Float Running Method Step 3:
Quick Cadence 165-180+
The number one contributor to slow cadence is over-active arm swing. If you perfect compact, elbows back arm movement, your cadence will likely end up where it needs to be. After years of teaching and testing, I believe the easiest way to learn your optimal cadence is by using the FloatRun Harness. Most people instantly hit near their ideal cadence just by wearing it.
Research and analysis of elite & rarely injured runners running at normal human speeds has found that cadence varies significantly with pace. The old recommendation of 180+ can be inefficient & difficult at slower speeds and is only applicable for most at speeds of faster than 7 minute per mile pace. While elite & rarely injured runners generally do not run 180+ at slower speeds, they rarely if ever drop below 165 steps per minute. Research has shown that the average runner can reduce nearly all forces on their joints by 20% by simply increasing their cadence by 7-10% (10-15 steps per minute). Below is what my research found, and what I recommend for cadence based on your pace.
- 165+ steps/minute: 10 min/mile and slower
- 170+: steps/minute: 9 min/mile pace
- 175+: 8 min/mile pace
- 180+: 7 min/mile pace and faster
These numbers will vary by +/-3 or so with height. (i.e. a tall person may need to be around 162 instead of 165 and a short person may need to be at 168).
I recommend using a watch to do a “cadence check” by counting how many times your right leg hits the ground in 20 seconds. Shoot for 28 (which is 162 steps/min) to 30 (180 steps per minute).
You can also download a free metronome app to your phone (I use Pro Metronome) and running to the corresponding beat.
if all else fails, grab the metronome off your piano, set it to the right tempo, take it for a spin and run to the beat 😉
Highly cushioned shoes and those with a traditional 10-12mm of heel elevation (drop) interfere with proprioception and your body’s natural mechanics and make it more difficult to run with optimal cadence.
Conversely, Zero Drop shoes will make it easy and naturally improve cadence, as will lightly cushioned shoes.
FloatRun 