The number of steps we take in a minute while running can completely change our performance. One hundred eighty steps per minute is usually the most common recommendation (that is, 90 per leg), but the truth is that each person has their own preferred cadence (FZP), to which they naturally adapt. Whatever that number is, a new study suggests that increasing your cadence by 5% could significantly improve your performance.
This is what Boram Lim discovered when completing his master's thesis at Humboldt State University. The student had 14 amateur runners run (in different sessions) at 90%, 95%, 100%, 105%, and 110% of their preferred cadence (let's say, the cadence at which they naturally run, without thinking about it) and found that all of them were able to run farther and for longer before exhaustion when running at 105% of their FZP.
On the other hand, their performance was much worse when running at other cadences, especially at 90% of their usual frequency (see the chart below to compare the different frequencies). Why? Well, the research didn't delve into why this happened, but it suggests it's due to an improvement in the runner's center of gravity, less impact on the ankles and knees, and greater efficiency in muscle contraction. It has also been observed that athletes who run at lower cadences tend to move their upper body more (shoulders, arms, head) and this can generate unnecessary energy expenditure.
It's important to clarify that the study was conducted at tests at the speed of maximum oxygen consumption (vVO2max). This is the minimum speed required for us to reach our VO2max. If you're not understanding this, just know that it's a very high intensity that you could maintain for roughly 5 to 12 minutes, that is, much faster than how we run a 5K, a 10K, or let alone a marathon. It's undeniable that cadence directly influences our performance, but the question that remains is whether modifying our cadence when running at lower intensities (let's say 70-80% of VO2max like when we run a 10K or half marathon) will improve our times.
The best way to find out is by practicing it. In your easy runs, as well as in your quality and long runs, try running at 105% of your FZP and measure variables like heart rate so you can later compare your performance with when you run at exactly your FZP.
How do you know what your FZP is?
Most modern GPS watches automatically measure your cadence for you, but if you're not fully into technology yet, you can count the steps you take with one leg during 1 minute and multiply it by two, that will be your cadence. Let's say you counted 89 steps with your right leg, then you add the 89 you took with your left leg and you get 178. If you want to run at 105%, you multiply 178x105 and divide it by 100, in this case it would be 187 steps per minute that you should try to see if your performance is better.
Who knows, in the long run you might be just a few steps away from improving your times and didn't even realize it...
