In this comprehensive article, we’re diving into everything you need to know about finding the perfect cadence for running.
From understanding what a good cadence looks like and how to measure it, to discovering your ideal strike pattern and the age-old debate of high versus low cadence, we’ve got you covered.
Plus, we’ll share tips to improve and increase your running cadence, explore whether your cadence should change with speed, and highlight common mistakes to avoid.
Best of all, every point is backed by solid research.
So, what is a good cadence for running? Let’s get started!
What is a Good Cadence for Running?
First off,
What is Running Cadence?
Running cadence refers to the number of steps you take per minute, essentially how quickly your feet are hitting the ground. You might assume cadence is tied directly to your running speed, but here’s the twist: it operates independently.
Well, brace yourself because there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Research suggests that there’s no universal “perfect” cadence since it’s influenced by a mix of individual mechanics, anatomy, gait, and even height.
So, what’s the magic number for the best running cadence?
For instance, a study by Adam S. Tenforde and colleagues explored whether cadence is related to leg length and load rate. They found that taller runners tend to have a lower optimal cadence than shorter runners.
So, if you’ve got longer legs, you might naturally prefer a slightly lower cadence than a runner with short legs.
When it comes to gait, things get even more interesting. If you’re a heel striker, a lower cadence could lead to over-striding, which increases the impact on your joints.
By taking shorter, quicker steps, you can still make heel contact but in a way that’s more directly beneath your body, which reduces the ground reaction force and the braking force.
Now, if you’re an experienced runner, you likely have an intuitive sense of your optimal cadence, naturally gravitating toward it.
In fact, according to a study by Isabel S. Moore, experienced runners typically run within 3% of their mathematically optimal cadence without even thinking about it.
But if you’re a beginner runner, you probably haven’t yet developed an instinct for that optimal cadence. Don’t worry, we’ve got some guidelines to help you find your stride.
When I first got into running, the magic number everyone talked about was 180 steps per minute. It was the golden standard, the cadence that everyone was supposed to aim for. However, research has since shown that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all number.
For beginner runners, a good starting point is aiming for a cadence between 165 and 185 steps per minute. If you’re clocking in lower than 165, research by Brian Heiderschel and colleagues suggests that bumping up your cadence by 5-10% can improve your mechanics. This can reduce the workload on your body and decrease the strain on joints, particularly your knees.
If your cadence falls within the 160 to 170 range, you’re generally in a good spot. However, if you’re dealing with injuries or other issues, you might consider increasing your cadence slightly to see if it helps.
For those running at a cadence above 170, you’re likely already in a comfortable zone, and there’s usually no need to increase it further.
In general, most runners will find a comfortable and efficient stride somewhere between 165 and 185 steps per minute. But if you’re keen to get scientific and pinpoint your exact ideal cadence, there are some tests you can do. For that, you’ll need to hop on a treadmill and start experimenting…
Related: Talking about studies, here’s a new study that suggests 8 exercises to reduce running injuries.
How to Measure Your Cadence
For this, you can use a metronome app like Soundbrenner. You can tap the screen every single step that you make during your run and it’ll automatically just calculate what that metronome rhythm is.
On the treadmill, put the incline up to 1%, which kind of mimics the push-off that you get when running overground without a treadmill. Build up to a comfortable slow-ish running speed and tap the screen every single step that you make and see what your real-time cadence is.
Now we know how to measure your cadence, is there an ideal cadence that you need to strive for?
How to Find Your Ideal Cadence
I originally got this interesting spreadsheet from Dr. Izzy Moore who is a researcher, particularly into running, especially when it comes to cadence and running efficiency.
The spreadsheet suggests different cadences to run at and how the heart rate fluctuates with different cadences.
These are the results…
- At a cadence of 155, my heart rate was 155
- At a cadence of 165, my heart rate stayed at 155
- At a cadence of 170, my heart rate stayed at 152 (I became more efficient)
- At a cadence of 175-180, my heart rate jumped to 156-158
Do this test and see if you can find your ideal cadence. Comment on your average cadence prior to testing and exactly what your optimal cadence was found out after testing. I’d love to know.
If you don’t know what your usual cadence is, you can find it out easily by just recording your run with a fitness tracker. Once you upload your run, you’ll be able to see your average cadence throughout the session. The average steps per minute, or SPM, might be on there as well.
