Increasing step frequency (without necessarily running faster) can reduce impact on joints and improve running economy, but it must be done methodically.
- The Myth: 180 steps per minute is not the universal law. It depends on your speed and physical build.
- The Mechanics: The more steps you take, the less time you spend in the air, and the less force you impact the ground with.
- The 5% Rule: Don’t overhaul your running. Increase your current cadence by only 5%.
- The Tools: Use a metronome or a BPM playlist to guide the rhythm.
- The Limit: If you are injured, change nothing right now.
Cadence: What It Really Measures
If you’ve been in the running world for a while, you’ve surely heard the mantra: “You have to run at 180 steps per minute.”
It is one of the most resilient myths. It stems from observing the rhythms of Olympic athletes (during fast races!), but applying it to an amateur running at 6:00 min/km (approx 9:40 min/mile) is like asking a Fiat Panda to hold the RPMs of a Formula 1 car.
Cadence simply measures your step frequency per minute (SPM).
It isn’t a fixed value: it changes with speed. The faster you go, the higher the cadence tends to be. However, many amateur runners have a “lazy” cadence (often under 160 spm) which leads them to take steps that are too long (“overstriding”), landing with the heel in front of the center of gravity and braking with every step.
Why It Can Make Running “Easier”
Why should you care? Because manipulating cadence is the quickest way to modify biomechanics without thinking too much about technique.
Increasing step frequency (at the same speed) forces you to shorten your stride.
This leads to two immediate consequences:
- You land closer to your center of gravity: You reduce the braking effect and improve foot strike.
- You reduce vertical oscillation: You bounce less upwards and move more forwards.
A recent scientific review published in PMC confirms that slight increases in step frequency can significantly reduce the load on joints (knees and hips) and improve running economy, reducing the risk of impact injuries.
Basically: you waste less energy bashing against the asphalt and use more to move forward.
How to Test It Without Breaking Yourself (The 5% Rule)
If you run at 160 spm today and try to run at 180 tomorrow, you will get hurt. Tendons aren’t ready for such an abrupt change.
The secret is the 5% Rule.
- Measure: During your next easy run, count your steps for a minute (or look at the average data on your watch). Let’s say it’s 160.
- Calculate: Add 5%. (160 + 8 = 168).
- Test: For the next 2 weeks, during your easy runs, try to maintain 168 steps per minute.
The goal isn’t to run faster, but to take more steps at the same speed. You will feel strange, as if you were running on eggs (“short little steps”). This is normal.
Metronome/Playlist: Practical Setup
Counting steps mentally is impossible (and boring). You need to externalize the rhythm. You have two ways:
- The Metronome (Technical): Download a free metronome app on your phone (or use the function on your sportwatch if present). Set it to your target BPM (e.g., 168). The constant “tick-tock” guides you. It is hypnotic and foolproof.
- The BPM Playlist (Fun): Search Spotify for “Running 168 BPM” (or your number). You will find playlists with songs that have exactly that beat. Run to the beat of the music. (If you are interested in using music for focus, we talked about it here: Functional music for concentration).
When NOT To Do It (Injuries, Pain)
Changing cadence shifts the workload.
A higher cadence unloads knees and hips, but loads calves and Achilles tendons more (because you tend to shift the landing toward the forefoot).
Do not start this work if:
- You have active plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendon issues (see here: Achilles tendon pain).
- You are in the middle of preparing for an important race (you don’t change mechanics close to the event).
- You feel pain during the test.
If, on the other hand, you are healthy and want to optimize your running, the metronome could become your best training partner for the next month.