Personalized Running Success: AI Plans for Every Fitness [d0aa]

Running faster, farther, and more effortlessly is a small goal for almost every runner. Many runners often ask me: How can I run faster? How can I train to run more easily? Well, you can't avoid the topic of cadence and stride length.

To increase speed, you either increase your cadence or your stride length, or both. Running speed can be calculated with a simple formula: speed = cadence x stride length. For beginners, one of these is usually a weak point, and in many cases, both are weak, lacking high cadence and large stride length.

Many runners have heard of the 'Three Great Debates' in the running world: forefoot vs. heel striking, morning vs. night running, and cadence vs. stride length. Today, I'll help you understand the differences and training methods of cadence running and stride running.

What are the pros and cons of cadence running and stride running?

Cadence refers to the number of steps per minute, while stride length is the length of one step. Generally, running with a relatively high cadence is called 'cadence running,' while running with a relatively large stride length is called 'stride running.'The level of cadence directly affects your stride distance and the degree to which your body is affected by gravity.

1. Cadence Running

Advantages:

The impact on the body when landing is smaller, reducing the impact on joints and muscles and preventing injuries; the vertical amplitude of the body is less, improving running efficiency.

Disadvantages:

High cadence increases arm swing and leg movement, causing heart rate to rise quickly and making the body feel more fatigued. It cannot completely avoid injuries; when the load exceeds the body's capacity, the risk of injury also increases.

2. Stride Running

Advantages: Large stride length easily produces speed, suitable for both sprints and long-distance runs, whereas cadence running is relatively more suitable for long-distance runs; at the same speed, it consumes less energy than cadence running.

Disadvantages:

To manage a large stride length, you need stronger muscles, otherwise, you are prone to injury. Stride running has a bit of a 'jumping' factor. The vertical amplitude of the body is large, and the impact on the body when landing is also large. The risk of injury is high, so stride running is not suitable for beginners.

Why do people advocate for cadence running?

1. Cadence running is safer

Increasing cadence can reduce the tension and force on the knees, decreasing the likelihood of knee injuries. At the same speed, high cadence means smaller stride length. Smaller stride length shortens the airborne time and changes the landing angle, reducing the pressure on the joints compared to large stride length. Additionally, high cadence increases the number of landings, making it easier to adjust and maintain a stable running posture during the run.

2. Running efficiency is higher

With high cadence, the stride distance is easier to shorten, the stepping point is closer to the body's center of gravity, and it allows the upper body to increase the forward tilt angle, enhancing the upper body's influence by free fall, reducing energy consumption, and improving efficiency. Therefore, the higher the cadence, the more positive the effect on your running posture and efficiency.

3. Easier for beginners to practice

When beginners speed up, instead of worrying about the risk of injury from too large a stride length, it is better to focus on increasing cadence. Stride length varies greatly due to individual height, leg length, joint flexibility, and core strength. So, compared to changing stride length to speed up, increasing cadence is less dependent on innate conditions and more straightforward. Of course, increasing cadence should also follow the principle of gradual progression, slowly increasing cadence practice.

How can you train to improve cadence?

1. Understand your own cadence

To train cadence, you first need to know your current state. A simple method is to do a low-intensity run, count how many steps you take in 30 seconds, and then multiply by 2 to get your cadence. Using a pedometer during a steady run can also accurately calculate cadence. You can also rely on a mobile app to directly display cadence, which is more intuitive and convenient.

2. Focus on steps and breathing

To increase cadence, you need to consciously focus on your steps, increasing the frequency of leg exchanges rather than overall speed. Another key point is your breathing; the number of steps per breath varies with intensity, but high cadence often makes your breathing more compact, exercising your cardiopulmonary function more. High-frequency breathing also needs to be trained.

3. Arm swing training is also important

When running, the arms and legs work in coordination. The frequency and amplitude of arm swings are directly related to leg movements. Increasing leg frequency is inseparable from accelerating arm swings. Once you speed up arm swings, cadence will also increase.Some people have weak upper body strength, and their arms droop after running for a while, which clearly slows their cadence and reduces their stride length, causing them to slow down.

4. Increase the forward tilt angle of the upper body

The forward tilt angle of the upper body and cadence actually influence each other. The more the upper body tilts, the more the center of gravity deviates from the support base area, causing the body to be more affected by gravity, forcing you to take the next step quickly to avoid falling.On the other hand, the faster the cadence, the quicker your center of gravity returns to the support base area, allowing you to increase the forward tilt angle and further achieve faster cadence.

5. Run with high-cadence runners

Cadence is relatively difficult to practice; suddenly changing your running style in an open space is challenging for anyone. Fortunately, we can achieve this change with the help of fellow runners. To train cadence, run with high-cadence runners and adopt their landing style. It may be difficult at first, but this is the only way to train cadence.

6. Choose songs with suitable cadence

Another way to train cadence is to find a song or beat with a fast enough rhythm. Some songs are suitable for a cadence of 180, some for 160, and some for 120. Running to the rhythm of the music is also a training method. Note that you must keep up with the corresponding music rhythm to achieve the actual training effect.

Summary

At a certain stage of running, rhythm becomes very important for runners. This includes the rhythm of the heartbeat, breathing, arm swings, leg movements, and overall body comfort. What rhythm suits you cannot be generalized; it depends on individual physical conditions and adaptability.

It is worth noting that training to increase cadence cannot be achieved overnight. It requires you to adapt to the training from the beginning and gradually become familiar with it, achieving a complete improvement through continuous persistence.So, fellow runners, when you start training, there is no need to rush or get discouraged.