Hi [FIRSTNAME],

Why 180 Steps per Minute is Optimal

It recently occurred to me that since I first started my practicum with APTS up until the end of this year that I have probably heard (and myself told runners) of the importance of running with a turnover rate of 180 steps/min about a million times. Then it struck me that although I have bought into it, and have convinced others to buy into it, I have never really understood the mechanisms as to why running at a rate of 180 steps/min is ideal. So I researched the topic and thought that I would share with you my findings.

Before you start questioning what you have been taught from APTS, let me get out of the way that I consistently found that 180 IS THE IDEAL RATE OF TURNOVER but I want everybody to understand why, so you don't have to rely solely on the blind faith in the coaches Let us first explore this idea the way that most running biomechanics are developed, by looking at what the elite runners do. It turns out that from 3km races to marathons, the records are set by runners with a turnover between 180-190 steps/min. That's right, from Paula Radcliffe to Haile Gebrselassie, they all hit that magical 180 steps/min.

For races 1 mile and shorter, racers will have over 200 contacts with the ground per minute. So logically, the faster the turnover, the faster the athlete. But then why don't we all run over 200 steps/min and go super fast? Because this causes the lactic acid in your body to shoot through the roof and for us aerobic athletes we can't have that happen or we won't finish 5km races let alone marathons.

I know what everybody is now thinking, "but Brian, I'm not an elite runner so my turnover should be slower, right?" Simple answer, NO. Comparative research of elite and recreational runners has shown that it is the stride length that makes for the biggest difference between elite and recreational running speed. So keep striving for that 180. Our next bit of information comes from Doctors Fletcher and Romanov (of the POSE technique) who have done some of the most interesting research on the infamous 180.

I won't get into the boring details so I will summarize what they did. First, they conducted a series of tests and discovered that the horizontal compound of running is related to the forward momentum caused by gravity (leaning forward makes you run faster). Secondly, they then determined the optimal level of momentum caused by gravity, that is to say the optimal amount of forward lean.

Finally, they used this information to calculate how often the base of support needs to be replaced under the subject to allow for this optimal forward lean and not have the subject topple forward. Turns out that the rate the base needed to be replaced was 3 times per second and if we multiply this by 60 seconds we get 180 steps/min. So if you have good posture while running, in order to take advantage of gravity and be efficient you should be running at 180 steps.

Lastly, I am going to touch on why running under 180 steps/min produces inefficient running economy. One of 2 things is happening if you are running under 180 steps/min: The first is that you are spending too much time in the air. This means that you are propelling yourself vertically rather than horizontally resulting in wasted energy. This also gives a runner a greater likelihood of overstriding because of the increased time until the next contact. This increases heel striking and we all know that "what goes up must come down" meaning greater impact on landing and an increased risk of injury.

The second reason you may not be reaching 180 is because you are spending too much time on your feet. Your muscles are like springs, ready to recoil when they stretch, and up to 40% of your propulsion during running is coming from this recoil. But if a spring is stretched for an extended period of time, it loses its potential for recoil. The same thing happens in our muscles, but it only takes hundredths of seconds for our muscles to lose their recoil potential. It is the difference of spending three tenths of a second on the ground rather than two tenths.

In a long race when you start to feel sluggish, pay attention to how long your foot is in contact with the ground because I guarantee it is longer than it was at the start. This means that you have less recoil occurring and have to actively contract your muscle more (push harder) to maintain the same speed which is tougher physically and mentally. So there we have it. Reasons why 180 is not just some number that the coaches have made up and how it can actually help you to become a better runner. For all of those 160 steps/min runners out there, just try some intervals running over 200 steps/min and 180 is going to feel downright slow. Remember that your offseason is the perfect time to work on your turnover and no matter what speed you are running at, fast or slow, 180 should be the goal. Happy counting.

To learn more about this or other areas of running join Brian Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the Kinsmen putting the APTS runners through paces.

Brian Loehr Aerobic Power Coach

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