Using a Pedometer to Find Stride Length
Determine a route that covers 20–400 m (66–1,312 ft). RRCA certified running coach Kai Ng explains that if you know how far you’ll walk or run, you can find how many steps it takes to cover that distance, and use that information to find stride length. Use a meter stick or distance counter tool to plot out a course that’s anywhere from 20–400 m (66–1,312 ft) long, or use a run tracking app to do the same. Ng recommends finding a running track, which are usually 400 m (1,300 ft) long per lap. Note that the actual distance you use can vary, as long as you’re sure of how long it is. You might plot a route that’s 0.5–1 mile (0.80–1.61 km) long, if you like.
Run or walk the set distance and track your number of steps. Stand at the start of the route, and turn your pedometer on, making sure to reset it to 0. Then, off you go! As you move, the pedometer will automatically keep track of your steps. Go the full distance, then stop immediately when you’re done, not taking any additional steps. Note that your stride length while walking is different from your stride length while running, so stick to just one or the other for the full distance, depending on which you want to find. For instance, it may take you 112 steps to walk 100 metres (330 ft), or 2,000 steps to cover 1 mile (1.6 km). If you don’t have a pedometer, you might use a phone app, or you might manually count your steps, but stay focused and don’t lose track!
Divide your distance by your number of steps to find step length. Check your pedometer to see how many steps you took, then divide the distance you walked or ran by the number of steps. This number is your step length, not your stride length. More on that in a moment. For example, if you jogged a total of 100 metres (330 ft) in 112 steps, your step length is 0.89 metres (2.9 ft). For the most accurate results, perform this test 2-3 more times, then find the average of your results by adding them together and dividing by the number of times you tested.
Multiply your step length by 2 to find your stride length. Here’s that caveat! Scientifically, step length is the distance you travel when stepping from one foot to the other, but stride length is the distance just 1 foot travels between lifting it and putting it back down. In other words, you take 2 steps per 1 stride. That’s why now, multiply your step length by 2 to find your stride length. For example, if your step length is 0.89 metres (2.9 ft), your stride length is 1.78 metres (5.8 ft). If you’re finding stride length to help calculate a pedometer or other fitness device, check the device’s manual to see if they count stride length as just a step, or a full stride. Different devices may measure this differently!
Finding Stride Length by Number of Steps Taken
Pick a starting place and mark it clearly. Draw a line with sidewalk chalk on your driveway, mark your spot with a pen, or use any household object to indicate your place. Jack Daniels Jack Daniels, Olympic Track Coach Stride length is best measured by running at a comfortable pace and counting the number of strides in 100 meters. To do this, find a marked 100-meter stretch of road or track and run it several times, counting your strides each time. The average of these counts will be your stride length.
Take 10 natural steps forward starting with your dominant foot. Count your steps from 1 to 10 as you walk forward, and walk naturally so that each step is about the same. Because this method counts just a few steps, it works best to measure walking stride length. To measure running stride length, increase the steps to 50 or even 100. Just be sure to swap this number into your final calculation.
Mark and measure the distance between your starting and stopping point. After 10 steps, stop and mark your position from the toe of your forward foot. Then measure the distance you walked. Start your measurements where you took your first step, and use a ruler, yardstick, or measuring tape to find the distance to your last step. For the most accurate measurement, measure in inches or centimeters, rather than feet or meters. Round up or down to the nearest whole number. For example, the distance may be 180.3 inches (458 cm), which rounds down to 180 inches (460 cm).
Divide your distance in inches or centimeters by 10 to find step length. Once you have the total number of inches or centimeters you traveled, divide it by 10 (or however many strides you decided to take), and the number you get is your step length! Remember, this is your step length, not your stride length! For instance, if your distance is 180 in (460 cm), you will get 18 in (46 cm) after you divide by 10. Your step length is 18 in (46 cm) or 1.5 ft (0.46 m). Repeat this 2-3 times to find an accurate average. To calculate your average, add up the total of all your stride lengths, and divide them by the total number of times measured.
Multiply your step length by 2 to find your stride length. Remember that scientifically, step length is the distance you travel when moving from one foot to the other, but stride length is the distance just 1 foot travels between lifting it and putting it back down, meaning you take 2 steps per 1 stride. That’s why now, you’ll multiply your step length by 2 to find your stride length. If you’re finding stride length to help calculate a pedometer or other fitness device, check the device’s manual to see if they count stride length as just a step, or a full stride. Different devices may measure this differently!
Estimating Stride Length by Height
Measure your height to the closest centimeter. To measure your height, stand with your back straight against the wall, and make a small mark at the crown of your head with a pencil. Grab a tape measure, and measure the distance from your mark to the floor. Round your measurement to the closest centimeter. If you don't want to make a mark on the wall, stick your pencil at the crown of your head (eraser end), and back away from the wall with your pencil still in place. Then, measure from your pencil to the floor. Grab a friend to help if you are having trouble measuring your height yourself.
Multiply your height by 0.82 to find your approximate stride length. The average ratio of step length to height is about 0.41. A “stride,” scientifically, is 2 steps, so if you multiply your height by 0.41 x 2, or 0.82, you’ll get a fair estimate of your own stride length. Remember that estimating stride length by height is a quick way to find an approximation, but this method is not the most accurate for individual stride lengths. If your height measured to 165 cm (65 in), multiply this by 0.82 for a total of 135.3 cm (53.3 in). Or, multiply your height by just 0.41 to find your approximate step length, as opposed to stride length.
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