Cadence Candor: "Look ma, no gears!"

[Bare Lee]

When we were meeting with Merrell to decide how to teach better form, we decided to distill it down to the most basic elements. Basically we came to the same conclusion BL is coming to: running form is complicated, there's a lot of individual differences, and the easiest way to teach is to give a few general cues and let people discover their own "best form."

The result? The ABC's of Bareform.

A= Athletic posture,
B= Balanced foot landing, referring to foot position relative to the body (foot under knee) and how the foot lands on the ground (pancake flat),
C= Cadence. This one really just reiterates the first part of "B", but provides another objective cue to prevent excessive overstriding. We use 180 as a starting point, then explain the peak metabolic efficiency thing.

We've had A LOT of success using the method. It's easy to understand, easy to implement, and easy to share with others.

I don't know how I missed that. I've been tuning into your blog regularly for 6-9 months now. No use reinventing the wheel, but it's nice to have independent confirmation of one's experiences/intuitions I suppose, especially since I've coached a total of zero runners.

One question, do you only teach C for over-striders? Or do you think it's a good cue for beginners no matter what, even if A & B are looking good? My sense is to start out with AB only, and then see if C is necessary, as I think I remarked above somewhere.

 

[barefootandagile]

Jason,

What exactly is the athletic posture you are referring to? Also when you say (pancake flat) where do you feel pressure on your feet?

 

[BFwillie_g]

The biggest leap in my running form (hence my running enjoyment) involved a very simple upper-body correction, actually an arm-carriage issue that had been causing me misery for a couple decades. One minute with a careful observer got is fixed and I've been pretty much running w/o problems since. The cadence/stride stuff was sort of the icing on the cake for me.

 

[Last Place Jason]

Hey Jason, just out of curiosity, since you mentioned your Merrell clinics, are you still coming to REI in Portland, OR, or did that already happen and I missed it? I don't know where to look for that info so I just have to ask you about it on here I guess, not trying to promote you in anyway or sense.

REI never got the ball rolling, so we decided not to do the series of clinics. I was hoping we'd get sent to Portland at some point this year, but it's not looking good. The closest we'll come in Idaho.

 

[Last Place Jason]

BL- since we talk to large groups, we include all three steps. If I'm working with individuals, I only correct what is needed. If posture is good, I don't mention it. Same deal with foot strike, cadence... whatever. The less you give people to think about the better.

I should mention, there is a point of diminishing returns with stride length and cadence. If either are too short/fast, efficiency goes down.

 

[Last Place Jason]

Jason,

What exactly is the athletic posture you are referring to? Also when you say (pancake flat) where do you feel pressure on your feet?

 

[NickW]

Ah ok, thanks Jason.

 

[Jaybird]

Too bad you're not coming to Portland Jason, would have been interesting to meet you.

BTW, I have become quite happy using a metronome on my runs, and yes, I do set it at 180,
it was by no means natural in the beginning, but its becoming so over time.

Oh, as for the Pose method, if anyone is interested its now a Google book, I bought it that way,
lots cheaper than the paper. Being a noob I certainly don't feel qualified to judge, but I am
intrigued. Anyone know if there's a qualified trainer of the method in the Portland area?

 

[Jaybird]

Jason,

I just notice your avatar status of " super moderator" awesome lol....

So, does the position come with a costume and cape?

 

[barefootandagile]

Jason,

You could have just told me it was "chi running posture". The video cleared that up. Thx

 

[Last Place Jason]

Jason,

You could have just told me it was "chi running posture". The video cleared that up. Thx

I wanted to force you to watch it.

 

[Last Place Jason]

So, does the position come with a costume and cape?

 

[Jaybird]

LOL, so why is SHE barefooted and not you? Let me guess, they're barefoot shoes ?

 

[BFwillie_g]

BTW, I have become quite happy using a metronome on my runs, and yes, I do set it at 180,it was by no means natural in the beginning, but its becoming so over time.

+1 to the metronome - and try increasing it in increments till you hit around the 190-mark

 

[Bare Lee]

BL- since we talk to large groups, we include all three steps. If I'm working with individuals, I only correct what is needed. If posture is good, I don't mention it. Same deal with foot strike, cadence... whatever. The less you give people to think about the better.

I should mention, there is a point of diminishing returns with stride length and cadence. If either are too short/fast, efficiency goes down.

I dunno Jason, it seems somewhat irresponsible to teach the 180 dogma to group of people if some of them already have good form and are not over-striding. You may be asking them to adopt a cadence that isn't natural for them and has no benefit, and may make them less efficient, no?

 

[barefootandagile]

I dunno Jason, it seems somewhat irresponsible to teach the 180 dogma to people who already have good form and are not over-striding. You may be asking them to adopt a cadence that isn't natural for them and has no benefit, and may make them less efficient.

The data and years of experience from runners clearly show that 180 figure is a very smart point of reference
for efficiency of running. Yes, there should be much more explained to a runner as to its relevance and how to go about making proper and quick adjustments. As for who should learn it and use it is clearly something each individual needs to evaluate and decide for themselves.

 

[barefootandagile]

In what if any ways do you guys go about practising the elements of posture and cadence besides running. I do hopping exercises on two feet and one. As well as exaggerated two foot and one foot pulls up to my hips. The later are quite difficult but I think they are very valuable if mastered.

 

[Bare Lee]

The data and years of experience from runners clearly show that 180 figure is a very smart point of reference
for efficiency of running. Yes, there should be much more explained to a runner as to its relevance and how to go about making proper and quick adjustments. As for who should learn it and use it is clearly something each individual needs to evaluate and decide for themselves.

That's simply not true. Check out some of the links above. The issue is controversial, and there's no hard evidence that cadence should be constant, and quite a lot of variety among elite runners. You may find it has helped in your running, and in those you coach, but you should stick to your last line, and ditch the first.

 

[barefootandagile]

That's simply not true. Check out some of the links above. The issue is controversial, and there's no hard evidence that cadence should be constant, and quite a lot of variety among elite runners. You may find it has helped in your running, and in those you coach, but you should stick to your last line, and ditch the first.

We shall agree to disagree. You are not interpreting the data correctly.

 

[Bare Lee]

In what if any ways do you guys go about practising the elements of posture and cadence besides running.

I don't do anything. I've already got good posture, and I don't worry about cadence. I practice running by running, and support my running with strength training, which is what a lot of people recommend, although I do it mostly because I like being strong.