Useful tip if you don't want to feel completely stressed-out by the metronome beeps every 333 milliseconds: set the bpm to a sub-multiple of 180. For instance 90 bpm will correspond to every second step. Or for myself I set it as low as 30 bpm, then falling in rhythm with one step i' six, which corresponds to my breathing pattern. Much more relaxing than a frantic clic clic clic clic clic.
I took me a full year to change from 150 - 160 heal striker to 175 - 185 front/midfoot striker, probably my age (54) is part of it, but changing cadence and where you land requires training your feet and legs in a new way - so take it easy, change slowly if you are not as young as you think you are ;-) But, it is all worth it - now running both faster and longer and feeling much better.
I am having the same problem and trying to adjust after wrecking my knees last summer. After 8 months of not running, starting again with trying to change cadence and posture is challenging!
Strengthening the hip flexors and hamstrings is essential for higher cadence. The hip flexors are the accelerators after toe-off and the hamstrings are the primary brakes to bring the feet to a stop relative to the ground before foot-strike. I've found a little strengthening of these two muscle groups goes a long way toward running with higher cadence without straining things.
I lived more than half my life, running at a very low cadence. 145/min. I even won medals at school back then and could easily outrun 9 out of 10 people my age now. I wish i knew this earlier. Recently I tried running at a higher cadence. Managed to hit 160. Not great but about 10% more than my natural cadence. Speed didn't improve much but my legs felt less tired and less strain. I was overstriding previously. No wonder my legs were kinda fatigued previously even after a short run. RUclips and smart watches are fantastic 😂 Glad to learn something new.
I’m in my early 50’s and only started running a few years ago. My cadence is 150ish and I never thought it should be higher, as I thought longer strides would mean lower cadence. Fascinating stuff this for a complete amateur enthusiast. I look forward to trying it out and seeing if this can be the secret to faster times.
I used to listen to 180BPM playlist and after about 10 runs, I've got the rhythm and could run on that cadence without any music or whatsoever. Jumped from 170 to 180 in a few weeks and running on that cadence almost 3 years since then.
I must say increasing my cadence back in 2019 was one of my best decisions running wise. I used to run around 170-175 for most runs until a knee injury late 2018. I eventually decided to remodel my form to have greater emphasis on higher cadence of 180+ which at first didn't feel natural at all but finally stopped giving my knee grief. Now all my easy runs are typically in the mid-180s with the really quick efforts often touching the 200 mark
I used to be a 155-160 cadence type of guy, realized my form was terrible and my leg muscles were super weak which is why my body was defaulting to such a low cadence. Even just switching to a cadence of 168-172 has made a world of difference, especially with some ankle stability issues I used to have but it obliterated my quads at first! Now working on getting it to about 175 which seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Thank you for this very informative video! I did not focus on cadence since I started running. For most of my runs I was averaging 135-138. But lately for the past two months, I tried to improve my cadence in every run that I do. And been averaging more than 170. Listening to such playlists in Spotify is a good tip!
I started tracking my cadence around a year ago after I got hooked on your channel. I was surprised I was only around 158 avg. Focusing on this has made me faster, especially at a lower HR. I still have to really focus to hit 180, but am hitting around 170 consistently now. Honestly, cycling has helped me the most with this as I naturally spin at that rate.
Try to spin betwee 90 and 100....just start doing it....don't get stuck in the cadence you are comfortable with....no need to go more than 100...change gears when you can go 100 !!! 👍👍
My Garmin's metronome (vibration) feature was a game changer for me. My cadence improved immediately (from about 155 to 170bpm). I've only been running for 1 month. So I'm glad I corrected this early on.
So me running with a cadence of 134 brought me here. I just started running and I’m learning as I go. Also registered for my first half marathon. So I will be learning a lot over the next couple weeks.
@@islandjohn9486 in a few weeks you will be overjoyed by the increase. I wrote this comment one month ago and guess what? My cadence is now 156. I've even hit 162. You got this ❣️
I've slowly been working on improving my cadence on my slower runs. My cadence basically matches my speed. On my easy runs I'm sitting in the high 150s, low 160s, but then as my speed comes up, so does my cadence. My HM pace is mid 160s while my intervals can get into the low to mid 170s depending on how hard I'm pushing it. I have done a couple easy runs so far with higher cadence, slowly upping the amount of the run that I go at higher cadence as I am able. I definitely feel my calves getting sore more quickly at the higher cadence. I know it will take a while, but I'm looking forward to the day when my Garmin shows all blue.
I knew for some time that my cadence had dropped off somewhat over that last 18 months, so after watching this last night, today was the day to do something about it. Easy runs had generally dropped to high 150s cadence. This morning I aimed to get my 50 min easy run up to around 170 spm. First thing I did was grabbed the lightest pair of shoes I could find to aid that faster turnover. It felt odd at first, and my stride length felt unnaturally short. I warmed into it after a couple of kms, and by the end, had completed the run, every km at 169 or 170 spm, pace around 5s/km faster than my usual easy run, and HR 5-10 bpm lower than usual.
I wear an apple watch when I run. Today, I ran 2 miles at an average of 133 spm, according to said watch. Didn't even know what cadence was, but I'm glad I got curious! I always wondered what my wife meant by "you're hitting the ground so hard!"
One thing that I have found when trying to work on my cadence is that my speed naturally picks up which then makes my "easy" runs turn into a harder workout then I'd like. Any tips on working on your turnover while still maintaining the same pace and level of effort? Also I think there are a bunch drills that you can do to also fire up the muscles to trigger a faster cadence -- like quick steps and walking through rope ladders as quickly as possible. As usual, enjoy your videos Ben -- you and Sarah continue to be an inspiration to me.
