Running Strides: Optimizing Length, Frequency, and Speed for Performance

Do shorter strides make you faster?

While a blanket "yes" is an oversimplification, increasing stride frequency (often resulting in shorter, quicker strides) is a critical component of improving running speed for many athletes, particularly when combined with efficient force application and reduced ground contact time.

The Nuance of Running Speed

Running speed is a product of two primary biomechanical variables: stride length and stride frequency (or cadence). The equation is straightforward: Speed = Stride Length x Stride Frequency. To increase speed, you must either increase your stride length, your stride frequency, or optimally, both in a balanced and efficient manner. The popular notion of "shorter strides" often refers to an increase in stride frequency, which is indeed a common strategy for enhancing speed and efficiency.

Understanding Stride Mechanics

• Stride Length: This refers to the distance covered from the point one foot lands to the point the same foot lands again. It's the total distance of one complete running cycle.
• Stride Frequency (Cadence): Also known as cadence, this is the number of steps you take per minute (spm). A higher cadence means more steps in a given time.

Many runners, particularly those new to the sport or those with a history of injuries, tend to "overstride." This means their foot lands too far in front of their center of mass, often with a straight knee. This creates a significant braking force with each step, wasting energy and increasing impact stress. In such cases, consciously increasing stride frequency naturally leads to a shorter, more efficient stride, reducing this braking effect.

The Biomechanics of Faster Running

Effective running, particularly at higher speeds, hinges on several key biomechanical principles:

• Ground Contact Time (GCT): This is the amount of time your foot spends on the ground during each stride. To run faster, it's crucial to minimize GCT. Shorter, quicker strides often lead to reduced GCT, allowing for a more rapid turnover and less time spent slowing down.
• Vertical Oscillation: This refers to the amount of vertical (up-and-down) movement in your stride. While some vertical oscillation is natural, excessive bouncing wastes energy that could be used for horizontal propulsion. A higher stride frequency can help reduce excessive vertical oscillation, directing more force horizontally.
• Force Production and Application: Speed is fundamentally about how much force you can apply to the ground and how quickly and efficiently you can do it. A shorter, quicker stride facilitates more rapid force application, allowing the leg to act like a spring, storing and releasing elastic energy effectively.

The Role of Stride Frequency (Cadence)

Increasing stride frequency is often a primary focus for improving running speed and efficiency. Here's why:

• Reduces Overstriding: A higher cadence encourages the foot to land more directly under the body's center of mass, minimizing the "braking" effect of overstriding. This reduces impact forces and improves forward momentum.
• Improves Elasticity: Quicker turnover allows for a more "bouncy" or elastic stride, utilizing the natural recoil properties of muscles and tendons more effectively.
• Enhances Propulsive Force: By landing closer to the center of mass and spending less time on the ground, the runner can more quickly transition from absorption to propulsion, driving effectively off the ground.
• Common Cadence Targets: Elite runners often exhibit cadences well over 180 steps per minute. While this isn't a universal target for everyone, it highlights the importance of high frequency in speed. For many recreational runners, aiming for 170-180 spm is a good starting point for efficiency improvements.

The Role of Stride Length

While frequency is often emphasized, stride length remains equally important. The goal is not simply to take shorter strides, but to take efficient strides.

• Efficient Stride Length: This means covering as much ground as possible with each step without overstriding or introducing braking forces. It's about maximizing the propulsive phase of the stride.
• Powerful Push-Off: An optimal stride length is achieved through a powerful push-off from the glutes, hamstrings, and calves, extending the leg fully behind the body. This is where the majority of forward propulsion is generated.
• Balance is Key: A runner who only focuses on increasing frequency without also working on generating powerful, efficient strides will become less efficient, taking many small, ineffective steps.

Optimizing Your Stride: Finding Your Sweet Spot

There is no single "optimal" stride length or frequency that applies to everyone. Your ideal stride is unique and influenced by:

• Genetics and Physiology: Limb length, muscle fiber type distribution, and natural biomechanics play a role.
• Running Speed and Distance: Your stride will naturally adjust depending on whether you're sprinting, running a marathon, or jogging.
• Terrain: Uphill, downhill, and uneven terrain will all influence stride.
• Fatigue: As you tire, your stride mechanics will change.

The best approach is to focus on efficiency rather than rigidly adhering to a specific number. For many, this will involve a slight increase in cadence, which naturally shortens the stride from an overstriding position to a more balanced and propulsive one.

Practical Application for Runners

To optimize your stride for speed and efficiency, consider these strategies:

• Cadence Drills:
  • Metronome Training: Use a running app or a standalone metronome to set a target cadence (e.g., 170-180 bpm) and try to match your steps to the beat during easy runs.
  • Quick Feet Drills: Short, rapid steps in place or over a short distance to improve neurological coordination and leg turnover.
• Strength and Power Training:
  • Plyometrics: Exercises like box jumps, pogo jumps, and bounds improve elastic power and the ability to absorb and quickly re-apply force.
  • Glute and Hamstring Strength: Strong glutes and hamstrings are crucial for powerful propulsion. Include exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and glute bridges.
  • Calf Strength: Strong calves contribute to ankle stiffness and efficient push-off.
• Running Form Drills:
  • High Knees: Emphasizes hip flexion and quick leg lift.
  • Butt Kicks: Focuses on hamstring curl and heel recovery.
  • A-Skips: Combines knee drive with quick ground contact.
• Video Analysis: Record yourself running to identify tendencies like overstriding or excessive vertical oscillation. This visual feedback can be incredibly insightful.
• Gradual Adaptation: Make changes to your stride gradually. Drastic changes too quickly can lead to discomfort or injury.

Common Misconceptions

• "Long strides are always bad": This is incorrect. An efficiently long stride, achieved through powerful hip extension and push-off, is crucial for speed. The problem is overstriding, where the foot lands too far in front of the body.
• "You must always run at 180 spm": While 180 spm is a common benchmark for efficiency, it's not a rigid rule. Individual biomechanics, height, and running pace will influence the ideal cadence. Focus on what feels efficient and minimizes braking.

Conclusion

The question "Do shorter strides make you faster?" is best answered with nuance. For many runners, particularly those prone to overstriding, increasing stride frequency (which often results in a relatively shorter, more efficient stride) is a highly effective strategy for improving speed, reducing impact, and enhancing overall running economy. However, true speed optimization comes from a dynamic interplay of both stride frequency and an efficiently long stride, driven by powerful propulsion and minimal ground contact time. Focus on improving your overall running efficiency, and your optimal stride will naturally evolve.