Running Faster with Cadence and Steps Per Minute

[@janpoelstra5823]

QD: used to have a average cadence in the low 160s, focused on improving it by just taking smaller quicker steps. Took a while (two/three months) for the new muscle memory to kick in but now I average around 175 for easy days and 180 for quicker runs, without having to think about it at all. It has helped my form become better and more relaxed and it's much easier on the legs, so I'd say it's worth improving.

[@franklehouillier8865]

QD: I recently increased my cadence from 175ish to 180ish when at pace. The most obvious way to increase cadence is to shorten the stride. For me this went hand-in-hand with reducing heel-striking by making sure that my feet were landing more underneath me rather than overstriding.

[@franklehouillier8865]

@Brent McCoy I didn't really notice much decrease in speed as I was making this change but I was also in a period of mostly working on base and just increasing mileage. Do you feel like you are losing efficiency over a long run?

[@runningwithmarc]

Having a quicker cadence can help bad running form and heel striking, as more steps you generally will land under your body rather than infront so helping prevent injury. Using a metronome app when you run can be a great way to teach yourself to stick to it. Great video as always Seth

[@theslightlyrecklesstrailru1546]

Running with Marc good point!

[@DanRuns]

Always insightful :)

[@maticbalant9499]

QD: I did. In fact just yesterday i was trying to set a new halfmarathon PB and I started to increase my cadence on purpose. And I did it. Crashed previous PB by a minute and a half.

[@davidck66]

I've recently been working to increase my cadence. I read that most world-class runners have a cadence of 180+. I bought a Seiko Metronome (DM51B) that clips on my hat or shirt. You set the beeps to the desired cadence. Chi running instructs students to keep the same cadence regardless of speed or workout. If you want to run faster, increase your stride, want to run slower, reduce your stride length. The goal is to condition the muscles to fire at a consistent rate, which is more efficient.

[@dawsonthelin]

QD: Until october of this this last year (my junior year), I never really knew about cadence and all I thought was I was supposed to take long strides. So take long strides i did, and my cadence was around 145😬. After cross country season, I really started to hone in on improving my cadence and I’m now running at 180 spm, and as a result of that and increased volume my 5k times has already lowered from 18:39 to 16:29!

[@lisarunsfast7368]

I changed my running form and cadence several years ago. The best tool I used was a metronome to run with on my phone. Slowly increased it over several weeks until it was very automatic! This allowed me to learn how a faster cadence feels!

[@richardhkirkando]

QD: I did, all I really did was get out there and constantly reminded myself to take more steps. After a couple weeks it felt natural. The weird thing was that, initially, it caused me to *start* heel striking - still short, quick steps, but it almost felt more like racewalking than running (and I was going pretty quick - for a little while I even wondered if I was in the wrong sport). But once the higher rate felt natural, I was able to transition pretty easily back to my natural foot strike. This process was huge for me, definitely one of the turning points in improving my running performance.

[@murraylynn7631]