Try some practice runs on a treadmill. Run at your "easy" pace and increase your cadence/turnover-rate. This way you will be forced to keep your pace the same (by just not changing the mph on the treadmill) while increasing cadence. This worked for me.
Yeah, same question... It seems that increasing cadence will increase my HR and then I can't run as far/long. Should I alternate HR training with Cadence exercises?
Ben any advice on upping the cadence from 165 to around 180 but keeping the HR at a similar steady rate? I'm finding my HR increases with the higher turnover but at similar speed - it's annoying when I'm trying to focus on zone 2 runs over the winter. thanks
i personally find that having a high cadence GREATLY reduces the impact force through my legs and allows me to run more. i like to do my easy and recovery runs around 185-190 cadence these days. however, i find that to be somewhat energy inefficient, if very impact force efficient. so on race day i tend towards a cadence around 175-180, giving me a lower heart rate for the same pace. something to consider :D
by the way, my cadence was in the low 150s when i started running and i used a metronome on spotify set at 90bpm and timed my right foot only. i think that beat is permanently scarred into my brain.. XD
I appreciate this video so much Ben, as someone whose average is around 155-160 I've been trying to up my cadence for a while, I found this video very helpful.
What improves any Sunday? - A new Ben Parkes video! Great video Ben and thanks for motivating me for all these years to get running. Without you I wouldn't have started and I love it. Your hats are an essential part of my running gear. Keep it up!
I listen to DJ Kadenz mixes on soundcloud, drum and bass mixes at 180bpm, and the same mixes at 174bpm and 168bpm (good for those working up their cadence). Got a sub 90 half marathon thanks to one of the mixes!
When I started slowly running I had really bad cadance because I was still figuring out how to properly run with at least OK form. After 1 month I started boosting up my cadence. I run around 170 and it's OK with me. I will try to reach to 180 but I need to do it naturally and not enforce it so it's a process. I didn't use metronome but just tried to get 3 steps during 1 second. That's worked for me.
It has to do with height. Most tall runners will have a naturally lower cadence. I don't know too many elites runners 6ft and above so Daniels's 180 is a bit skewed. Shorter people generally have faster cadences.
Hi Ben, correct cadence is always a good source of debate. You have runners like Jim Walmsley with amazing times ranging from Western States 100 miles record, 100km 6hr 9min and 64 min for a half marathon, who has been reported as having a cadence of 160 to 164, to those in the original research on cadence done at an Olympics that showed that to run really fast you need a long stride and on average a cadence of 180. The bit I struggle with is if everything else is equal why would a 6ft runner with long legs have the same cadence as someone with very short legs when running at the same speed? Thanks for the great videos, Steve
Same thoughts on this. I am 6ft and have a low cadence, but do land mid foot. I just did Chester marathon in 3.13 with a cadence of 161 avg. Everyone is different I guess.
Funny enough 155-160 is the perfect range for me. I am finding that increasing it past 160 tires me out after 6km and reducing it below 155 will slow me down. I have tried increasing it to 180 bpm but after 170 it's a full on sprint for me. If you have long legs 180 is hard to sustain. 170 is better but make sure you are landing forefoot or midfoot and under your hips. What I have found useful is being able to vary my cadences while running so that my pace is not affected when I get tired.
My natural was 145. All my life i ran with a slow cadence but with huge strides. I was a long and triple jumper when i was young..so i naturally gravitate towards large strides. I think 160 is ideal for me too. It takes a lot of effort and concentration for me to even maintain 160.
I recommend Fredrik Zillen’s videos about how to increase your cadence using analogy of pirouettes. Shows how increasing cadence is about running form as well as just trying to move your legs faster
Wow, just watched this and realised I have paid no attention to what my average cadence is. Just had and it’s really low, averages at about 145-150! I’ll definitely be looking at increasing over the next few months! Anything to avoid even more injuries 😖
A well timed video! I'm working on my low cadence (160/165) and slight overstride at the moment, I noticeably run more efficiently at 170+, not an easy change after getting a little lazy with my form over covid and endless home office. I used your advanced marathon plan for Frankfurt at the weekend and it was great to get me back in shape! Could have BQ'd if my Plantar Fasciitis didn't flare up, great plan!
I was actually thinking about this on a run earlier this week, therefore great timing for this video for me! Will try the metronome function on my Garmin, supported by, at first, 170 bpm music (if possible?). My last easy run was 164 average cadence for reference. Thanks!
Brilliant video, perfect timing as I was just thinking that my cadence is the single biggest limiter to my next step progression. What I'm really keen to know is - can you practice increasing cadence on an easy run - is that something that we can do while keeping the easy run easy. No better way to find out than to give it a go. Heading out for a run now to try that and I'll update how it went in a video in the next hour or so...
Here is the video - ruclips.net/video/5Fz6hNedY0w/видео.html As always, Ben is right, great advice. I've also got to say, I think Ben has done a great job putting some context around his advice, which, when reading some of the comments on this video, I think some people have missed.
this video really made me run faster, taking quicker steps and using less heel made it feel a lot easier. gotta get used to it though, got a hell of a blister on my forefoot... i've recently upgraded from a pair of really worn air maxes which i think impacted the way i ran and i used to run in old worn wool clothes to now using a pair of asics tri 14 and real "running clothes" which also helps. thank you, super helpful to my journey!
I just went through some of my Garmin data just for fun, my cadences at some runs were... (193cm tall btw) Easy 10km - avg. 149spm Fast 5km - avg. 159spm 1500m race - avg 164spm 800m race - avg 182spm 400m race - around 200spm 200m race - around 235spm
Prople say that they are inspired and want to be like kipchoge....i say iam inspired by ben parkes and want to be like him an excellent runner....mate big fan of yours..always getting it done💪🏻💪🏻
My cadence is 153. I’ve tried to increase it but not really got anywhere. Was told by coach that our bodies are quite good at self optimising and that my form is pretty good. My stride length is 1.3-1.7 depending on type of run/ effort level. I don’t get injured so I think I’ve decided to stick.
