Hey athletes, it’s Joe Beckerley from Fuel The Finish. After more than a decade of working with runners and triathletes, I’ve noticed a clear trend. When runners come to me with recurring injuries or nagging pain in the hips, knees, or lower legs, physical therapists often prescribe the same solution. Strengthen opposing and supporting muscles, and improve running cadence.

Why? Strength helps your body withstand the forces of running, while a higher cadence lightens the load on your joints. Think about stomping versus lightly landing, there’s a world of difference in how your knees, ankles, and hips absorb that impact.

Today, I want to dive deeper into how running cadence transformed my own training and how it can improve your performance and keep you injury-free. Plus, I’ll share a few of my favorite drills to help you get started.

My Journey: From the Boxing Ring to the Marathon Course

Before I got into endurance sports, I was training as an amateur boxer, preparing for a local tournament. As part of my warm-up routine, I jumped rope every day — five days a week. In boxing, footwork is everything. You need quick feet and quick hands, and jumping rope trains that perfectly. What I didn’t realize at the time was how much this would carry over to my running.

Jumping rope kept me light on my feet, always staying on the balls of my feet and building fast, reactive muscles. I eventually began incorporating running into my boxing training and fell in love with it. Not long after, I jumped headfirst into running and signed up for the Big Sur Trail Marathon. To my surprise, I placed second, pushing through discomfort and having one of the most primal experiences of my life. After that race, it gave me the same feeling I felt in the boxing ring. So I decided to trade in the gloves, top getting punched in the face and pursue endurance sports.

Today, I feel that running and boxing are two of the most primal sports a human can do. They both require focus, resilience, and quick movement.

And while you don’t need to jump rope five days a week like I did, I’ve found that adding it to your warm-up routine 2–3 times a week can have major benefits for both your running cadence and injury prevention.

Why Cadence Matters for Injury Prevention

Cadence is the number of steps you take per minute (SPM). It plays a huge role in keeping you injury-free. Exercise science studies shows that increasing your cadence by just 5–10% can reduce the impact on your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. This is because a higher cadence shortens your stride, which reduces the time your feet are in contact with the ground (ground contact time) and lowers the impact forces absorbed by your body. In essence, quicker steps with shorter strides minimize the risk of overloading your joints and lower the likelihood of injury.
NIH Article on Cadence and Injury

In short, a quicker cadence means lighter steps, less pounding on your joints, and a lower risk of injuries like shin splints, knee or hip pain, and stress fractures.

My Favorite Drills to Build a Faster Cadence

Now, let’s talk about how you can start improving your cadence today. Here are a few drills that have worked for myself and that I use with runners and triathletes I coach.

1. Jump Rope (2–3x per week)

Remember my boxing days? Jumping rope is a safe plyometric exercise that helps keep you on the balls of your feet, training you to react quickly and maintain fast footwork. It’s a simple yet effective way to build the muscle memory and reactive strength you need to increase your running cadence. Try adding 3–5 minutes of jumping rope to your warm-up a few times a week.

2. 100m Running Strides

Strides are another excellent drill for improving cadence. Start slow and gradually pick up the pace, focusing on driving your knees up and running tall and pretty with a faster cadence. As you near the finish, gradually slow down. Strides help you build a rhythm and improve your form, making higher cadence feel more natural during your longer runs.

3. High-Knees and Butt Kicks

Simple but effective, high-knees and butt kicks are staples for building faster leg turnover and promoting proper running form. They are used as warm-ups in almost every sport that requires running. Focus on keeping your movements quick and light, staying on the balls of your feet as you drive your knees forward or kick your heels back.

4. A-Skips

A-Skips are another drill I like that mimics the benefits of jumping rope. Stay on the balls of your feet, skip with high knees, and drive your arms forward and back. This movement reinforces the muscle coordination needed for efficient running form and helps you dial in a faster cadence.

4. Adding Plyometrics To Your Strength Training Plan

Plyometrics are explosive movements that can help improve both strength and power in your legs, which directly supports injury prevention and enhances running efficiency. Exercises like box jumps, jump squats, and single-leg hops train your muscles to generate force quickly, which translates to faster, more efficient footwork during running. These exercises also improve neuromuscular coordination and help develop the ability to quickly absorb and redirect forces. All key elements in increasing cadence and reducing impact forces on your joints.

How to Gradually Increase Your Cadence

Before you start adjusting your cadence, measure your current steps per minute. You can use a running watch or count your steps for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Once you know your baseline, increase your cadence by 5–10%. Don’t make drastic changes overnight. Gradual progress is key here.

Incorporating these drills and gradually boosting your cadence will help you run faster, with less strain on your joints and stay injury-free for the long haul.

At Fuel The Finish, I’m all about simple, sustainable strategies to help you reach your goals. Try out these drills, pay attention to your cadence, and keep moving toward that finish line — stronger, faster, and healthier.