QD: Yes Cadence is one of my training focuses. When I first started to look for advice on KZbin about how to improve my running form, cadence is one of the first and most common subjects that came up with a standard number being 180. As a former professional skier, one concept that resonates with me is the concept of rhythm. If I can train the rhythm of the movement, I can usually integrate that into what my form should feel like. The first thing I did to do this was to follow the advice of another coach on youtube and count my steps. To build that into a training pattern I created an interval workout with a first half that used 10-20-30's and then a second half with timed intervals with a cadence focus. 10-20-30's are 5 minute intervals where you jog/run easy for 30 seconds, run at a medium effort for 20 seconds, and then run at a hard effort for 10 seconds. You repeat that 5 times (5 minutes) and then rest for 5 minutes. Depending on my fitness at the time, I do 2 to 3 sets of that. Then I focus on cadence. I set up a timer on my phone with the work intervals I want and an audible signal to let me know when to start and end an interval. At lower levels of fitness I do a one minute run with a one minute rest. I do that 10 to 15 times. During my running phase I count how many times my left foot strikes during the minute with a target number of 90 (180 steps per minute) . As I get fitter, I start pyramiding the length of my intervals. 1 minute run, 1 minute rest, 2 minutes run, 1 minute rest, 1 minute run and so on. And then increasing to 1 min.-2 min.-3 min.- 2 min.- 1 min. runs all with a 1 minute rest between intervals and a focus on cadence by counting my left foot strikes. I will build these intervals up to 5 minutes. There is something very zen-like in counting steps as it really brings awareness to the present moment in the interval. The challenge is hitting the target number of foot strikes consistently. Another way I have found to work on cadence is to use a metronome. I downloaded a free metronome at on my phone. I set the metronome to 180 bpm and then go running. All I need to focus on then is matching my foot strikes to the beats of the metronome. I like this method for two reasons. First, I can set the metronome at different speeds so I can start to learn what a cadence of 170, 180, 190, etc. feels like. Secondly, when I started using the metronome, what I found was that when I would increase my effort level, all I was doing was increasing my cadence and not necessarily working on generating more power at toe off. Setting the metronome at a constant 180 bpm, I can focus on varying my effort level in other ways. I can go at an easy pace at 180 steps per minute and then try to increase my speed while maintaining the same cadence. I am hoping this is helping me with the other parts of my stride that I am working on improving.

[@oskie501]

QD: I haven’t thought about cadence before, but I will now. Saving this video to watch again.

[@ericpetersen8645]

My old coach in the ‘80s used to say “increase you cadence because when you are in the air you are slowing down, when you are on the ground you are speeding up!”

[@DanRuns]

That’s a great analogy!

[@RandallBennett23]

Comment of the day! Love the analogy as well!

[@dann5480]

Yes good analogy

[@line2zee]

I'm at 180 for training runs, doesn't matter how slow. For race it's a little higher. I never trained for it, it's what feels comfortable. I have a short stride through, so not a lot of speed. Fastest half is 2:05. Been running 12 months.

[@blainmasterson3053]

When I was trying to ramp up my cadence from 170-175 up to 177-182, I would get on the treadmill a couple times a week for the last mile or so of my runs and run with a metronome set at 180spm! Great audiovisual component to lock in on. 13 miler this morning was right at 180spm a year later. It's constant work, and I still spend quite a bit of time reviewing my splits to check my cadence and focusing on tightening up my stride if I feel it getting lax. Great coverage today!

[@gl4989]

Cadence changed my whole life. Was used to running really fast at a 180 cadence I dont even feel the slight hint of pain and never ran this much in my life

[@jankundorfer2917]

One of my big goals for this season is definetly to increase my cadence. Right now my cadence is around 165, but I‘m also 190cm tall, so I‘m trying to reach 175SPM until the summer!

[@rustydaines6859]

same here, I average about 160-162 for most runs and am also just a hair shorter than you at 188 cm

[@CaptHigdawg]

I'm 193cm tall. By concentrating on increasing my cadence I have it up to 185+ for faster runs. It makes a great difference. Being tall becomes a bonus when you can get your cadence going.

[@jankundorfer2917]

higdawg That‘s amazing! I am already a kind of faster runner, but I‘m pretty sure that a higher cadence will help me to lower some of my times by quite some time.

[@jimmy2x316]

Did you reach your goal ? And how ?

[@stanley.fernandes]

Woah! Seth, you ended the video beautiful, lots of love to the Demoor family. Henry looks so cute. Beautiful family, God Bless.

[@cameroncrawford9598]

QD: New to running, but I come from a martial arts/boxing background where we did a lot of jump rope for warm up and cools down. Jumping rope in 5 to 10 minute sessions a few times a week can get you really light on your feet. It also helps with rhythm. Not the easiest to pick up at first, but neither is running, give it a couple weeks.

[@DarkinJinx]

QD: My girlfriend tought me how to run properly, the very first point she tought me was midfoot landing and 180 spm. I would never have been able to run the amount i do without her advice early on! Love the exercises, great insight as always, Seth.

