Doing these drills to improve running cadence will help you to run faster. Many of the world’s best runners and triathletes also use it to improve their running form.
What is Cadence?
Cadence is the number of steps taken in an interval of time. In the case of the race, 1 minute is stipulated. It is the frequency of steps.
Instead, we shouldn’t confuse cadence with rhythm, in this case, rhythm means speed. That is, the distance traveled in a given interval of time.
What Are Running Drills?
Running Drills are dynamic activities that help to imbue legitimate development designs into your muscle memory. When instilled, these developments become programmed and help to improve various things including:
- The strength of your muscles, ligaments, and joints (like the lower leg) required for incredible and quick running.
- Correspondence between your cerebrum and legs.
- Coordination.
- Nimbleness.
- Equilibrium.
- Proprioception.
They’re additionally extraordinary when utilized as a feature of a dynamic warm-up before harder exercises and races.
You may also like: 8 Exercises to Improve your Running Cadence and Avoid Injuries
Running Drills to Improve Your Cadence
To Consider
All drills that we incorporate into our training routines, at first involve an extra effort. Although they are simple, they will require more attention at first. You may feel some strain on your calves at first (they may be shorter than necessary and now you are going to stretch them). Therefore, we should not go from 0 to 100. That is, we will dedicate a small percentage of the time of our session to doing any of these exercises to prepare the body and our mind for that extra effort.
Remember that adaptations take a while. My advice: Patience and Practice.
Maintaining a cadence 5 steps above your current cadence will also take extra effort until you internalize the new “tempo” and maintain a fluid running technique.
Training
Jumps on the Site
Without moving, preferably barefoot to work our feet well and give them elasticity.
We will make very small-short jumps while marking each beat of the metronome: the heel kisses the ground, trying to keep the feet reactive to the rhythm set by the metronome. Try to stay relaxed, without locking your knees and without looking for height. The contact time is short and you will feel some overload in the calf.
Reps: 3 – 4 sets of 30 seconds, resting another 30 seconds between sets.
It is a good exercise to pick up your rhythm, work reactivated the feet, give elasticity to the plantar fascia.
Shorts Series on Treadmill
Series of 30 seconds to 1 minute with the cadence marked by the metronome, which does not necessarily imply that we have to increase the running speed.
As in the previous exercise, we will try to perform each step to the rhythm set by the sound of the metronome. Start the first series with a medium speed.
Repetitions: You can start by performing 4 sets of 30 seconds to 90 seconds, resting 1 minute between one and the other.
As you get more comfortable with that cadence, you can increase the working time by 30 seconds.
Progressive Straights
They are technical exercises, so we are not looking for high-intensity work, not even sub-maximal. In this case, on a straight of about 30 or 40 meters, we will make progressions, trying to reduce the contact times of the feet on the ground. Between one and the other, take your time, about 45 seconds -1 minute. It is not a series work, if not activation in the warm-up.
Repetitions: With 5-7 sets before as part of the warm-up it will be good to activate the body at the neuromuscular level. Give your feet a little “spark”.
Down Series (Slopes)
This is one of the exercises have 2 clear objectives; on the one hand, the eccentric work of the quadriceps (essential for mountain runners); on the other, take away the fear of running downhill. Normally we tend to brake, bringing the trunk excessively behind and increasing the braking more.
Try to keep your feet even faster and use your hamstrings.
Agility and Plyometrics Exercises
Precisely by working this cycle of Stretching-Shortening of the muscles-tendons of the feet and calves, and improving the strength and reactivation of the feet.
Box Jump, Stair Agility Drills, Agility Stair Foot Movement Game
With practice, these drills to improve running cadence, your cadence will be slightly higher and you will feel how it becomes easier. Do not forget to observe its evolution in the training summaries of your heart rate monitor.
In the end, running faster and more often leads to a more efficient run; Therefore, try to practice these exercises a couple of days a week. You don’t have to do all of them at once.