Now I'm going off my watch but I have gotten mine up to 180 on a fairly easy run for me. I'm taller 6 ' 2" and I might be weird but I don't like to focus on anything but the feel of my foot and run and rhythm of my run if I'm looking around it knocks me out of my flow. What also helps is thinking of more like a bike pedal motion where the pull back phase with your glutes and hips is your power phase and you use your quads to pull your foot back up and I try to stay light on my feet and drive back w my foot vs popping it up and bouncing.
For some reason my cadence is very high, last run 22 Km at average of 5:16 min/km pace, average was 188 and max 246 a for 3 KM downhill i ha 200 spm averageat 4:30 km/min pace, on a slow flat run 10k at 6:03 / KM i had 172 spm average, i also find that some shoes promote cadence and some not, Mach 5, Peg Turbo 35 or turbo 2 are very efficient , a full marathon at 4 :54 min/km pace in Vaporfly 2 was with 188 spm for example but also the stride length was longer :) this year i will take the Rocket X2 on the smae course ad i will see if is a difference :)
Hi Thank you for this very interesting. At the end of the video you said you would be putting out a video on stride length but I cannot see a link and a Google search only pulls up a video from five years ago. Did you ever do the stride length video? Thank you. Michael
Man i use to just run lol. There is a whole sciene. Now at 38 i need to run a mile and a half. I better start training but i love all this info. It will def help me hit my goals easier
I can run at various cadences - from 160BPM to 185BPM - BUT my HR follows my cadence. If I want to run at a low HR , it has to be when running at a lower cadence.
A person’s natural cadence at a given pace is intuitive and determined by their physiology (leg length etc). Poor form, such as over-striding, can lower cadence by introducing inefficiencies. The correct approach is to improve form so that cadence isn’t suppressed rather than forcing a change in cadence hoping form will improve.
I notice when I'm only hitting @170 bpm running feels ok and is my default cadence, however if I start hitting 172 bpm it's often because I'm feeling more energised and general in better running shape. With fast downhills particularly trails I can hit up to 185 bpm.
Brilliant review, Ben. I'm 75 and still finding my 178 cadence feels most natural. Troubling to me though is that my heart rate zone is heavily in the zone 5 range. Is this dangerous? Even when I run easy the zone 5 metric is mostly 4 and 5 range. cCuld you do a review on HR Zones and what they mean?
Not Ben, but zone 5 (over 90% of your max heart rate) should be reserved for races and speed workouts. Maybe your max heart rate is higher than you think, explaining why your watch thinks you're in zone 5 when you're really not.
Ben just to say that you've inspired me to sign up for my first marathon this April! i've downloaded your level 2 training plan to help me on my way :-) many thanks to you for all these amazing videos and for your motivational/uplifting attitude. You're teaching running tips and tricks first and foremost but also getting so many people such as myself into running. Great stuff Ben!
thanks for all your advice. ill definately work on this. i have one question tho: i love to watch triathlons. the last one in miami (t100) i was once more amazed how fast the ladies run (around 4:00 or even below). but when watching them, it didnt look overly quick. how do they do that? how can they be so fast but it doesnt look so fast? do they have an overly long stride length because of their great leg muscles or what else is the secret sauce? when i try to run myself that fast it feels closer to sprinting.
nice video! Just updated my watch to show the cadence since I didn't look at that at all since starting regular runs last month. One thing that drove me nuts in the beginning, Polar watches count cadence as both feet touch the ground once....thought the watch is broken when it showed a constant ~80 😅
I would be so careful when trying to increase cadence. I tried increasing my cadence over two years ago and developed a calf niggle that will not go away after trying all sorts of treatments and have ultimately given up running because I can't build any mileage.
Didn't even realise cadence was a thing as I have just started running. I have seen it on my watch but was never sure what it meant. My average cadence is around 164-165 for most of my runs to date. I do find running hard but it feels good afterwards.
Same here, although not barefoot but sandals. I also went from 173 to above 180. Another thing that helps me is the cold - I take more smaller steps the colder it is to keep warm - haha
My cadence is 135, and my IT band is killing me. Im hoping to integrate these tips into my runs so as to be an efficient runner. It's difficult, but I've only been running for a month. I hope it gets easier
Thanks, Ben I love your videos! Being a heavy >190 cm guy, I struggle with the high cadence. I reach 180 only in steep downhills, and even when sprinting it is only 170. For me, it is a question of relaxation time in the legs. I don't have enough relaxation at a higher cadence, so the legs get stiff. Is there an exercise to help to relax the legs in the best functional positions?
I am 188cm (6”2) and cadence is always 150-155 with 1,1m stride. Running next to mirrors/window shops I can see my landing is pretty much straight shin under my body, and with my long legs I dont know how I could increase cadence…
I have flat feet + overpronation. How can I achieve the cadance mentioned in this video and improve my running without hurting my feet especially the arc area to keep on running? Any advice from anyone will be greatly appreciate. I am currently using Hoka Arahi 5 to run as is the only best shoes that provides comfort and didn't hurt my feet so bad. Tried most of the shoes branded such as nike, gel kayano etc but it hurts. Only hoka hands down win for the moment for me.