[@dvgecko89]

Sending you a million blessings brother! ❤️❤️❤️

[@marysalmon2367]

QD yes, once a week i do cadence drills, but on every run I will randomly check it to how I am doing. I use my watch. Finding I am maintaining a cadence of 172 with less effort now. Real effort for me around 180.

[@theslightlyrecklesstrailru1546]

Mary Salmon yeah have to keep efficiency in mind as well. I’m the same way. Hard effort to keep high cadence. Which might be okay for a shorter race.

[@DocT426]

I had this discussion on a run yesterday with a friend who is SIGNIFICANTLY faster than me. We were running along with my favorite running buddy (my dog, Kona) and he pointed to her and said "look at her!" That's proof that cadence works. As I looked down at her, she was barely prancing along - not striding at all - and we were going around 8:05/mile. Not blazing fast, but looking at the effort she was putting out, it was like she was walking. Granted, she has 4 legs, but her cadence was quick and short. It was a very cool way to visualize it!!

[@markpetersen]

QD: I helped with someone’s exercise physiology study in college about perceived exertion and heart rate as it related to 3 different cadence rates on a treadmill and I performed best at the quickest cadence.

[@johnogaage]

The last 10 sek of Todays vlog made me smile all over the face, sooo cute👶

[@komorebi_5549]

QD: I have been working on my cadence but I’ve only been doing the quick feet and butt kickers drills. I’ve managed to increase my cadence from 130-ish to 150-160.

[@s_u_p_e_r_f_e_e_d]

Could you make a video walking us through your entire plyometrics/strength training routine please?

[@LR6092]

I thought of this today while i was running and i remember over last summer i watched a video that was about drag racing where its said "if your spinning your not winning" which i liken to whoever applies the most rubber to the ground through a race wins.

[@mastergoatee]

QD on Cadence. 8 Windsprints (about 100 meters) at 70 percent effort 3-4 times a week, focusing on form and turn over. It’s been a while. Time for me to add them back in the equation soon! I also love “high knees” drill, and a skip with a high knee on alternating legs. Back in high school, this helped me to run 5 minute miles.

[@brentawbrey3535]

Great info today Seth. Love these vlogs !

[@JD49517]

Very useful info. Thank you. New subscriber. Starting to run again. Used to run in the military 10-15 miles. After watching your videos, I've regained that love for running. Thank you.. I enjoy watching all the videos. Keep them coming.

[@SpencerMahon]

We only did Plyos once a week with lifting twice a week. I feel like lifting really help my kinetic chain. We also did speed development (Sprint over baby hurdles and sprint/float/sprint or flys, sometimes all three) that always helped me personally with cadence. Sprinting helped fix a LOT of my form issues. I try not to get too hung up on it because then I overfocus on it. I just focus on being tall and comfortable and the rest takes cares of itself!

[@coreyjoyner1372]

QD: Working on aerobic miles and cadence now while Im not full throttle in marathon training. Hit a nice milestone, avged 170+ cadence in my 10 this past weekend. And today for a 3 mile run, my cadence avg was 178 spm. Lots of work to get done, but headed in the right direction.

[@davidwhite6479]

I listen to the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground and my average cadence is 180-2. I did make a conscious effort to increase the rate when I started up running seriously again at the beginning of this year and found it quite easy to do.

[@jamiec6684]

QD: I used to focus a lot on my cadence with my second coach when I was younger. He really reinforced technique more than actually running fast. It was crazy to me at the time but maybe focusing on technique helped me become a better runner for the future. For cadence, we did similar plyometric activities. We also included hurdle steps over smaller hurdles. This involved running over really small hurdles to encourage lifting my foot, placing it down between the hurdles and then consistently repeating for 50-100m

[@RunTommy123]

Usually around 177-180 for all runs. Was 179 SPM in the Atlanta Marathon. In 5ks usually around 185-190 especially if wearing flats. Size 9 if you're giving away Altras. Glad you seem to be over your cold and your voice seems normal again. Rock on!

