When most runners improve their running level, they will choose to practice cadence first instead of stride length.
Why?
The main reason is that practicing cadence is much simpler than practicing stride length. Stride length varies greatly depending on individual height, leg length, body coordination, body flexibility, and core strength. Therefore, compared with increasing stride length, increasing cadence is more straightforward and simple, regardless of innate advantages (legs Long or not), you don’t have to worry about injuries caused by too large a stride. Just practice step by step to effectively increase your running speed.
How high should the cadence be? What is the optimal cadence?
Cadence refers to the number of times your feet hit the ground per minute. is based on the formula of running speed = cadence x stride length . The faster you want to run, the higher the cadence should be. However, the higher the cadence, the most economical running?
According to surveys, the optimal cadence for runners is 180 steps/minute. The cadence of the world's top long-distance runners is basically around 180~190.
Why is the optimal cadence 180?
Coach Xu Guofeng once conducted experiments on the optimal cadence. In the experiment, three runners ran 1 kilometer at the same speed at the same speed (also completed in three and a half minutes) using cadences of 160, 180 and 200, and the vertical amplitudes of the three runners were recorded. The experimental results of
found that the vertical amplitude is the largest when the step frequency is 160, followed by the step frequency of 180, and the vertical amplitude is the smallest when the step frequency is 200, so the step frequency of 200 has the highest mechanical benefit.
But the highest mechanical efficiency does not necessarily make running the most economical. Therefore, coach Xu Guofeng continued another experiment: asking a runner to run at different cadences and recording the heart rate at different cadences. The experimental results of
show that the heart rate is the lowest when the step frequency is 180. Although the vertical amplitude is the smallest when the step frequency is 200, the heart rate is much higher than when the step frequency is 180. Therefore, running at a cadence of 180 in is the most economical, which means that a cadence of 180 is the optimal cadence.
(Screenshot from Coach Xu Guofeng’s video, which can be found in Tencent Video)
When your cadence reaches 180, your running performance will naturally improve:
The stride is 1 meter per step, and the overall marathon score is about 354;
The stride is 1.2 per step. meters, the whole marathon result is about 315;
has a stride of 1.5 meters in one step, and the whole marathon result is around 236;
has a stride of 1.8 meters in one step, and the whole marathon is expected to be completed within 210...
1 meter in one step is a very easy step to achieve. , so when your cadence reaches 180, it is very easy to run a full marathon for 4 hours. What kind of training can
cadence be improved through?
1. You can do some high-cadence exercises. uses tools such as metronomes, running software or stopwatches to first understand your current cadence, and then do some high-cadence exercises, such as running in place, to familiarize yourself with the rhythm of high cadence.
2. Keep up with arm swing exercises. When the cadence of is fast, the arm swing position is relatively high, and when the cadence is slow, the arm swing position is relatively low. The strength of the upper limbs is weak, and the arms will be weak when running behind. The arms will be pulled down, and the cadence will also slow down.
3. Focus on breathing. The high cadence of tends to make the breathing rhythm more compact, and a too fast cadence can also disrupt breathing and disrupt the rhythm. Breathing at a high cadence also requires practice.
4. Invite runners with high cadence to run together and try to keep up with their pace. You can also choose songs that suit your cadence and run to the rhythm of the song.
5. When practicing high cadence, you should proceed step by step and increase slowly. Do not take big steps forward and pursue high stride length.
6. Find your own pace and continue to optimize . Gradually adapt your high cadence to the rhythm of your heartbeat, breathing and arm swing.
The increase in stride frequency means an increase in the number of landings, which can reduce the pressure on the knees and reduce the chance of knee joint injuries. If you advance to a long stride all at once, the impact will be great and it is easy to cause damage.
When you adapt to and get used to the high cadence, gradually increase the stride length, you will run faster and faster, and your running level will continue to improve.
If you want to become an advanced runner, a high cadence is the foundation.
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