I'm currently at 156-158 thats my average and it only changes if I have to run. I've been using the metronome and set it to 165. Maybe that's too high for me right now... because I'll be completely burnt out by .70 mile... and then I have to walk... maybe I should focus on 160-162... even if I run slower... it's almost like my feet are like bricks. I have no "quick feet" but again... maybe I'm trying to do too much too soon. I'm cutting back from my half marathon distances to really give time and dedication to my 5k distance. Work on speed, zone 2 training, cadence. All the stuff I've never focused on before... I feel like a freaking noob.... but I hope it will all pay out In the end. I've ran 8 half marathons... but I cannot run a 180 cadence. Ugh
I went back to look at my running history. I am basically a consistent 150 cadence dude. Just ran to a 180 p/b cadence song and it was a challenge but very interesting to see how much faster my feet can move. LOL
I have a problem with increasing my cadence. I've managed to bring it up to 170ish. But having a higher cadence automatically makes me run faster. Which in turn makes me require a higher effort on my body, which in turn makes me have a higher bpm and need more oxygen. Suffice it to say, I'm fighting against shortness of breath from being out of shape, overweight, etc. I can only run about 400m at the same pace of about 9:30/mile. I can't keep it up beyond that. I need to stop and rest before I try again. Is that distance/time normal for someone literally starting out a month ago? Am I way out of it?
Does anybody have a link to the follow-up video that Ben mentioned he was making? I've tried searching for it but nothing seems to be coming up for me.
I tried this a few years ago, and I felt like I was just tap dancing and not going anywhere. I run at 160 now but don’t heel strike as I wear barefoot style shoes and can feel my midfoot hit.
Cadence can be influenced by many things. Your height, your speed, surface incline, type of surface etc. If you are running slow, it is often not possibly to run efficiently and naturally with a high cadence.
Can you maybe explain over Cadence? Sure not many people have this but I got. My slow runs 5.40m/k is at 180 cadence. If I go to Like 4.20m/km my cadence is close to 193. Slow run stride length was 0.97m and faster one was 1.17m. AVE hart rate for slow was 130 and fast 168. My MAF HR is 154
I think everybody is different but increasing cadence did improve my running greatly. I was never able to achieve 180 though, 170 is my sweet spot but I'm not particularly fast.
I started running again 4 months ago, after neglecting my legs for a decade, beyond muscle memory. My cadence is at 200-210 spm, I think part of it is because I run barefoot but 200 is allso very quick for barefooters. I was a bit overweight when I started, and I think my legs chose this cadence for not having to move that fuel tank up and down so much, Now I want to try running at a lower cadence, or at least play with it. Running at a lower cadencefeelsvery tiring and inefficient. I think every change you want to apply feels tiring in the beginning because your muscles are tuned to the form they are trained in. Anyone any idea if running at 210 is inefficient, when on a running weight because of losing energy moving your feet, When increasing cadence I think there is no risc of injury, But when decreasing cadence there is a square factor for the amount of energy your legs have to deal with each landing (Newton) Are there any exercises which can strengthen the right muscles and tendons for taking bigger but less steps?
Hi Ben, very interesting video. I'm 6ft runner with 35min 10k pb and my cadence is 152 on easy runs and goes up to 158 or 160 on faster workouts or races. I don't think I necessarily heel strike either. What would be an ideal cadence to try to reach.
What happens if i spent 30 minutes in zone 3(5) with bpm above 170 up to 190.. at 37 years old... 5k running. 40 minutes total time. Im a beginner and i felt a pression hurt in the chest that night. 2 days later, i still feel it. Especially when i laugh or exhale all air. Any ideas?
Is higher cadence with lower heart-rate good for lsd/long distance running🤔🤔 less heart-rate on long distance for run sounds very important to finish Ultra/Marathon races on certain hours to finish
Useful tip if you don't want to feel completely stressed-out by the metronome beeps every 333 milliseconds: set the bpm to a sub-multiple of 180. For instance 90 bpm will correspond to every second step. Or for myself I set it as low as 30 bpm, then falling in rhythm with one step i' six, which corresponds to my breathing pattern. Much more relaxing than a frantic clic clic clic clic clic.
True but even my older garmin lets me set the metronome to a fraction of actual cadence.
I took me a full year to change from 150 - 160 heal striker to 175 - 185 front/midfoot striker, probably my age (54) is part of it, but changing cadence and where you land requires training your feet and legs in a new way - so take it easy, change slowly if you are not as young as you think you are ;-) But, it is all worth it - now running both faster and longer and feeling much better.
Heel*
Congrats to you og
I'm 60 and have the same problem. Running no longer comes naturally after a very long break.
I am having the same problem and trying to adjust after wrecking my knees last summer. After 8 months of not running, starting again with trying to change cadence and posture is challenging!
Did you initially find the heart rate was higher for a particular run you were used to?
Strengthening the hip flexors and hamstrings is essential for higher cadence. The hip flexors are the accelerators after toe-off and the hamstrings are the primary brakes to bring the feet to a stop relative to the ground before foot-strike. I've found a little strengthening of these two muscle groups goes a long way toward running with higher cadence without straining things.
Any exercise for that?
I lived more than half my life, running at a very low cadence. 145/min. I even won medals at school back then and could easily outrun 9 out of 10 people my age now. I wish i knew this earlier. Recently I tried running at a higher cadence. Managed to hit 160. Not great but about 10% more than my natural cadence. Speed didn't improve much but my legs felt less tired and less strain. I was overstriding previously. No wonder my legs were kinda fatigued previously even after a short run.
RUclips and smart watches are fantastic 😂
Glad to learn something new.
I’m in my early 50’s and only started running a few years ago. My cadence is 150ish and I never thought it should be higher, as I thought longer strides would mean lower cadence. Fascinating stuff this for a complete amateur enthusiast. I look forward to trying it out and seeing if this can be the secret to faster times.
I used to listen to 180BPM playlist and after about 10 runs, I've got the rhythm and could run on that cadence without any music or whatsoever. Jumped from 170 to 180 in a few weeks and running on that cadence almost 3 years since then.
