Running is probably the most popular way to improve cardiovascular health. All you really need is a pair of shoes and some loose clothing and you can enjoy a run just about anywhere. Earlier we talked about how to Start Running The Easy Way using progression to build up endurance. There are different types of running, some long distance and some short. One of the main difference makers is speed. Once you get the hang of running and you build up some endurance, the next step is to build up speed. I want to share these undisclosed tips to running faster with you. It’s actually pretty simple.
Cadence
If you drive a car then you probably know what the RPM meter is. Cadence, when you’re running is basically the same thing. It’s the rate at which your legs move through a full rotation of the running motion. You can measure your cadence by how many rotations your legs make in one minute.
Cadence is more obvious in sprinters. One of the reasons they are so impressive is because you can barely see their legs moving when they get up to their top speed. A great sprinter can drive off his or her back leg and immediately bring it back into the position to strike the ground again. The name of the game is to basically take more steps per minute than the guy next to you.
How Can You Improve Cadence?
Running sprints is a very cost effective way to improve cadence. All you need is a short strip of straight land that doesn’t have any pot holes in it. When you’re running sprints concentrate on keeping your elbows at a loose 90 degree angle and pump your arms as fast as you can. If your arms are moving in a fast rotation, your legs will have a higher tendency to follow suit.
Sprints can be done in a few different ways. They can be ran on an incline if there are hills available to you. Running up a hill challenges your explosiveness. The benefit of being more explosive is that the quicker you drive your back leg into the ground, the quicker you can return it and get ready for the next thrust.
A slightly less orthodox way of running sprints is on a treadmill. If you have a treadmill that can get up to a pretty high rate of speed you might want to give it a try. Feel it out first and work your way up to the top seed though. If you just jump right on you might find yourself flying in to the wall behind you. The treadmill basically forces you to have a steady cadence because it carries your feet at whatever speed you set it to.
Stride Length
The other factor in running speed is how long your strides are. Long distance runners can improve their mile time or marathon time simply by concentrating on taking longer steps.
Think about this for a second: If me and you are running at the exact same cadence, but my strides are longer; after a few steps i’ll already be ahead of you. That’s the significance of long strides.
How Can You Improve Stride Length?
Taking long strides is more of a habit than anything. You have to consciously think about forcing yourself to take bigger steps when you run. If you are consistent with it, your running form will naturally adapt.
To take longer strides in the first place your hips and hamstrings have to be capable of moving in a farther range of motion. Flexibility is crucial if you want your legs to be able to stretch farther. Work on hip flexibility by doing stretches like the Figure 4 Stretch. An easy way to stretch your hamstrings is by doing the Sit And Reach Stretch.
There are only two main factors to the speed of running. You either have to improve your cadence, stride length, or both. If I didn’t cover anything that you might have questions about, please don’t hesitate to contact me or leave a comment below. I’ll be glad to help you out farther. If you liked the article, take a few seconds to share it on facebook. You also might be interested in 8 Preparation Tips To Run A Successful 5k.
About Adam Pegg