[@benjybuttons4303]

I used to have chronic shin splints all throughout high school and even into my freshman year of college running. I decided to work on my cadence to help strike below my hip and lessen the impact force per step. I’m now at 185-186 steps per minute on my easy runs and it usually get up closer to 190 during workouts. This alone have saved me from shin splints and improved my running overall. I also recommend a lower drop shoe, anything 6 mm and under, if you are suffering from shin splints (6 mm is my favorite) because I personally feel like it helps you to have more of a mid foot strike.

[@McCourtRuns]

Seth a mini trampoline is a game changer trust me, I did it for hours when I was young and it helps make that ankle joint and foot strength, it helped me with my cadence and bounce in my stride went I run.

[@mdheijer]

Very interesting video Seth. Very very useful. Gonna try to use these exercises.

[@alancrooks4841]

Best Video on improving your cadence I have watched to date! Thank you for what you do for our running community!!👍🏼👊🏼

[@MaximumZebra]

Thank you for the video. Very helpful and keep up the good work

[@SimonSaysSimon]

Already looking forward his review of the alphaflys

[@bigteno4597]

Lovely man and a beautiful family, much love to all Dr Paul UK.

[@johnysikiera2984]

Thanks for all tips I will start from tomorrow.

[@zhuli693]

very helpful, I kind of finally got it how to improve cadence after watching this video. many thanks.

[@stingburn]

Higher cadence fixed my terrible running form that caused a rotating set of three injuries-- shin splints, IT band burn, runner's knee. Light feet falling directly below me instead of a slow, long, heel-striking overstride has me running pain-free for the first time in years and I ran my first 10k this weekend!

[@frauhorn]

QD: my cadence was low to mid 160s. I was having constant lower back and hip issues. I trained myself into higher cadence which is now high 170s when racing. The best way is to listen to music at the target BPM and run along with the beat. There is loads of playlists already on Spotify just search for 170 bpm, 175 bpm etc It is best to progress to a higher cadence rather than try and jump straight to 180. Feels very unnatural at first. Good luck!

[@netrapelapkar9267]

Thanks for idea of Spotify playlist..will do

[@agsmith001]

cadence has always been an enigma for me because initially i was listening to people tell me things like "try to get to 180" without accounting for leg length. i am 6'3" and can only get to 180 in a fast race. if we throw out that number and find our own numbers it will definitely work better!

[@palmermadson9222]

I'm 6'6, so I totally get it. I usually float around 160 on 'normal' runs of 3-5 miles.

[@vincentgaglio5106]

Wow this is awesome. I need to take my time with this

[@brandytorres1461]

Bless you and your family man you guys have made me feel like I’m apart of a team :}

[@timlentz3045]

Guts that’s what moves your feet faster! The will to win

[@RabbitsWearinGlasses]

QD: I used to be a horrible over-strider. Always had hip and knee issues. When the first kinvaras came out I switched to them and drank the koolaid of shortening my stride and increasing cadence. Best decision I've ever made. I'm 6' tall and seem to average 179 on most run. Speed work seems to be a bit higher around 185-189. But I've been injury free since switching. No hip problems at all.

[@nicholassmith5220]

QD: I used to focus on my cadence when it wasnt where I wanted it to be. I got it from high 160s to 175 on my easy pace days and 180 and higher during races.

[@matthewwatson6775]

You can get metronome apps and set to the cadence you want to try and maintain. Probably just as important to focus on running technique, not leaning forward, keep pelvis in neutral position, drive from knees, lower center of gravity slightly by sinking into hips a little. Drive from the back (glutes and hamstrings).

[@VicNicGuitar]

QOD: yes, a lot recently. I’m around 165-170. I set a metronome, which I play via the headphones, through my phone. It’s an app. I set it to 90 (half of 180) and that beep must be in sync with every strike of one foot. I found that by keeping arm swing in time, this also keeps the feet in time, as they work together. Sometime just focusing on the feet was more difficult. It’s a work in progress.

