How to Increase Your Running Cadence

If you have decided that you need to increase your running cadence, there are a few ways to do so safely and effectively. First, make sure you understand reasons why you might need to increase your cadence! Then, remember that this doesn’t need to be an all or nothing process. You can try out some things, work on it on some runs, and always come back to it if you realize it’s not the right time to make any changes to your running.

How to Increase Your Running Cadence

Determine your current cadence

Most GPS watches will track cadence, which is the number of steps you take per minute while running. It is much easier to track using a watch vs trying to count steps on your own. You can look back on your data from several runs to get an idea of what your average cadence is. Easy runs will have a slightly slower cadence than faster runs.

Choose your goal running cadence

If you notice that most of your easy runs are at a certain cadence, focus on increasing your cadence slightly at that pace- about 5%. This means if you current cadence is 165 you could aim for 173.

Determine how you will work on your new cadence

I recommend working on cadence while running outside. The treadmill can lead to some differences in your running form and your cadence may vary on there. Once you have mastered your new cadence outside you can work on it on the treadmill too if needed.

There are many ways to monitor your cadence. For example, you could use a metronome app on your phone and set it to your goal cadence. Then, focus on taking a step each time that the metronome beeps.

You can also set your watch to alert you if your cadence goes out of your goal range. If you decide to set this up, give yourself a buffer so that it doesn’t beep each time you go 1 step per minute above or below your goal cadence. Using the example of 173, you could set the range for 170-176.

If increasing your cadence is challenging, start slow

If you are aiming for a new cadence of 173 and it just feels hard to run at that cadence, start by trying to increase your cadence to 170. or 168. Choose portions of your run to work on cadence and notice how it feels to run at different cadences. As you get comfortable at a new cadence, then you can work on increasing it more.

Don’t confuse speed with cadence

Try not to simply run faster in order to run with a higher cadence. The goal is to increase your cadence at the same speeds. You don’t want to end up using extra energy in order to have a faster cadence, so be mindful of your effort while working on this.

Work on using good form

One reason to increase cadence is to help prevent overstriding. As you are increasing your cadence, try to focus on landing with your feet under your hips (not out in front of you) by taking smaller steps.

Workouts like strides or hill repeats can also help you practice a faster turnover which may help running with a higher cadence feel more natural. Other ideas include cycling with a fast cadence, working on a faster/more efficient arm swing, and even jumping rope quickly (or doing other plyometrics).

Final thoughts on increasing running cadence

Increasing your running cadence should be a fairly simple and low risk way to improve your running form and decrease injury risk. Take it slow and don’t stress if it isn’t coming as natural to you as you hoped. Remember that you may have been running with your cadence for many years, so changing it may feel awkward. Take your time, stick with it, and track your progress over time.

What are some ways you have worked on increasing your running cadence?

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