, you increased your cadence!
Cadence reduces contact time between your foot and the floor. That means less effort to move forward and, probably, leads to a better running form.
When you increase cadence, your stride length reduces. Landing closer to the center of gravity of your body helps absorbing better the impact forces decreasing the stress on your knees and hips.
There is no ideal cadence, as everyone is different, but professionals tend to run at 180 strides per minute average. Knowing that, the most important is trying a few different cadences and find what makes you feel more comfortable.
Sometimes it is hard to figure out how many strides per minute you are doing when you run. Try this exercise: set up a metronome (there are apps for that) at different cadences, 165, 170, 175, 180 for example, and follow the beats per minute as you run. Pay attention on how you feel with each one and find which is the most comfortable cadence for you.
You might even find out that your cadence is too high, so try reducing a little bit if that feels more comfortable.
Try this exercise and share you experience.
Let me know if you have any questions. I’m here to help!
MD Coach
(BA Ph.Ed, Certified Running Coach)