Just keep in mind that if you’re running consists of walking, then the average that it calculates will be inaccurate. If you did some walking intervals, you’ll need to go into the real-time cadence, into that section that you uploaded, and see during your running segments what the Cadence level reached during those running intervals.
Now, I’m going to help you with six tips if you’re struggling to increase your cadence along with some few mistakes runners make when trying to increase their running cadence.
Related: Research finds 5 new warm-ups for better running performance.
High vs. Low Running Cadence
I ran on a treadmill and here’s what you need to know…
Running at 150 beats per minute, my vertical displacement, which is how far up and down I’m traveling, is quite excessive compared to me running at 180 beats per minute where my up and down motion is just that little bit shorter, which tends to correlate to more efficiency.
So, running at 10 beats per minute is a less efficient way to run because we want most of our effort to go towards forward propulsion rather than moving up and down.
The other thing that’s related when moving up and down is you’re hitting the ground slightly harder. These ground reaction forces are believed to accumulate quite dramatically when running.
Heel Striking & Cadence
In terms of heel striking and how it relates to cadence, there was a study conducted by Bryan Heiderscheit and colleagues and the title of the study was ‘Effects of Step Rate Manipulation on Joint Mechanics during Running’
They took 45 healthy recreational runners and had them run at their natural cadence. They tried to do that 5-10% slower, 5-10% faster and then analyze what happens on the body still traveling at the same speed but just manipulating the cadence.
Let’s break the data down a little bit for you to understand the mechanics:
We have three different shades of color which indicate a cadence of -10% (a lower cadence), their preferred cadence, and then a +10% increase in their running cadence.
This is mainly talking about the vertical displacement or what they call COM Excursion (Center of Mass Excursion), which is just that up and down motion that I described before.
They say that if your cadence is 10% lower than you preferred, your amplitude is larger. If you increase your cadence, we can notice that the up and down displacement is shorter.
For heel strikers, if your cadence is 10% lower, there’s a greater distance between your center of mass and where you make contact with the ground.
This is what we call over-striding, which can potentially increase the amount of braking force you have on your body. There’s nothing wrong with contacting with the heel, however, the further in front of the center of mass, the more inefficient you become.
We can see that as you increase your cadence, that center of over-stride becomes shorter, which increases your efficiency.
The second piece of data that I want to investigate is the graph below…
Energy Absorbed & Generated
When you hit the ground, your body needs to absorb that load and the amount of energy that you generate, the push-off phase, and how much you’re producing during the running.
You can see that when you start to increase your cadence, the amount of energy that you have to absorb becomes less.
When you look at the energy that’s generated, you can see that we become more efficient. We’re still traveling at the same speed, but we’re not working as hard, increasing our efficiency.
If you can travel at the same speed and not use as much energy, you’re going to outperform all your competitors or outperform yourself when traveling in an ideal cadence.
This increases the unnecessary ground reaction force which we want to minimize as much as we can if our goal is to reduce our risk of injury.
Reducing your ground reaction force also makes you more efficient, meaning that I can run at the same speed and feel less tired, which overall contributes to better performance.
Want to boost your running cadence? Here are some practical tips to get you stepping quicker and running smoother!
How to Improve Running Cadence
Of course, the simplest way is just consciously take shorter steps.
#1. Use a Metronome
One of the easiest ways to adjust your cadence is by using a metronome app like Soundbrenner. Start by identifying your current cadence, then increase it by 10%. For example, if you’re at 160 steps per minute, aim for 176. Running in sync with the beat can help you find and maintain that ideal cadence.
#2. Use a Treadmill
A treadmill can be a helpful tool when working on your cadence. It allows you to control your speed precisely, making it easier to focus on increasing your step rate. Practice on the treadmill until you feel comfortable, then transition back to outdoor running with your new, improved cadence.
#3. Run Quieter & Softer
Running with a lower cadence increases your vertical amplitude, and sometimes, that can be quite obvious when listening to how someone runs. Increasing that cadence will minimize those excessive higher ground reaction forces. If you feel like you’re running quite loud, listen to how you’re running and try and run quieter and softer. Then, your cadence will naturally pick up.
#4. Speed Up Arm Swing
If adjusting your leg movement feels tricky when trying to increase your cadence, try speeding up your arm swing. Your arms and legs work together, so a quicker arm swing can help increase your leg turnover. This is especially useful for maintaining a higher cadence when you’re fatigued.
