BPM or cadence?!

[mayhem]

How do you determine your Beats Per Minute?

TIA!

[La]

Do you mean of your running gait? Or your music?

If it's your running, then you count the number of steps you take in one minute (or count the number to take in 15 seconds and multiply by 4). I find it easiest to measure just one foot hitting the ground (so you'll have to multiply by 2 to get the total number).

So, if you count 20 steps of your right foot in 15 seconds, then you'd multiply by 4 to get your BPM = 80, then multiply by 2 (because you only measure one footstrike) to get 160.

[mayhem]

Well I found this site www.jogtunes.com and I was thinking of downloading some of the music. Just trying to figure out what BPM I would be....

[Jwolf]

Running cadence should be about 170-180 steps per minute, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend you try to run to music set to that cadence.

I often run with music, but my steps don't coincide with the music.

[La]

Well, there might be a difference between what your running cadence IS and what it should be. Like in cycling, it's recommended to have a higher cadence (90rpm of one leg in cycling). But I don't think there's an absolute number that is best for everyone. Some people might be better at 80/160 whereas others perform better at 90/180. That said, there is likely a minimum threshold under which it's no longer economical. I'll throw out 60/120 as a number, but I really don't know what it is.

Downloading tunes that will help you practice running at a particular cadence would be helpful until you can internalize what that feels like (and then you won't need the music to remind you anymore). It's like that with cycling for me - I don't really need my cadence monitor anymore (especially on rides outside) as I know what 80rpm, 90rpm and 100rpm feels like.

[Jwolf]

That said, there is likely a minimum threshold under which it's no longer economical. I'll throw out 60/120 as a number, but I really don't know what it is.

That's pretty low. From what I've heard, slower runners are often in the 140-160 range if they don't think about cadence. Working up to 170-180 is worth it for runners of all speeds (then what changes with speed is stride length). Lower cadence usually means that you are coming down harder with each step and can increase chance of injuries.

[DeValera]

http://www.mixmeister.com/

QuickChick let us know about the MixMeister utility viewtopic.php?t=12618&highlight=mixmeister - an easy way to "get the math" behind your music.

cheers, DV

[La]

That said, there is likely a minimum threshold under which it's no longer economical. I'll throw out 60/120 as a number, but I really don't know what it is.

That's pretty low. From what I've heard, slower runners are often in the 140-160 range if they don't think about cadence. Working up to 170-180 is worth it for runners of all speeds (then what changes with speed is stride length). Lower cadence usually means that you are coming down harder with each step and can increase chance of injuries.

That's what I meant. I didn't know what actual number is considered "too low".

But if running is anything like cycling, the "best" cadence can vary from one person to the next - I don't think there is one magic number. The big difference between cycling and running, though, is that there is no equivalent to "stride length" in cycling*. Changing your running cadence will also force you to change your stride length. I think every runner has to find the right combination of stride length / cadence that works best for them.

Oh, and for those who don't run with music ( ), there's a pace "clicker" you can buy (I think (Fe)Sweetpea posted a link to it somewhere) that you can clip onto your hat.

*Except maybe crank arm length, but that's not something that you can change from one ride to the next (unless you're Andy ).

[fe.RMT]

That said, there is likely a minimum threshold under which it's no longer economical. I'll throw out 60/120 as a number, but I really don't know what it is.

That's pretty low. From what I've heard, slower runners are often in the 140-160 range if they don't think about cadence. Working up to 170-180 is worth it for runners of all speeds (then what changes with speed is stride length). Lower cadence usually means that you are coming down harder with each step and can increase chance of injuries.

That's what I meant. I didn't know what actual number is considered "too low".

But if running is anything like cycling, the "best" cadence can vary from one person to the next - I don't think there is one magic number. The big difference between cycling and running, though, is that there is no equivalent to "stride length" in cycling*. Changing your running cadence will also force you to change your stride length. I think every runner has to find the right combination of stride length / cadence that works best for them.

Oh, and for those who don't run with music ( ), there's a pace "clicker" you can buy (I think (Fe)Sweetpea posted a link to it somewhere) that you can clip onto your hat.

*Except maybe crank arm length, but that's not something that you can change from one ride to the next (unless you're Andy ).

Finis Tempo Trainer

Doesn't work too well if you run in high traffic areas as it can be hard to hear over the noise of cars. But if you run somewhere where only the occasional car goes by, it works well.

[Stephan]

I have been injury free since I increased my cadence a bit and shortened my stride. I run to a lot of 170-180 BPM music which I find helps a lot.

Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue

Devil in a Midnight Mass - Billy Talent

And Justice for All - Metallica

Great Examples. Those types of song makes running effortless for me, I find my perfect groove with that beat.

[Robbie-T]

I have been injury free since I increased my cadence a bit and shortened my stride. I run to a lot of 170-180 BPM music which I find helps a lot.

makes sense, less braking and heel strikes, you are able to use more of your natural shock absorbers, arches, achilles, knees, hips, ... without jarring them with constant straight legged heel strikes. You'll also see your pace increase without extra effort since you will be running much more efficiently now. Now start moving towards a fore foot plant instead of a heel or mid-foot plant.
Good work Stephan!!

[The Moose]

As with everything else that we try to learn as a group about our bodies, we are all different, however to find our "best" it helps to find the norm, then adjust it up or down according to our own needs.

This is a fairly good article.

www.rungearrun.com/resources/cadence.php

As is this

http://www.evanscoaching.com/documents/ ... 202005.pdf

I read somewhere that Edwin Moses was a constant 180 BPM, and he only lost 6 times between 1976 and 1989 (156 races) and was unbeaten 122 races in a row between 1977 and 1987. Interestingly, this range of cadence is exactly the same as for cyclists.

Much easier to keep track of on the bike...