Welcome back to All Things Running with Sonja & Jen. Today on the blog Sonja reminds us that we need to be mindful of our cadence. She gets into the details below.

Did you know that the optimal running stride cadence for most people is 180 strides per minute? However, it is not absolute.

“Your optimal cadence depends on your muscle fiber type, limb length, tendon density, terrain, and speed. World records have been achieved at cadences ranging between 172 and 212 steps per minute.”*

If your cadence is less than 170 at a moderate pace, it is worth your time to improve it a bit. Rather than struggle to hit 180, try to increase it by 5 to 10 percent at a time. (Every few weeks). Research has shown that this smaller percentage increase provides benefits to your joints without compromising economy. What are the best ways to improve your stride frequency? Form drills, plyometrics, and short sprints!

*(Resource: “Running Re-Wired” - Jay Dicharry)