A faster cadence has been linked with fewer hip and knee injuries, since the increased stride rate makes for less impact force on the knees and better aligned hips.
There’s no correlation between a runner’s sex, age, or weight and their cadence.
It’s true that the average cadence of many top runners is around 180, but the variation of these runners’ cadences is drastic, ranging from 155-203. Which is to say, don’t regard the average as your own personal target; even top runners have varying cadences.
Sometimes, cadence is counted or described on a single foot, meaning a cadence of 180 might also be described as a cadence of 90—the former describes the cadence of both feet, while the latter describes the cadence of a single foot.
In addition, keep your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, and focus on swinging your arms from the shoulder joint, rather than having your forearms propel the motion.
To help encourage shorter strides, imagine you’re running across lava! Take brief, quick steps to avoid burning the soles of your feet—It might seem silly, but it can help trick your brain into making consistently shorter and snappier steps.