Something that really worked for me was concentrating on moving my arms a little faster and the rest of the vody follows :)
Yeah bro.. That works for me too
For me it was strides. I think they activated dormant fast twitch muscle fibres.
I must say increasing my cadence back in 2019 was one of my best decisions running wise. I used to run around 170-175 for most runs until a knee injury late 2018. I eventually decided to remodel my form to have greater emphasis on higher cadence of 180+ which at first didn't feel natural at all but finally stopped giving my knee grief. Now all my easy runs are typically in the mid-180s with the really quick efforts often touching the 200 mark
hey ian.....would you tell me how do i increase my cadence???
I used to be a 155-160 cadence type of guy, realized my form was terrible and my leg muscles were super weak which is why my body was defaulting to such a low cadence. Even just switching to a cadence of 168-172 has made a world of difference, especially with some ankle stability issues I used to have but it obliterated my quads at first! Now working on getting it to about 175 which seems to be the sweet spot for me.
I was the same, but for me it was heel landing I really struggled to shake off.
Thank you for this very informative video! I did not focus on cadence since I started running. For most of my runs I was averaging 135-138. But lately for the past two months, I tried to improve my cadence in every run that I do. And been averaging more than 170. Listening to such playlists in Spotify is a good tip!
I started tracking my cadence around a year ago after I got hooked on your channel. I was surprised I was only around 158 avg. Focusing on this has made me faster, especially at a lower HR. I still have to really focus to hit 180, but am hitting around 170 consistently now. Honestly, cycling has helped me the most with this as I naturally spin at that rate.
Try to spin betwee 90 and 100....just start doing it....don't get stuck in the cadence you are comfortable with....no need to go more than 100...change gears when you can go 100 !!!
👍👍
My Garmin's metronome (vibration) feature was a game changer for me. My cadence improved immediately (from about 155 to 170bpm). I've only been running for 1 month. So I'm glad I corrected this early on.
So me running with a cadence of 134 brought me here. I just started running and I’m learning as I go. Also registered for my first half marathon. So I will be learning a lot over the next couple weeks.
I’m a new runner too and mine is 112-120 🙈😣
@@islandjohn9486 in a few weeks you will be overjoyed by the increase. I wrote this comment one month ago and guess what? My cadence is now 156. I've even hit 162.
You got this ❣️
I've slowly been working on improving my cadence on my slower runs. My cadence basically matches my speed. On my easy runs I'm sitting in the high 150s, low 160s, but then as my speed comes up, so does my cadence. My HM pace is mid 160s while my intervals can get into the low to mid 170s depending on how hard I'm pushing it. I have done a couple easy runs so far with higher cadence, slowly upping the amount of the run that I go at higher cadence as I am able. I definitely feel my calves getting sore more quickly at the higher cadence. I know it will take a while, but I'm looking forward to the day when my Garmin shows all blue.
Awesome ! Been waiting for news from Valencia ! Have a powerful day tomorrow !
I knew for some time that my cadence had dropped off somewhat over that last 18 months, so after watching this last night, today was the day to do something about it. Easy runs had generally dropped to high 150s cadence. This morning I aimed to get my 50 min easy run up to around 170 spm. First thing I did was grabbed the lightest pair of shoes I could find to aid that faster turnover. It felt odd at first, and my stride length felt unnaturally short. I warmed into it after a couple of kms, and by the end, had completed the run, every km at 169 or 170 spm, pace around 5s/km faster than my usual easy run, and HR 5-10 bpm lower than usual.
Absolute legend mate. Found you channel last November after reading half marathon 🙌🏽🙌🏽 watched everything since
Thank you from your advice on cadence I've managed to get into the 170- 180s and running a bit faster.
Having watched this video I paid attention to my cadence at my next park run and set a PB so thank you.❤
I wear an apple watch when I run. Today, I ran 2 miles at an average of 133 spm, according to said watch. Didn't even know what cadence was, but I'm glad I got curious! I always wondered what my wife meant by "you're hitting the ground so hard!"
137spm at ~2km here! Second time running and my shins hurt like crazy. Will pay attention to this in my next run!
One thing that I have found when trying to work on my cadence is that my speed naturally picks up which then makes my "easy" runs turn into a harder workout then I'd like. Any tips on working on your turnover while still maintaining the same pace and level of effort? Also I think there are a bunch drills that you can do to also fire up the muscles to trigger a faster cadence -- like quick steps and walking through rope ladders as quickly as possible. As usual, enjoy your videos Ben -- you and Sarah continue to be an inspiration to me.
Same here. When I increase my cadence, I turned my easy pace into 10k-5k effort
Same, when I try to to keep it at 170+ it feels like I'm racing
Same, when I try to to keep it at 170+ it feels like I'm racing
Try some practice runs on a treadmill. Run at your "easy" pace and increase your cadence/turnover-rate. This way you will be forced to keep your pace the same (by just not changing the mph on the treadmill) while increasing cadence. This worked for me.
Yeah, same question... It seems that increasing cadence will increase my HR and then I can't run as far/long. Should I alternate HR training with Cadence exercises?
Ben any advice on upping the cadence from 165 to around 180 but keeping the HR at a similar steady rate? I'm finding my HR increases with the higher turnover but at similar speed - it's annoying when I'm trying to focus on zone 2 runs over the winter. thanks
Awesome video Ben! Currently at 160 -165 and really aiming to get consistently at 170 over the next month or so 🥳
Good advice, Ben, thanks. The body mass index plays the role, the knee-angle of the front leg as well as awareness of elbows driving forward.
