Did you ever think about your step length? If you use a pedometer, then it is important to set the step length correctly.

Step Length is the distance measured from the heel print of one foot to the heel print of the other foot. For walking the average is 2.2 feet for a woman and 2.5 feet for a man.

What's is the ideal step length?

Eliud Kipchoge’s, world record holder in marathon, average cadence is around 185 steps per minute with a stride/step length of 1.90 meters. This means he took a total of 22505 steps during the marathon. A normal runner needs more than the double.

There are differences between step lengths for walking and running. When you run you make a longer step, but you need less steps. So when you go for a run or for a walk with your friend, then you can´t compare the steps, because they may be different. That’s the reason why some pedometers automatically calculate your steps by learning from your activities. That’s the best way to have the exact steps and distance when you track your walk or run.

How to calculate your individual step length:

1. Go to a place where you are sure of the distance (for example 10 feet in the garden)
2. Count your steps as you walk / or run across that distance
3. Divide the total distance (in feet) taken by the number of steps

Strides vs steps

Step is the distance from when you pick up one foot and put it back down to the ground. A stride is the distance of both the right and the left step.

• 5,000 steps are around 1.89 miles
• 10,000 steps are around 3.79 miles
• 15,000 steps are around 5.68 miles
• 20,000 steps are around 7.58 miles
• *always depends on your step length