Cadence — could it be the key to improving your running performance?
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Loading... - Lucas Wilson
- 25 May 2022
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A few years ago, ABC Sport produced a digital breakdown of the science of running.
By comparing an Olympic runner with an amateur, we broke down the biomechanics of running and discovered how the position of the whole body contributes to our running style and efficiency.
The idea was to help amateur runners become more efficient during their weekly 5-kilometre parkrun.
The advice from the experts boiled down to this:
- Run tall, be light, and don't sink
- Keep your hips high and don't stick out your bum
- Kiss the ground, don't bash it
- And don't think about your feet
That last one was the counter-intuitive message from podiatrist Richard Windybank.
For a foot guy, he wasn't worried about whether runners landed on their heel, midfoot or forefoot. He was more concerned about the body's overall position.
But there was another tip which couldn't be entirely removed from the "don't think about your feet" mantra, which was to shorten your strides by increasing your stride frequency. Or, as runners say, increasing your cadence.
Slightly increasing the number of steps taken per minute is something that many running coaches say recreational athletes could do to improve their running efficiency. With practice, it can help them run faster.
There is also some evidence that runners who improve their cadence can reduce injuries by decreasing the pressure on joints.
So why does cadence effect performance?
Let's go back to look at what we do when we run. Once again our guide will be Dr Aaron Beach, a lecturer in exercise and sport science at Macquarie University.
Each time we touch the ground, there's a brief moment of braking when that foot suddenly stops.
Dr Beach explains it's a bit like slamming on the brakes of your bike. Do it hard enough and your momentum will send you flying over the handlebars.
Each time we land, our centre of gravity shifts over that leg on the ground. But the further forward the leg lands, the heavier the braking force that's applied.
"If you land too far in front of you, you're increasing the amount of braking force, or force coming back towards your body that's slowing you down", Dr Beach said.
It’s what we do naturally when we run down a steep hill to stay in control.
So, we do need some braking force, but not too much.
"Ideally you want as minimal breaking force and as much vertical force to keep your momentum moving forward," Dr Beach said.
It's why running coaches talk about trying to land your foot under your hips.
"The idea of having your foot underneath you means that you've got your body weight a little bit closer to the contact point, so there's more chance of your momentum carrying you forward over the foot rather than the foot being further out," Dr Beach said.
One way to keep your landing foot under you is to increase the number of steps you take each minute (SPM).
The idea is that by slightly increasing your cadence, your stride length will naturally shorten. That means you won't be stretching out as far when you land your front foot.
"The more steps you do in a minute, the less time you spend with your foot on the ground," Dr Beach said.
"By forcing your foot to be on the ground less it's encouraging you to get off the heel and bring the steps a lot closer."
Better biomechanics, less energy, finer form
Running coach, triathlete and personal trainer Sarah Watson teaches her clients to be conscious of their cadence.
"For your everyday runner – you want to go outside your comfort zone and you're going to see benefits when you start to increase your cadence," she said. Read More...