I’m a new runner and haven’t been paying attention to cadence as much as HR…I’m around 150 at the moment so have some work to do. Thanks for sharing!
i personally find that having a high cadence GREATLY reduces the impact force through my legs and allows me to run more. i like to do my easy and recovery runs around 185-190 cadence these days. however, i find that to be somewhat energy inefficient, if very impact force efficient. so on race day i tend towards a cadence around 175-180, giving me a lower heart rate for the same pace. something to consider :D
by the way, my cadence was in the low 150s when i started running and i used a metronome on spotify set at 90bpm and timed my right foot only. i think that beat is permanently scarred into my brain.. XD
I appreciate this video so much Ben, as someone whose average is around 155-160 I've been trying to up my cadence for a while, I found this video very helpful.
Thanks for the video and all the information. Really helpful.
Never thought i would need to re program my running firmware to run more efficiently
great video 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I love the type of content Ben ! thank you so much for your time for us !!! Hope to know you and Sarah soon in London
What improves any Sunday? - A new Ben Parkes video! Great video Ben and thanks for motivating me for all these years to get running. Without you I wouldn't have started and I love it. Your hats are an essential part of my running gear. Keep it up!
I listen to DJ Kadenz mixes on soundcloud, drum and bass mixes at 180bpm, and the same mixes at 174bpm and 168bpm (good for those working up their cadence). Got a sub 90 half marathon thanks to one of the mixes!
It's funny to compare your stride to the guy's at 2:41. Like a perfect side-by-side of good vs. bad stride
I like the comprehensive all around videos on specific topics - thanks for that one!
Very well rounded!!
thank you so much !! this helps a lot especially with the way you explained it! keep up the great work !
Thank you for this!!
When I started slowly running I had really bad cadance because I was still figuring out how to properly run with at least OK form. After 1 month I started boosting up my cadence. I run around 170 and it's OK with me. I will try to reach to 180 but I need to do it naturally and not enforce it so it's a process. I didn't use metronome but just tried to get 3 steps during 1 second. That's worked for me.
It has to do with height. Most tall runners will have a naturally lower cadence. I don't know too many elites runners 6ft and above so Daniels's 180 is a bit skewed. Shorter people generally have faster cadences.
Hi Ben, correct cadence is always a good source of debate. You have runners like Jim Walmsley with amazing times ranging from Western States 100 miles record, 100km 6hr 9min and 64 min for a half marathon, who has been reported as having a cadence of 160 to 164, to those in the original research on cadence done at an Olympics that showed that to run really fast you need a long stride and on average a cadence of 180. The bit I struggle with is if everything else is equal why would a 6ft runner with long legs have the same cadence as someone with very short legs when running at the same speed? Thanks for the great videos, Steve
Same thoughts on this. I am 6ft and have a low cadence, but do land mid foot. I just did Chester marathon in 3.13 with a cadence of 161 avg. Everyone is different I guess.
I am 6’3 . Anything over 180 feels crazy. I feel most natural running quickly around 172. Marathon pace probably is better around 165.
Funny enough 155-160 is the perfect range for me. I am finding that increasing it past 160 tires me out after 6km and reducing it below 155 will slow me down. I have tried increasing it to 180 bpm but after 170 it's a full on sprint for me. If you have long legs 180 is hard to sustain. 170 is better but make sure you are landing forefoot or midfoot and under your hips. What I have found useful is being able to vary my cadences while running so that my pace is not affected when I get tired.
My natural was 145. All my life i ran with a slow cadence but with huge strides. I was a long and triple jumper when i was young..so i naturally gravitate towards large strides.
I think 160 is ideal for me too. It takes a lot of effort and concentration for me to even maintain 160.
I recommend Fredrik Zillen’s videos about how to increase your cadence using analogy of pirouettes. Shows how increasing cadence is about running form as well as just trying to move your legs faster
Wow, just watched this and realised I have paid no attention to what my average cadence is. Just had and it’s really low, averages at about 145-150! I’ll definitely be looking at increasing over the next few months! Anything to avoid even more injuries 😖
Thanks for explaining what cadence is to begin with.
A well timed video! I'm working on my low cadence (160/165) and slight overstride at the moment, I noticeably run more efficiently at 170+, not an easy change after getting a little lazy with my form over covid and endless home office.
I used your advanced marathon plan for Frankfurt at the weekend and it was great to get me back in shape! Could have BQ'd if my Plantar Fasciitis didn't flare up, great plan!
Hitting 160 is my target. My natural cadence was 145. I was crazy overstriding all my life!
I was actually thinking about this on a run earlier this week, therefore great timing for this video for me! Will try the metronome function on my Garmin, supported by, at first, 170 bpm music (if possible?). My last easy run was 164 average cadence for reference. Thanks!
Brilliant video, perfect timing as I was just thinking that my cadence is the single biggest limiter to my next step progression. What I'm really keen to know is - can you practice increasing cadence on an easy run - is that something that we can do while keeping the easy run easy. No better way to find out than to give it a go. Heading out for a run now to try that and I'll update how it went in a video in the next hour or so...
Here is the video - ruclips.net/video/5Fz6hNedY0w/видео.html As always, Ben is right, great advice. I've also got to say, I think Ben has done a great job putting some context around his advice, which, when reading some of the comments on this video, I think some people have missed.
Running homework, loving this thanks Ben.
this video really made me run faster, taking quicker steps and using less heel made it feel a lot easier. gotta get used to it though, got a hell of a blister on my forefoot... i've recently upgraded from a pair of really worn air maxes which i think impacted the way i ran and i used to run in old worn wool clothes to now using a pair of asics tri 14 and real "running clothes" which also helps. thank you, super helpful to my journey!
