← All Tools / Step Length & Cadence Calculator

Step Length & Cadence Calculator

Estimate your average stride length and steps per minute based on height, speed, and overall pace.

Biomechanics of Cadence and Stride Length

Running velocity is a product of **Stride Length** and **Cadence (spm)**. Over-striding (taking strides that are too long) causes a braking force on each foot strike, leading to higher shin and knee strain. Increasing cadence to roughly 170-180 steps per minute helps bring your footstrike directly under your center of mass.

Frequently Asked Questions

A step is the distance between one foot landing and the other. A stride is a complete cycle (distance between consecutive landings of the same foot).

Utilize a metronome app set to your target cadence (e.g. 175 bpm) while running to sync your step frequency.