[@investingadvice9211]

For anyone seeing this for advice: i run with a metronome on 180 bpm, a great way to get that muscle memory and getting used to it!

[@supreethm92]

QD: Probably about a year ago, a few months after I started running again, I observed my cadence and started working on bringing it up. I used to probably float around a 156-158 spm when not trying to raise my cadence, and 162-165 when I did. Now during my easy runs, I run with about a 176-178 spm and easily over 180 when I run harder. Key beyond just shortening stride and moving feet over the ground faster is understanding what limitations you have in terms of mobility. It's hard to make long term changes when you're not taking care of the body.

[@CuanWalker]

Sai Supreeth Mannava what did you do to get the increase

[@supreethm92]

@@CuanWalker first was just having awareness of it. So I would check back in with my cadence periodically throughout any run. Then, I'd say just regular mobility work, like loosening up the hips and rolling out the calves had some sort of influence because I wouldn't get locked up from introducing a different type of stimulus.

[@ericniedzielski5259]

Sai Supreeth Mannava I currently run at around 155 spm. I am 6 3 so I realize mine might be a bit slower, but that is definitely waaay too slow. I’ve tried the metronome but it just makes me run faster than I want so this tips should be helpful for me

[@tsubakichan]

QD: As a returning runner 2.25 years ago, I learned about cadence's impact on efficiency / injury prevention / form / speed so I was pretty good about monitoring my cadence stats. So in that sense, cadence was built into my training from day one and so my natural running cadence is 170 at its lowest (and more like 185 on race day).

[@jimbeeson2680]

Good video, will add plyos into my workouts. I’ve added a metronome app on my Friday Easy Run, at 180 spm. It has seemed to help. 3 mos into base training and added your steady state running last week. Already getting results. Thanks. 👍

[@roonthegoon114]

Yes I used a metronome app on my phone as I was running and ever since then my steps went from being slow and clunky to quicker and snappier

[@MsCMR80]

OMG, HENRY IS ADORABLE!!!!! Yup, that’s right; I screamed it cos it’s true 🥰🥰🥰🥰 QOD: I’ve never paid attention to cadence bc I’m so new at this (5yrs in, on and off) with absolutely zero background with any sports whatsoever. I’ll be trying the exercises though as I’d like to see if I notice any changes over the months to come. As always, a great post. Thank you Seth!

[@Trailrunner1978]

Gonna have focus on this on tomorrows run! 👍

[@jan-hendrikmuller2715]

I started to use a metronome App... that helped a lot

[@carlogarcia1702]

You did a great job again seth..

[@aitorarotzena2550]

QD: I have a ridiculously high cadence, more or less 188 spm, so now I'm trying to make my steps bigger!

[@StephaneMichel-Montréal]

Hi Seth. Personally, I have a lot of difficulty with cadence (challenges to go over 165-168). The greatest difficulty I have with this is increasing the cadence without increasing the speed. Thanks for the tips and drills as this might help.

[@cyberspd]

I've always been a 185 to 190 step per minute guy. I probably spend too much time counting strides when I should be working on my stride length..

[@jcrowe8]

QD: I started listening to a 170 - 175 BPM Run 'n' Base playlist on Spotify. Same thing as a metronome really, just more entertaining 🤪. Immediately saw improvements in pace without much increase in perceived effort.

[@RunningOtaku]

I found that increasing my cadence was surprisingly difficult. It took a few weeks of brain re-wiring. At first, when I tried increased my cadence, I was merely running faster- too fast for training. What ultimately worked for me was not focusing on steps per minute but rather taking smaller strides while holding a constant pace. After a few weeks, the rhythm finally took hold and I was able to gradually increase my stride leg the while holding the cadence constant.

[@CuanWalker]

This has been on my mind so much and then boom you do a video thanks man! Mine is stuck between 147-152! Granted I’m overweight and out of shape but not sure if that makes a difference?!

