Study
- 22 female runners aged 18-32
- 5k PR between 17 and 22 minutes
- Cadence (steps per minute) less than 176
- Training group did 10 day program practising 180 cadence for 15 minutes per day (other group just ran at usual cadence)
Findings
- Training group were able to run at the same speed with a lower oxygen consumption and heart rate
- Increased cadence from 165 to 179 at 4:54 pace (min/km), reduced heart rate 4.8% and oxygen consumption 14%
- Increased cadence from 170 to 180 at 4:23 pace (min/km), reduce heart rate 5.4% and oxygen consumption 8.7%
- Running economy improved by 11%
Strengths
- Ensured excellent compliance with the training program and monitored cadence throughout
Weaknesses
- Unknown if the higher cadence running improved running economy by improving fitness or efficiency
- Findings are specific to young women who are fast runners but have a low cadence (may not apply to all runners)
Key Takeaways for Clinicians
- 10 days of training at a higher cadence is enough to see improvements in running economy
- 180 may be a more economical cadence than < 176
Key Takeaways for Runners
- Including training blocks working on higher cadence in your program may help improve your running economy and make you a more efficient runner
Step Frequency Training Improves Running Economy in Well-Trained Female Runners.