In the app, on every plan
Cadence follows you
BPM follows SPM
Turn on Cadence in the player, next to Tempo. As you run, the music follows your steps, so the beat speeds up and slows down with you.
Catches up with your steps in 2 to 3 seconds
Running music
Turn on Cadence in the app and the music follows your steps as you run. Want a quicker stride? Lock the BPM a little higher and let the music lead.
Follow your stride, or lead it
Cadence is your steps per minute (SPM), both feet counted. The music can follow yours, or hold a beat for your feet to find.
In Premium Pulse and Studio Suite
A locked BPM leads you
SPM follows BPM
Set the BPM yourself and the beat holds steady, so your feet come to it. Use your cadence, or half of it to land every other step: 170 or 85 BPM for 170 steps a minute.
Hold a pace, or quicken it a step at a time
Quicken your cadence a little
In a 2011 study of 45 recreational runners, a step rate 5 to 10% above their own lowered the load on the knee, and at 10% on the hip as well. Cadence would follow your old stride, so lock the BPM a little higher and let the music lead you there.
| Your cadence now | 5% quicker | 10% quicker |
|---|---|---|
| 150 spmsteps a minute | 158 spmLock at 158 BPM | 165 spmLock at 165 BPM |
| 160 spmsteps a minute | 168 spmLock at 168 BPM | 176 spmLock at 176 BPM |
| 170 spmsteps a minute | 179 spmLock at 179 BPM | 187 spmLock at 187 BPM |
To find your cadence now, count your steps for 30 seconds and double it. Make the change gradually, and if you're managing an injury, talk to a coach or clinician first.
Study: Heiderscheit et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2011.
Let the music keep pace with you
Two ways to run on the beat: let Cadence follow your stride, or lock the BPM and let the music lead.
Cadence in the app, on every plan
Cadence
In the app, turn it on in the player next to Tempo. The music follows your steps within 2 to 3 seconds, on the road or the treadmill.
Any BPM from 60 to 200
Lock a playlist at your target cadence in Premium Pulse and Studio Suite, at the full number or half of it.
Offline saving
Save music to your phone in Premium Pulse and Studio Suite for runs where the signal drops.
Gapless playback
No silence between tracks, so your stride never loses the beat.
Smartwatch
Control playback from your wrist with any smartwatch connected to your phone, Apple Watch and Android watches included.
Running music questions
What BPM is best for running?
Match it to your cadence, your steps per minute. Turn on Cadence in the app and it matches the music to your steps for you. To set it yourself, count your steps for 30 seconds and double it, then use music at that BPM, or at half of it to land every other step on the beat: 170 or 85 BPM for 170 steps a minute.
Is 180 steps a minute the right cadence?
Not for everyone. The number comes from coach Jack Daniels, who counted the steps of elite distance runners at the 1984 Olympics and found nearly all of them at 180 a minute or more. A 2011 study found that running 5 to 10 percent above your own step rate reduced the load on the knee and hip, so many runners aim for a small, gradual increase from where they are instead of a fixed number.
What is Cadence in the Fitness Radio app?
Cadence matches the music to your running. As you run, the music follows your steps, catching up within 2 to 3 seconds when you speed up or slow down. Turn it on in the player, next to Tempo. It works from your running, so it is in the app only, on every plan.
Can I set a playlist to my running cadence?
Yes, in Premium Pulse and Studio Suite. Tap the BPM under Tempo in the player and set the exact BPM for one track or lock it for the whole playlist, anywhere from 60 to 200 BPM. A locked BPM holds the beat steady, so the music leads your stride instead of following it.
More answers on the FAQ page.
Run on the beat.
Start free trial
Full music library included in the trial.