I just went through some of my Garmin data just for fun, my cadences at some runs were... (193cm tall btw)
Easy 10km - avg. 149spm
Fast 5km - avg. 159spm
1500m race - avg 164spm
800m race - avg 182spm
400m race - around 200spm
200m race - around 235spm
Im 195, I average 158-162 for easy runs (4:3-5:15 / km pace)
Thanks! your videos are very useful. We appreciate the knowledge and tips, tricks you provide ;)
Prople say that they are inspired and want to be like kipchoge....i say iam inspired by ben parkes and want to be like him an excellent runner....mate big fan of yours..always getting it done💪🏻💪🏻
I find if I focus on introducing a very slight lean forward to my posture it naturally increases my cadence.
My cadence is 153. I’ve tried to increase it but not really got anywhere. Was told by coach that our bodies are quite good at self optimising and that my form is pretty good. My stride length is 1.3-1.7 depending on type of run/ effort level. I don’t get injured so I think I’ve decided to stick.
thank you man this helps a lot! very practical tips. I'll give it another go
Thank you for the tip Ben I'm currently in training for run up to Christmas and your tips really helps 👍 😀
Now I'm going off my watch but I have gotten mine up to 180 on a fairly easy run for me. I'm taller 6 ' 2" and I might be weird but I don't like to focus on anything but the feel of my foot and run and rhythm of my run if I'm looking around it knocks me out of my flow. What also helps is thinking of more like a bike pedal motion where the pull back phase with your glutes and hips is your power phase and you use your quads to pull your foot back up and I try to stay light on my feet and drive back w my foot vs popping it up and bouncing.
This is very doable - i managed to increase from min 150s into 170s and I’d did make me faster. It’s strange at first but taking shorter steps helps
For some reason my cadence is very high, last run 22 Km at average of 5:16 min/km pace, average was 188 and max 246 a for 3 KM downhill i ha 200 spm averageat 4:30 km/min pace, on a slow flat run 10k at 6:03 / KM i had 172 spm average, i also find that some shoes promote cadence and some not, Mach 5, Peg Turbo 35 or turbo 2 are very efficient , a full marathon at 4 :54 min/km pace in Vaporfly 2 was with 188 spm for example but also the stride length was longer :) this year i will take the Rocket X2 on the smae course ad i will see if is a difference :)
Great content Ben!
Hi
Thank you for this very interesting.
At the end of the video you said you would be putting out a video on stride length but I cannot see a link and a Google search only pulls up a video from five years ago.
Did you ever do the stride length video?
Thank you.
Michael
hi Ben, im dede from Indonesia, im beginner, and i already take my first 5k, and happy to watch your YT channel. MANTABBBB
Man i use to just run lol. There is a whole sciene. Now at 38 i need to run a mile and a half. I better start training but i love all this info. It will def help me hit my goals easier
I can run at various cadences - from 160BPM to 185BPM - BUT my HR follows my cadence. If I want to run at a low HR , it has to be when running at a lower cadence.
A person’s natural cadence at a given pace is intuitive and determined by their physiology (leg length etc). Poor form, such as over-striding, can lower cadence by introducing inefficiencies. The correct approach is to improve form so that cadence isn’t suppressed rather than forcing a change in cadence hoping form will improve.
I notice when I'm only hitting @170 bpm running feels ok and is my default cadence, however if I start hitting 172 bpm it's often because I'm feeling more energised and general in better running shape. With fast downhills particularly trails I can hit up to 185 bpm.
Brilliant review, Ben. I'm 75 and still finding my 178 cadence feels most natural. Troubling to me though is that my heart rate zone is heavily in the zone 5 range. Is this dangerous? Even when I run easy the zone 5 metric is mostly 4 and 5 range. cCuld you do a review on HR Zones and what they mean?
Not Ben, but zone 5 (over 90% of your max heart rate) should be reserved for races and speed workouts. Maybe your max heart rate is higher than you think, explaining why your watch thinks you're in zone 5 when you're really not.
Ben just to say that you've inspired me to sign up for my first marathon this April! i've downloaded your level 2 training plan to help me on my way :-) many thanks to you for all these amazing videos and for your motivational/uplifting attitude. You're teaching running tips and tricks first and foremost but also getting so many people such as myself into running. Great stuff Ben!
Best of luck it’s a beast the old marathon
thanks for all your advice. ill definately work on this. i have one question tho: i love to watch triathlons. the last one in miami (t100) i was once more amazed how fast the ladies run (around 4:00 or even below). but when watching them, it didnt look overly quick. how do they do that? how can they be so fast but it doesnt look so fast? do they have an overly long stride length because of their great leg muscles or what else is the secret sauce? when i try to run myself that fast it feels closer to sprinting.
nice video! Just updated my watch to show the cadence since I didn't look at that at all since starting regular runs last month. One thing that drove me nuts in the beginning, Polar watches count cadence as both feet touch the ground once....thought the watch is broken when it showed a constant ~80 😅
I would be so careful when trying to increase cadence. I tried increasing my cadence over two years ago and developed a calf niggle that will not go away after trying all sorts of treatments and have ultimately given up running because I can't build any mileage.
I had no clue about my cadence before i got my new watch. I run a nearly "perfect" 180 cadence in my races. 😊
Didn't even realise cadence was a thing as I have just started running. I have seen it on my watch but was never sure what it meant. My average cadence is around 164-165 for most of my runs to date. I do find running hard but it feels good afterwards.
Great content! The runner going past by you at @2:39 mins of this video should watch this to improve his cadence :) Cheers.
My cadence was around 173, but the turning point was running barefoot. Cadence naturally became above 180. Now my pace of work is around 186-190.
