- It's easier to get faster. Your cadence should stay the same at all speeds. You increase speed by leaning forward slightly from the ankles, not by taking more steps or working harder. The faster you want to go, the more you lean. When you lean, your stride opens up behind you instead of out in front of you, so you're being pulled by gravity instead of pulling yourself forward with your legs.
I started using the metronome in my ChiRunning clinics a few years later. I saw good runners get even better. Beginning runners began to look like experienced long-distance runners. The metronome is, without question, the best training tool for running I've ever used.
More: The 4 Best Form Drills to Improve Your Running Technique
How to Use the Metronome
1: Determine your current cadence
- Get a metronome. The ChiRunning app has one built in, or you can get a clip-on metronome through our online store. Go out for an easy run with your metronome at the pace you would run your longest distance. Be sure to run on a flat course.
- After about five minutes, turn on the metronome and match the beep of the metronome to your footfalls. Adjust the metronome to beep faster or slower until it matches your stride rate.
- The beats reading on your metronome is your current cadence. It varies slightly from person to person based on height and body structure, but the optimal cadence for most runners is 170 to 180 strides per minute (counting both footfalls). If your cadence is below 170, don't worry. It just means your stride is too long for the speed you're running, but you can increase it with practice.
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About the Author
Danny Dreyer is the creator of ChiRunning? and ChiWalking?, revolutionary forms of moving that blend T'ai Chi with running and walking. ChiRunning and ChiWalking by Danny and Katherine Dreyer are No. 1 sellers with over 350,000 copies sold. Chi Marathon hits shelves March 2012. The ChiRunning app is now available for iPhone (Android version available Fall 2013). As an accomplished ultra marathoner, Danny speaks at prestigious wellness events across the country. He has taught training groups, including the AIDS Marathon and Team in Training and USA/FIT. Danny, along with more than 180 Certified Instructors, holds capacity-filled clinics around the world. Danny's lifestyle is steeped in holistic living, meditation, and personal wellness and is the foundation of what he teaches.
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