[@QronoZ713]

That does make a huge difference. I'm tall and skinny. Heavy shoes affect my cadence, so extra body weight should too.

[@QronoZ713]

How fast you run easy also affects cadence. Do you usually run at 6.00 min / km or 4.30 min /km? That would affect your average cadence as well.

[@ksrowland]

I have been able to take my easy day cadence from low 160s to low 170s which has translated to a race day cadence in the high 170s. I would say my old form was a bit "boundy" like a deer. Focusing on cadence shortened my stride and got my feet landing underneath my center of gravity instead of in front of it which has helped reduce impact forces (reducing injury risk) as well make my form more efficient ( not overcoming a braking force). My method for accomplishing this was running with an audible metronome for a month. I would increase the metronome by 2 beats every week and would focus on getting my feet down in step with the metronome beeps. After about a month, I could just feel the difference and opted to put the metronome away. In my opinion there is no better way to work on increasing cadence than just to increase your cadence and allow your body to get used to it.

[@jono2154]

Love the quick feet idea...do it for table tennis training.

[@RunLiveSG]

I used my Garmin's metronome, set to 166, and then a month later, 170. I can feel my running form more controlled and less impacting.

[@frre9302]

QD: Starting using Stryd I tried to lower the necessary power for a constant pace, therfore my cadence was raising naturally! At around race pace I'm ~180SPM as well, fells good.

[@ramonheftiiii569]

Hello baby Henry😊I love that ''daddy running buddy''

[@thephatalien]

I download Spotify playlists set to music at 180 bpm. I gradually worked up to 180. Spotify has a bunch at different BPM’s. Works for me.

[@conormurray4041]

The new intro is amazing, just saying!

[@ir9587]

QD: I am using the Metronome function on my Garmin FR245, it helps a lot!

[@TimGrose]

Even being rather tall 6'5" (1.95m) have never really had a problem getting my cadence up. In fact sometimes think bit high. I averaged 183 spm for a 2:56 marathon 2 weeks ago and 187 in my last 5K 17:59. Maybe this is because I was a track runner when younger in which it is very hard to run fast with low cadence.

[@danny3335]

My cadence is around 185 when racing but my stride length is pretty short (ave. 1m) for my height of 6 feet. And whenever i try to increase my stride length, injury always come along. Seth, can you do a video on how to increase the stride length without getting injured. Really appreciate that.

[@backyard1015]

Increase your cadence to 195-210. If you lengthen your stride, your foot will be front of you causing bad form. Toss in strength training too and you will see your time drop like a rock!

[@bryantmoreland2549]

Tom H 180 is the ideal cadence. Trying to go around 200 means you are wasting energy. That cadence is ridiculously fast. It should only be that fast on a sprint.

[@artemasward5842]

@@backyard1015 Tom you only need to have a cadence of 195-210 if you want to win. Those people who don't need to win should run at 180.

[@kingal89]

Increase stride length by opening up the push off part of your cycle. Be more explosive when pushing off the ground by using your glutes and strong back kick. Raise your knee just a bit higher with front leg when pushing off with your opposite leg (promotes better extension) and you will find your stride length improve. If you simply extend your front foot more you will injure yourself most likely due to improper foot strike and increased pressure on joints.

[@danny3335]

Thanks all for the reply. For half and full marathon distance running, i think 180 to 190 cadence should be an optimal number. I will put in some strength training and some flexibility workout and hopefully, i can increase my stride length without having injured again.

[@jimoconnor8597]

QD: I also use jump rope to increase cadence and leg stiffness. Specifically jumping on the balls of your feet only. 3 x 30" after a run 3 days a week.

[@bbjonas4233]

Sorry to sound stupid, but could you explain what you mean by 3 x 30"? Do you mean 3 mins x 30 jumps? Thanks!

[@jimoconnor8597]

@@bbjonas4233 Sorry I didn't get specific enough BB. I am doing 30 seconds of jumping x 3 to start out but will quickly go to 5 minutes x 3. I have to let my calves and achilles tendon catch up in the beginning. :)

[@bbjonas4233]

@@jimoconnor8597 got it! thank you for the reply!!

