Do You Need to Increase Your Running Cadence?

Generally when it comes to running form I like to follow the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. In other words, if you are running well and are not dealing with any injuries then it’s probably not worth messing with your running form. However, running cadence is one area that can be tweaked to potentially help make some improvements in your running with low risk to creating a new problem. So how do you know if you need to increase your running cadence?

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Do You Need to Increase Your Running Cadence?

Your cadence is low

Many runners have heard that 180 steps per minute is the ideal running cadence. However, cadence is not a one size fits all and will vary between runners and will even vary from one run to the next. Your cadence on an easy run will be slower than your cadence on a faster run.

Most running watches measure your cadence so it can be pretty simple to look at your data. If you scroll through and see that your cadence is lower than 165 steps per minute, or rarely gets above 170, it may be worth trying to increase your cadence. These numbers are just a general guideline to remind you that your cadence does not need to be at 180!

You have injuries

If you have a running injury and are working with a PT, ask them about increasing your running cadence as you return to running. If you are someone that constantly has minor nagging injuries it may be worth checking your cadence and trying to increase it a bit.

A 2021 study in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy found that increasing cadence by an average of 7% in an outdoor setting resulted in a decrease in peak impact force during the run. By reducing the peak impact force there may be a potential to reduce overuse injuries in runners.

You feel like your running has plateaued

There are many factors that can impact running, from stress to sleep to what shoes you wear. Running economy is a measure of how efficiently a runner uses energy while running, or the amount or oxygen used at a given speed. More efficient runners have better running economy, which essentially means it will feel easier to run faster at the same pace as someone with a lower running economy.

Increasing running cadence can be one way to improve running economy, especially if you have already worked on other aspects of your running and are feeling stuck. By increasing your cadence you can potentially have a more efficient stride, making running feel easier.

You tend to overstride

Overstriding is when your foot lands out in front of your knee during the gait cycle. This can increase impact forces on areas such as the knees, hips, and back, increasing the chances of an overuse injury developing.

Some runners confuse overstriding with heel striking; while overstriding may make heel striking more likely, changing your heel strike alone won’t necessarily fix overstriding.

However, increasing running cadence can help with overstriding. When you increase your cadence you naturally take smaller steps at the same pace, leading to less overstriding and your foot landing closer to your body. Try taking videos of yourself running at different speeds and with different cadences to see the difference!

Stay tuned for more information about how to increase your cadence!

Have you ever tried to increase your running cadence?

You may also like:
Running Strides: Why And How To Include Them In Your Training
Running Drills to Help Improve Your Running Form
How to Run Strides Inside on the Treadmill

Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner and Runs with Pugs to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.