The Truth About Running Cadence: Why 180 SPM Isn’t for Everyone

Have you been told that you should aim to take 180 steps per minute (spm) when you run? It’s not true!! Cadence (how many steps you take per minute) varies depending on height, running experience, leg length, and age (Van Oeverne et al 2019). But, your cadence does matter when it comes to the amount of force you take at different joints in your body. Here are some factors to consider:

• When we talk about cadence, we are talking about your step rate at your easy or conversational running pace. As pace increases, typically cadence will increase as well.
• Our rule of thumb is that if you are running with a cadence below 165 spm, then you may benefit from working to increase your cadence for injury prevention.
• An increase of 5%-10% in your cadence can correlate with decreased force across your knees by about 15%-20%, as well as your calf muscles and Achilles tendon.
• You may improve your running efficiency by increasing your cadence
• Cadence retraining can be effective with as little as 5 minutes of focused work per week.

Cadence is an important factor to consider, but should be part of a full assessment. Do you want to have us help with assessing your running form? Have you been thinking of working with a running coach? Call us at 225-577-6290 or schedule a free consultation online. Happy running!