[@ericchevalley]

Awesome breakdown and recommendations of exercises to increase cadence. I have started running 3 months ago, so efficiency is an important topic for me nowadays. I'm still fairly slow (getting around 10min/mile under anaerobic threshold) and I find it a little harder to get to high spm at slow speed than higher speed. Looking forward to trying your exercises to see if I can increase the explosiveness of my lower body.

[@jamesb2034]

I've noticed that cadence numbers can be a good indicator of rest/fatigue levels. When getting tired in the midst of heavy training my cadence will definitely get slower, especially in the first couple of miles. But once I rest or taper the cadence will come back up.

[@spartankidd2022]

Me i use to average 186-190 when in running my 10km pace 2:53-2:50. When i do speed work 2:45-2:40 intervals i have average 195-200 steps. I have never trained for the cadence... u just run and it Will come naturally. Run run run...

[@kegoangoango]

QD: Used a metronome. First measured while running 1/2 mile. Then trained with 1/2 mile + a couple faster beats each week for 4 weeks.

[@ricardodjfm3257]

I walk on a treadmill to increase my cadence. I start at 4 and I gradually increase the speed I just focus on walking as fast as a can for 1 whole hour. The fastest I walk is 6mph without feeling I'm running. And it really helps

[@Josh_Stringer]

My man, time to sell off some of those used shoes and grab a TV from Costco on the cheap. I've got 5 kids, and huddling around the laptop gets more challenging as the kids get bigger!

[@QronoZ713]

Must be millions of tv sold second hand that are great quality.

[@nathanvanderpool1175]

I know they have a TV, I’ve seen it in previous vlogs. Not sure if it’s down or just in a different room, but that just shows appreciation for what they have. I respect it!

[@jonathanmelancon3021]

The shoedio. Nice!

[@ggreaves2448]

My Cadence is currently pretty consistent at 188-190 running at most paces from 5.30pkm to 3.20pkm. Faster than 3.20pkm and it increases to around 200. Used to be around 160 when i first started running but it has naturally increased the more i have run over the years

[@kenfromphilly752]

QOR: Always. Other than consciously "thinking" about cadence while we run, improving core and glute strength is necessary. Also, when you hold your arms higher (shorten the arm swing gate) your legs just follow.

[@emili.0285]

I run with a metronome on my bluetooth. I'm doing a 20 week program, I started at 160bpm and I bump up the tempo 1 bpm every week. It's been working so well. I dont use it on long runs

[@aaronlee891]

Seth, what do you think about Walmsley's cadence/running form? He seems to represent an exception to the 180 steps/minute guideline, as he's more in the 160-165 range. He really picks up his knees through his gait cycle for a long stride, without over-striding and creating a breaking/reactionary force. I'm like you, typically hitting right around 180 steps/minute, or slightly less on easy days, but always at least 170-175. But I've noticed that, when I try to pick up the pace for tempo runs/races, I do it (unconsciously) by increasing cadence to 190-200, which I've heard is sub-optimal from coaches/professional runners here on youtube. It would be better for someone like me to focus on picking up my knees more and extending my stride length (without over-striding) while maintaining that 180 cadence when I want to pick up the pace. So when I do light drills after an easy run, I like to do both butt-kicks and high knees. Maybe you could do a follow-up video on the flip side of the pace coin: stride length.

[@aaronlee891]

Just a follow-up observation. I've noticed that with my quick cadence, I tend to do really well on uphills relative to other runners around me in races, but whatever ground I gain on the uphills, I typically give right back on the next downhill. Does this tend to be a general truth in running, that runners with a quick cadence tend to be strong uphill runners, while those with more open/springy/almost-bounding strides tend to do well on the downhills? If so, maybe the takeaway should be to have an adaptive cadence/stride length, focusing on a quick turnover to keep momentum on uphills and keeping a more open stride to roll on the downhills.

