<\/p>\n
Perhaps unsurprisingly, a lot of casual runners run very inefficiently. You\u2019ll have seen them out and about \u2013 you may be one yourself \u2013 running with long bouncy strides, landing heavily on their heels, decelerating on every step. Not only are they using a significant amount of energy pushing upwards rather than forwards, but also, they\u2019re significantly increasing the pressure\/force sent up through the leg, eventually leading to tissue failure\/injury.<\/p>\n
Simple. Cadence \u2013 the number of steps you take a minute. An inefficient style will usually be around 150\/160 steps per minute, while an efficient runner will be up at around 180<\/strong>.<\/p>\n At this cadence, the following happens<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u2022 the stride shortens All of which results in a significant reduction of energy at the same speed.<\/p>\n This change is not only more efficient, but reduces the risk of injury \u2013 the pressure up through your leg is reduced and your running mechanics are improved (your foot is on the ground for less time so your body has less time to deviate inwards).<\/p>\n First, calculate your current cadence<\/strong>, by counting your steps for a minute. Alternatively, there\u2019s an app called Tempo Tap that will do it for you.<\/p>\n Next, download a metronome app<\/strong> (there are lots of these available; \u2018metronome beats\u2019 works for me.)<\/p>\n Set the metronome to 180, jump on a treadmill and start running and try to hit the beat, getting your foot strike aligned with the beep. (NB: If you start from a very low cadence, you may need to increase it steadily).<\/p>\n Once you are aligned with the beat, try to make less noise as your foot hits the ground.<\/p>\n I recommend that you take this progression slowly. Intervals of 3 minutes on and 1 minute off is a great way to start.<\/p>\n Before making these changes I would always recommend that you visit your local Physiotherapist or an experienced running coach to make sure that you are suitable for such a programme. You\u2019ll also need to do some essential preparation; strengthening your gluteal and lower calf muscles and ensuring that you have the right footwear.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unless they\u2019re competitive runners, people don\u2019t generally naturally seek advice on how to run<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":7903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,102,117],"tags":[58,67],"class_list":["post-2762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-prehab","category-running","tag-injury-prevention","tag-running"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2022 the runner\u2019s feet spend less time on the ground
\n\u2022 the footstrike moves from the heel closer to mid-foot, underneath rather than in front of the body
\n\u2022 the overall centre of gravity is lower
\n\u2022 there\u2019s next to no vertical displacement (head bobbing)<\/p>\nSo how do you change your cadence?<\/h3>\n