Same here, although not barefoot but sandals. I also went from 173 to above 180. Another thing that helps me is the cold - I take more smaller steps the colder it is to keep warm - haha
My cadence is 135, and my IT band is killing me. Im hoping to integrate these tips into my runs so as to be an efficient runner. It's difficult, but I've only been running for a month. I hope it gets easier
Thanks, Ben I love your videos! Being a heavy >190 cm guy, I struggle with the high cadence. I reach 180 only in steep downhills, and even when sprinting it is only 170. For me, it is a question of relaxation time in the legs. I don't have enough relaxation at a higher cadence, so the legs get stiff. Is there an exercise to help to relax the legs in the best functional positions?
I am 188cm (6”2) and cadence is always 150-155 with 1,1m stride. Running next to mirrors/window shops I can see my landing is pretty much straight shin under my body, and with my long legs I dont know how I could increase cadence…
1:29 Bro's got an entire clock on his wrist, props !
my experience of running on a treadmill can boost up the cadence. Treadmill running improves cadence easier than on the road.
I have flat feet + overpronation. How can I achieve the cadance mentioned in this video and improve my running without hurting my feet especially the arc area to keep on running? Any advice from anyone will be greatly appreciate. I am currently using Hoka Arahi 5 to run as is the only best shoes that provides comfort and didn't hurt my feet so bad. Tried most of the shoes branded such as nike, gel kayano etc but it hurts. Only hoka hands down win for the moment for me.
I'm currently at 156-158 thats my average and it only changes if I have to run. I've been using the metronome and set it to 165. Maybe that's too high for me right now... because I'll be completely burnt out by .70 mile... and then I have to walk... maybe I should focus on 160-162... even if I run slower... it's almost like my feet are like bricks. I have no "quick feet" but again... maybe I'm trying to do too much too soon. I'm cutting back from my half marathon distances to really give time and dedication to my 5k distance. Work on speed, zone 2 training, cadence. All the stuff I've never focused on before... I feel like a freaking noob.... but I hope it will all pay out In the end. I've ran 8 half marathons... but I cannot run a 180 cadence. Ugh
Good to see some Bushy Park in there!
I went back to look at my running history. I am basically a consistent 150 cadence dude. Just ran to a 180 p/b cadence song and it was a challenge but very interesting to see how much faster my feet can move. LOL
I have a problem with increasing my cadence. I've managed to bring it up to 170ish. But having a higher cadence automatically makes me run faster. Which in turn makes me require a higher effort on my body, which in turn makes me have a higher bpm and need more oxygen. Suffice it to say, I'm fighting against shortness of breath from being out of shape, overweight, etc. I can only run about 400m at the same pace of about 9:30/mile. I can't keep it up beyond that. I need to stop and rest before I try again. Is that distance/time normal for someone literally starting out a month ago? Am I way out of it?
Does anybody have a link to the follow-up video that Ben mentioned he was making? I've tried searching for it but nothing seems to be coming up for me.
Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but the RunCadence app is a pretty good, unobtrusive cadence app for timing your cadence
I tried this a few years ago, and I felt like I was just tap dancing and not going anywhere. I run at 160 now but don’t heel strike as I wear barefoot style shoes and can feel my midfoot hit.
Great, thanks
I’m 6’3 all legs. 155 cadence average for me usually and if I try to go faster my HR jumps to Zone 4/5 and/or I feel like I’m chopping my steps
Cadence can be influenced by many things.
Your height, your speed, surface incline, type of surface etc.
If you are running slow, it is often not possibly to run efficiently and naturally with a high cadence.
Can you maybe explain over Cadence? Sure not many people have this but I got. My slow runs 5.40m/k is at 180 cadence. If I go to Like 4.20m/km my cadence is close to 193. Slow run stride length was 0.97m and faster one was 1.17m. AVE hart rate for slow was 130 and fast 168. My MAF HR is 154
Watched the video now. Perfect for me lol
I think everybody is different but increasing cadence did improve my running greatly. I was never able to achieve 180 though, 170 is my sweet spot but I'm not particularly fast.
I started running again 4 months ago, after neglecting my legs for a decade, beyond muscle memory. My cadence is at 200-210 spm, I think part of it is because I run barefoot but 200 is allso very quick for barefooters. I was a bit overweight when I started, and I think my legs chose this cadence for not having to move that fuel tank up and down so much, Now I want to try running at a lower cadence, or at least play with it. Running at a lower cadencefeelsvery tiring and inefficient. I think every change you want to apply feels tiring in the beginning because your muscles are tuned to the form they are trained in. Anyone any idea if running at 210 is inefficient, when on a running weight because of losing energy moving your feet, When increasing cadence I think there is no risc of injury, But when decreasing cadence there is a square factor for the amount of energy your legs have to deal with each landing (Newton) Are there any exercises which can strengthen the right muscles and tendons for taking bigger but less steps?
I’m at 156 just started running yesterday. Ran 2 miles in 22:22 I know i suck but how long does it take to get better if I run 3 times a week?
Hi Ben, very interesting video. I'm 6ft runner with 35min 10k pb and my cadence is 152 on easy runs and goes up to 158 or 160 on faster workouts or races. I don't think I necessarily heel strike either. What would be an ideal cadence to try to reach.
I'm around 162, also forefoot striker. I'm interested in this
great tips
Did the stride video ever come out? I only see the one from 4 years ago
What happens if i spent 30 minutes in zone 3(5) with bpm above 170 up to 190.. at 37 years old... 5k running. 40 minutes total time.
Im a beginner and i felt a pression hurt in the chest that night. 2 days later, i still feel it.
Especially when i laugh or exhale all air.
Any ideas?
Sir please 2h25 mint acording trening program vidio send me
Does not your optimal cadence also depend on how tall you are?
Is higher cadence with lower heart-rate good for lsd/long distance running🤔🤔 less heart-rate on long distance for run sounds very important to finish Ultra/Marathon races on certain hours to finish