[@gsimongear]

Some watches have a metronome on them, so that's a useful tool for improving cadence without having to haul along a phone and use some sort of metronome app.

[@michaelh.5732]

I do subscribe to the idea that a higher cadence is better. I tend to be in the mid 180s during a marathon and I'm 6' tall. I do wish I had more power/distance per stride, though. But what about the fast guys with slow cadences and lots of power? Jim Walmsley's cadence dung the trials was 166. He tends to be in the mid-160s often. When he ran the 1:04 half, it was 173, which is high for him.

[@masonmarshall9727]

That's why you wait till the end of the video! nothing better than getting some good Henry vibes before a nice evening run :)

[@CsabaTothMr]

I haven't ever focused on cadence but I'm thinking on adding these plyometrics you mention. The thing is that I tend to favor longer strides, which is actually not necessarily good: your feet has to absorb and also expell more energy per stride. Not just during regular running but especially when blasting downhill on a trail. (Almost same like Lance Armstrong favored a higher rpm than his competitors. It was said that scientists measured more efficiency with his higher rpms in lab environment. It still feel lower rpms better suiting me - like Jan Ulrich - but in running I definitely need to move towards higher cadence).

[@kimwrinkle100]

QD: Cadence...Well, I have a hummingbird cadence! Seriously! My cadence is over 200 steps per minute and often in the 205-210 range when doing pickups, etc. At only 5’3” tall, I quickly learned that keeping up with taller runners meant not “striding out” by instead”turning over.” The regular pickups during training runs, particularly during long training runs, enforced this turnover. I was blessed with an amazing coach, the legendary Bill Squires, from 1977-1986, my best years in terms of PRs as a runner. He has had all of his runners doing regular pickups and surges as far back as the 1950s! Way, way ahead of his time!

[@levandmarthapolyakin-aaron2183]

I thought I had a high natural cadence as another 5’3” runner!?! I have a hard time running slow enough on my long runs with my consistent 188 cadence. funny thing though is that the friend who got me int running is even shorter than I am but she always thinks I’m running faster than her because her cadence is slower. So it’s not just about leg length.

[@ckokomo808]

“We like nap time”...probably the truest statement you’ve ever made! Haha. Always appreciative of your emphasis on progression. Personally I think it’s difficult for runners to take it easy and build. Great advocate Seth!

[@Chris-df5gc]

I went for an 40-60min run every day..dindt run before..was my first week running..now my knee hurting so much I cant barely walk. How do I start right this shit doesnt happen again? was so hyped from your videos lol

[@steveoneill3538]

Dont think cadance means alot. It's more to do with height, leg length and the speed ur traveling. What does matter is where ur foot strikes the ground relative ur centre of gravity.

[@theslightlyrecklesstrailru1546]

Steve O'neill good point as well

[@flothoejmand8452]

im a total newb runner following the maffetone gold standard of aerobic training, in 6 weeks i have gone from barely running more than i walked (my pulse shot up as soon as i started to run) to now being able to run 8 km non stop - but at a heartbreakingly slow pace... I feel its time to speed things up, after all im not in this to jog a marathon. So, as my own coach i have now started block 2 - i will add these plyometrics in once a week, and from here on i will increase my speed/cadence, though it likely leads to walk more again. My reasoning is, that it is said that to become good at something you need to do it a LOT... i dont want to become super skilled at running a 8.30 min/km with 145 cadence. Im a super tall man (2.07 m or 6 feet 9), so ill aim for a slightly lower cadence (170-180 for "normal" ppl) at around 165 and try to hit a 7 min/km pace. Does it make sence ? IF you read through this Seth, ty for your entertaining blogs and tips on how to improve :)

[@arjanwestveld]

Pretty early in my running carreer i've been focussing on cadence. Got it spot on 180 for my cruising speed. Now i'm picking up faster paces i'm actually trying to lower it into a faster pace in stead of a long sprint @ 220+ cadence xD