Cadence

In running, cadence is the total number of steps taken per minute. It is also referred to as SPM (steps per minute) and stride rate. In cycling, cadence is the total number of pedal revolutions per minute. In swimming strokes that alternate hands, cadence is the number of full strokes that one hand takes per minute. It is also referred to as stroke rate.

In running, it’s generally considered beneficial to maintain a minimum cadence of 160 SPM, and to strive for higher cadences of 180 SPM or greater. Taking more steps provides a smoother, more stabilized run. The smoothness decreases the physical impact on your body, helping you avoid unnecessary injuries. Running with a higher cadence also limits the possibility of overstriding, which is common cause of shin splints and other injuries. Cadence is closely related to vertical oscillation and ground contact time.

In cycling, it’s generally considered beneficial to ride with a higher cadence in the 90 - 110 RPM range. This results in an aerobic workout, as opposed to a muscular one. Spinning your legs quickly at higher cadences requires an easier gear, and spending the majority of your ride in an easier gear is less fatiguing, which means you can go farther, faster. Tracking cadence on a bike requires a physical sensor, but you can also manually count how many times one of your legs completes a revolution in 30 seconds, and double that number.

In freestyle or forward crawl swimming, it’s generally considered beneficial to maintain a cadence of 70 - 93. The goal is to minimize pauses in your stroke by gliding for a longer time than necessary, while not over exerting yourself and maintaining optimum form.

Find it in SportTracks

A dedicated Total Block for cadence is found at the top of your Workout Detail pages. For running, it displays average cadence and max cadence when you click on it:

Cadence is also in the Intervals tab where the average and max cadence for laps or hills are displayed, and it's also in the Analysis tab displayed as a zone breakout:

Cadence can also be listed as a metric on the SportTracks Workouts page by selecting the gear icon and adding it to the page:

You can also make custom cadence charts on your Analysis page: