There’s a myth in running that 180 steps per minute is the ideal running cadence.
Learn why that’s wrong, and what to aim for instead.
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ultrarunner and running coach
Heres whyand whats a better goal to aim for instead.
The instigator: Jack Daniels
No, notthatJack Daniels!
Its easy to follow (just get to this number!)
Increasing cadence for beginner and intermediate runners can be quite helpful because it limits overstriding.
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That is a disadvantaged positionthe muscles cannot absorb as much force.
Instead, that force then travels into the knee, she says.
ultrarunner and running coach
What Daniels observed is that fast runners tend to take more steps per minute, which seems obvious.
But instead of the takeaway becoming a relative oneincrease your cadenceit became a static onehit 180 spm.
That coach would be laughed at because its inherently ridiculous.
You cant set standards for the average population based on the subset that is best at it.
Yet thats exactly whats happened in running.
Is there a better strategy to follow?
Themost-proven methodfor effectively improving cadence is to work on increasing your steps per minute by five to 10 percent.
In other words, you might reap these benefits without having to work much harder.
What do these numbers actually look like?
Keep in mind that adopting any new running strategy wont be a straightforward process.
If there are certain runs where you arent quite hitting your mark, thats okay!
Some coaches recommend focusing on cadence during just one run per week.
With regular practice, it will begin to feel more natural.
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