#5. Use a Watch or Apps
Many fitness watches and apps can track your cadence. Check your data during or after your runs to see how you’re doing. This can help you stay on target and make gradual adjustments as needed.
Here’s a video explaining how to use metronome in a Garmin watch:
And here’s how you can set cadence alerts to let you know whether you’re going too far off or going too high:
#6. Use Music
Music can be a great motivator and an easy way to keep your cadence on track rather than listening to a boring metronome. Just find songs with a beat per minute that matches your target cadence and you’re good to go.
Tip: Rather than dramatically increasing your speed to boost your cadence, make small adjustments of about 5%. This gradual approach helps you adapt without risking injury, and it won’t feel as awkward as a big change.
Now, let’s look at two common mistakes runners often make when trying to increase their cadence…
Mistakes to Avoid
#1. Increase Cadence by Increasing Speed
Again, your cadence should be independent of how fast you’re running. But a common mistake people make when trying to up their cadence is to simply run faster. The goal is to make your stride more efficient and to conserve energy, not to turn every run into a sprint.
Ever find yourself gasping for breath, thinking, “Wow, I’m really pushing it today,” only to check your watch later and realize you were moving way faster than planned? That’s a sign you might be confusing increasing cadence with increasing speed.
# 2. Jumping Straight to 180
We’ve all heard that magic number: 180 steps per minute. It’s like the holy grail of running cadence. But if you’re hanging out at 158, jumping straight to 180 can be too big of an adjustment. It’s awkward, uncomfortable, and just doesn’t feel right.
Instead, ease into it. Try increasing your cadence by just 5-10% at a time. Get used to that pace, see if it feels more efficient, and then maybe dial it up a notch.
You can increase your cadence by 10% but only do that for 30 to 60-second increments during your run. This way, you’re not overwhelming yourself with a completely new rhythm for the entire workout.
If you try to increase your cadence while maintaining your speed, but suddenly feel like you’re working a lot harder, you’re likely going too far too fast. It’s all about finding that sweet spot where your steps are quick, but your effort isn’t skyrocketing.
Now, you might be wondering, “Is there any point to all this? Can increasing my cadence help with injury treatment or prevention?”
The answer is a resounding yes! according to research, a higher cadence can help reduce the impact forces on your body, potentially lowering the risk of injuries down the line.
Let’s dive more into it…
Cadence & Injury
To understand how cadence affects your injury risk, let’s first revisit what typically causes running-related injuries.
Every part of your body—joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons—has a certain load capacity. Think of it like a bucket that can only hold so much before it overflows.
You can gradually increase this capacity through strength training and by slowly ramping up your training loads. The body adapts and gets stronger over time.
But if you suddenly dump too much into that bucket—like by increasing your mileage or intensity too quickly—you risk exceeding what your tendons, joints, and ligaments can handle. This mismatch between load and capacity is a major player in running injuries.
When it comes to cadence, research sheds some light on its role in injury prevention. Let’s dive into a couple of key studies…
First up, Amy G. Schubert’s research looked at how different cadences affect the body. Her study found that:
- Impact Forces:
“Running injuries may be associated with the magnitude and rate of impact force loading during the stance phase of running. Stride length and thereby stride rate or cadence can influence impact shock.”
In simpler terms, adjusting your cadence can help manage the forces your body endures with each step, potentially reducing the risk of injuries.
- Knee Mechanics:
When runners increased their step frequency, the study noted a “significantly more flexed knee at initial contact as well as less peak knee flexion during stance.”
This means that a higher cadence often results in a more flexible knee position upon landing, which might reduce stress on the knee.
- Center of Mass:
The study also found a “significant inverse relationship between step rate and center of mass vertical exertion.” In other words, as your cadence goes up, the vertical movement of your body’s center of mass decreases. This could potentially lessen the impact forces your body experiences.
So, if you’re thinking about tweaking your cadence to prevent injuries, remember: it’s all about finding that balance. Adjusting your cadence might help manage impact forces and reduce the stress on your joints, but it’s important to make gradual changes.
Let’s dive into some more research that sheds light on how adjusting your cadence can affect injury risk…
To illustrate how cadence changes impact your body, let’s reference, again, the study by Bryan C. Heiderscheit.
As your cadence increases say from -10% to +10% of your preferred rate, your center of gravity moves up and down more intensely at lower cadences.
This means a lower cadence generates more impact and is less efficient, while a higher cadence reduces this vertical movement.
