PERFECT RUNNING FORM: Running Cadence, Simplified

Here's what you need to know about your running cadence, why it matters, and how you can improve it to achieve the perfect running form for your body. Running cadence has a direct impact on your stride length, posture and risk of running injuries, and it's easy to improve.

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ABOUT ME: I'm James Dunne, a runner, sports rehabilitation therapist (similar to physical therapist) and coach based in the UK (Norwich and London).

Since 2007 I've been working with athletes focusing specifically on helping distance runners and triathletes overcome injury and improve performance through developing their individual running technique.

Running biomechanics and physical therapy are real passions of mine. I love to help runners run strong and stay injury free.

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links included in the description above are affiliate links. If you purchase a product with the links that I provide I may receive a commission. There is no additional charge to you, and is an easy way for you to support the channel. Thank you!

#Running #JamesDunne #Fitness

[JamesDunne]

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[ceciliadoyle]

I watched a previous video about cadence and it helped me quite a bit. I’m a slow runner and it felt so hard. Picking up my cadence helps me feel lighter on my feet and made running more enjoyable. This video is a great reminder for me to keep working on cadence. I may never run at the front of the pack but I’m no longer at the back!

[TheWeightliftingTriathlete]

Great video. I learnt the hardway about cadence and stride length due to a recent injury of medial tibial stress syndrome (basically shinsplints) which occurred badly in my left leg. I think it was due to being out of shape, trying too much too soon, and then over striding. I've taken 3 weeks off so far and feel much better, another 1-2 weeks and I'll probably start with 2-3 minute runs to build back up.

[Wings_nut]

Speed = cadence x stride length. To increase speed, maintain cadence & increase stride length. Conversely, maintain stride length & increase cadence.

[abrock]

Using a metronome is a great tip. I use it occasionally and honestly is almost like a meditation exercise instead of something boring.

[chilloutvibesforyou]

If you want to know your 'natural' cadence, run bare-foot for a while at different speeds. Ideally run on grass on a slight incline.

[Devincoplan]

My cadence is 190-200 at 10 minute miles, maybe because I’m short?

[geofftoscano]

I must be an exception to the rule, but I don’t feel it. I have a natural cadence of 188-190, and it never varies regardless of my pace over any distance, though it can vary when I change pace or accelerate, say up hills, but then it settles back down to ‘normal’. I’m now over 70 and my 5k time is only just under 30 minutes, but I have records of cadence going back around 10 years, and my cadence then was exactly the same, but at around 22-23 minutes for 5k. Same for half marathons, which is my longest distance. I’ve actually tried ways of reducing my cadence, but each time I find myself going back to where I’ve always been comfortable.

[Raucherbeinknacker]

I see cadence as the result and not as the cause for good techniqe. Every Change may result in injury or current structural overload, or maybe feel hard or wrong even if it's the best. Wrong things can feel very right and many faults you perhaps don't detect, don't even think of. But if you finally do it right, then you understand and feel and everything fits together. For me even running at high paces didn't help me to get to the proper high pace mechanics...
I had to find the missing parts and mistakes, then, listen, then my cadence went approx. 10s/m up with each of 3 major adaptions!
I used midfoot mainly, also forefoot (in former years extremely, but don't like it anymore) and resorted to heel strike also on parts of my runs.
But even using midfoot and also with a quite upright fwd tilted posture and stride beneath c.o.m. and all that, I didn't catch the elastic recoil. I was running with a little to much bent knees, that was not stiff enough to provide elastic recoil.
I also admit that I had to speed up my cadence for to fix that, but I had to speed it and change the movement in a dwd directed way and time it correctly.
I knew how to try because I knew what I was looking for!
When adjusted, I felt a recoil like I never felt before, that was the real deal then. The cadence went over 160.
To really get full advantage of that new recoil I straightened my lower back yet a little more, it was only an inch of adjustment, but: Automatically my cadence went to 170. No bull. The recoil was fully transferred yet to my body.
Later I tried how to apply momentum of hips and legs and that was crucial also. When using more hip momentum, my legs became a little easy and relaxed and my heels began to swing up freely.
Before I would have to fight tense quads to bring them up. Dispensing more hip momentum will dramatically change the lower mechanics!
An easy way to try this is to run like sb pushes you from behind, so your legs are pulling less and the pelvis is like hauling over.
I think before I tried and applied this it was like my pelvis was the following part and the legs the leading part. But with more hip movement the impulse comes from the pelvis to the legs, and not other way around. This is changing the way your automatic muscle reflexes work in your legs.
To be honest, by only focusing on cadence, I wouldn't have made all these discoveries.
But refining the technique led me to a dramatic higher cadence without sth like shortening steps or only hastening the gait.
And the hip momentum, this is like a real subtle thing, many good runners maybe apply it the right way just by their nature without experimenting.
But if there is a problem or call it a lack, then it must be identified as such.

[rick-yo]

Please “show” us with accurate visuals rather than just “ talk” about it. Many running channels just show incorrect running form using stock footage.

[Seanonyoutube]

The notion that faster cadence equals less wear and tear makes no sense to me. Walking creates a lot less wear and tear than running, and yet the time on the ground is way longer than any running. A shuffle like plod means more contact time, but it also means that i’m not hitting the ground with as much force either - basically it’s more similar to a fast walk. I find I pick up MORE injuries, not less, when I pick up my cadence. That springy action creates a lot of stress on the ankles and knees compared to the more gentle landing of a slow plod. Just my 2c.

[francesoliver]

My cadence is much slower since I switched to low heart rate training. Is this attributable to the zone 2 walk breaks?