Training · Limited evidence
Shorter, quicker steps
Increasing steps per minute by 5 to 10% reduces load on the knee and hip; there is no universal optimal cadence.
Controlled biomechanical study · 1 source · 2 min
What the studies show
- With a 10% increase in steps per minute, energy absorbed by the knee decreased by about one-third.
- Stride length and heel impact ahead of the body decreased alongside it.
How Letz applies it
The running technique tip is "short, quick steps, landing under the hips", without prescribing a fixed number of steps per minute.
Who it applies to
Healthy recreational runners, on a treadmill.
Limits
Acute laboratory effect; did not track injuries over time.
Sources
More in Training
- Resistance Training, Strength, and HypertrophyVarious training prescriptions improve strength and hypertrophy; heavier loads favor strength, and multiple sets favor hypertrophy.
- Weekly Volume: Sets per Muscle GroupMore weekly sets per muscle produce greater hypertrophy, with diminishing returns; for strength, moderate volumes already capture most of the gains.
- Frequency: training each muscle at least twice per weekTraining a muscle group twice a week is superior to once for hypertrophy; for strength, higher frequency helps primarily because it distributes volume more effectively.
- Load and rep rangeLight and heavy loads produce similar hypertrophy when sets are taken close to failure; heavy loads are superior for maximizing strength gains.