Specifically, when you ramp up your cadence up to 10% above your usual rate, the energy absorbed by the knee decreases significantly. This reduction in knee stress could be a game-changer for injury prevention and recovery.
Another key study, “Step Frequency and Lower Extremity Loading During Running,” offers some eye-opening findings.
One notable illustration shows that increasing your cadence helps minimize vertical impact peaks and other ground reaction forces. Essentially, a higher cadence can reduce the force your joints have to absorb.
The study highlights in the discussion that increasing your step rate by 10-20% can significantly reduce joint loading. So, if you’re dealing with injuries or just want to minimize the risk of getting one, adopting a slightly higher cadence could be beneficial.
Final Takeaways
- Adjust Gradually:
If you find that your cadence is sub-optimal, you might want to increase it by 5 or 10% to reduce the overall loads on the body when you’re injured and when you’re not injured.
If you are injured, you can try increasing your cadence to see if that helps with symptoms, but the effects should be immediate and quite profound.
Should Running Cadence Change With Speed
A study by Tim W. Dorn and colleagues titled “Muscular Strategy Shift in Human Running Dependence on Running Speed on Hip and Ankle Muscle Performance” explored how different running speeds affect muscle force requirements, cadence, and stride length. Here’s a breakdown of their findings:
Cadence and Stride Length at Varying Speeds
The study gathered data showing how cadence and stride length change as running speed increases.
Notably, even at the lowest speeds they tested, which were still relatively fast compared to what many recreational runners might experience, there were observable changes in both cadence and stride length.
One significant finding is that with a large increase in speed—jumping from a 4:46 minute/mile pace to a 3:12 minute/mile pace—cadence only increased by about 10%.
This suggests that to run faster, the body doesn’t primarily rely on increasing cadence. Instead, it extends stride length, taking bigger steps to cover more ground at the same step frequency.
When sprinting, the body reaches a point where it can’t extend the stride length any further. At this point, the primary adjustment is an increase in cadence. The stride length stays relatively constant, but the steps per minute ramp up significantly to achieve the higher speeds.
Key Takeaways
The study suggests that:
- Cadence Changes Minimally:
Across most running speeds, cadence doesn’t change dramatically. The primary adjustment for increasing speed is in stride length.
- Stride Length as a Speed Driver:
At slower to moderate speeds, stride length is the main factor in running faster. It’s only when reaching sprinting speeds that cadence starts to play a more significant role.
After considering the findings on cadence and speed, here are a couple of practical steps you can take to refine your running technique:
1. Review Your Workouts:
Go back through your workout data and analyze the cadences recorded during different types of runs. Specifically, compare your cadence during slow runs to that during long runs. Note any significant differences.
2. Identify Potential Cadence Adjustments:
- Condition 1: Cadence Below 165 in Slow Runs
If you find that your cadence drops below 165 during slow runs, this could be a sign of inefficient running form. A low cadence might indicate that you’re overstriding or running “sloppily.”
In this case, consider increasing your cadence. A higher cadence can promote a more efficient stride and reduce the risk of injury.
- Condition 2: Cadence Discrepancy Greater Than 10%
Compare the cadence from your slow runs to your fast runs, such as your 5k pace. If the cadence difference exceeds 10%, this discrepancy may suggest a need for adjustment.
The goal is to bring these two extremes closer together, ideally within a 5-8% range. If your slow run cadence is significantly lower, work on increasing it to create a more consistent cadence across different paces.
Implementation Tips
- Incremental Changes:
If you decide to increase your cadence, do so gradually. Sudden large changes can lead to discomfort or even injury. Aim for small adjustments of 5-10% and give your body time to adapt.
- Monitor Progress:
Keep track of your cadence changes and how they affect your running efficiency and comfort. Use your running watch or app to monitor these metrics over time.
Wrap Up
Understanding and adjusting your running cadence can significantly enhance your efficiency and reduce injury risk.
Research indicates that while cadence may not change drastically with speed, a more consistent stride rate can optimize your running mechanics.
By analyzing your workouts and making gradual adjustments—especially if your cadence drops below 165 or varies by more than 10% between slow and fast runs—you can improve your running form and performance.
Remember, small, mindful changes can lead to substantial benefits, helping you run smoother and safer.
We hope this guide has helped you understand the importance of a good running cadence. Our goal is to elevate your running knowledge so you can minimize injury risks, recover from existing injuries, and enhance your performance safely.
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