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Cadence
Rating
Cadence is the number of steps per minute (both feet combined). Most experienced runners maintain around 170–185 steps/min regardless of height or pace.
In detail
For a long time, "180 steps per minute" was considered the benchmark — a figure derived from observations of elite runners at the 1984 Olympics that was widely promoted as a universal standard. In reality, optimal cadence is individual and depends on height, leg length, and pace: a higher cadence at the same pace usually means a shorter, lower-impact stride.
How to use it
If you get injured often and take long, "bouncy" strides with your foot landing far ahead of your body, try increasing your cadence by 5–10% — this often reduces impact load on the knees and shins without dedicated technique work.