Steps per minute

I would like to see real time steps per minute.

It would be particularly useful for my favorite activity, outdoor stair climbing, but would also be of interest to speed walkers and joggers.

 

19 Comments
Status changed to: Reviewed By Moderator
SantiR
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Nice suggestion, thanks for sharing. This could be useful for a lot of users. We look forward to hearing what other community members think.

jcapille
Jogger

Hi all, GREAT idea, and one that I share!

 

This would specifically help me report my fitness efforts in my company's motion program to earn cash in my HSA!

 

Fitbit, please implement ASAP!

snaga
Jogger

I would like to see "strides/minute" (or steps/minute) in the exercise app, because I want to manage my stride rate for better performance during a run.

Blucket
First Steps

This feature is already suggested as Running Cadence on Ionic (https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Run-Cadence/idi-p/642234). Everyone that wants "steps per minute" should also up-vote cadence. Really could help me out with improving my form!

SandipMane
Jogger

 Please show SPM in the fitbit app for running exercise

LuciaFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @SandipMane! Thank you for sharing your comment. I have merged it here, since there was already an existing feature suggestion regarding this topic. 

 

Have a great daz!

prvndai
Jogger

This is definitely a great idea.

I felt it would be helpful to see how I am doing in real time and also to analyse my pace at the end of a session

I usually run listening to metronome or songs with specific beats per minutes. Moving forward, it would be great if my Fitbit would vibrate up to 100bmp (of course in expense of some battery) so that I could follow the pace while running.

Len761426
First Steps

I recently heard a presentation by a walking expert from the US. She does work in the public Health arena and is currently working on cadence for the IHS. She talked about the start of the 10,000/steps per day being in Japan around the 1964 Olympics. She was clear more steps is better but cadence also matters. She suggested a moderate cadence was 100 steps/minute. She is studying cadence for the IHS and is working on walking cadence and health.

Since the FITBIT has the time and the steps, it would seem that this feature should be easy to add. In the interests of greater public health, FITBIT should add Cadence to the standard metrics on the FITBIT.

JoakimB
Jogger

This is a must have feature for good running form! I'm trying to hit 170 steps/min but it's really hard to know if it's not tracked in real-time. My current solution is a playlist that has 170 bmp songs only 🙂

 

Dadaniel
First Steps

I agree. This is a very nice feature to have, especially for more serious runners.

TedLiu
Jogger

Real time and steps are both recorded already so it would be nice if the development team can work on adding step-per-minute into the running exercise. 

bcer
Jogger

Dear Moderator, please make this suggestion of "steps per minute" a high priority. As others have noted, the Fitbit hardware (I use the Versa) already records the necessary data, so it's just a matter of including cadence/steps per minute among the customizable stats in their Exercise app. I see there's now a compatible app, Cadence Coach, which does what I'm looking for, but I can't run both apps simultaneously. I know cadence is included in competitors' watches (e.g., Garmin, Samsung).

I only became aware of the importance of this real-time stat after I went to a physio because of knee pain. After years of running, I discovered I've been overstriding, so I need to reduce my stride length and increase my steps-per-minute. Cadence has become my most important real-time stat, so I can correct my strides and prevent further pain. Please include this feature in a firmware update soon. Thanks.

PowisJ
Stepping Up

It is largely accepted that a cadence of 170 - 180 steps per minute while running is not only more energy-efficient, but also improves speed, and reduces the risk of injury. Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to spot check my cadence while running, and only after my workout can I see how many steps I took, and the time and do the math to figure out what my steps per minute were. If I have to stop for a red light, or any other thing the entire run is effectively worthless to see how well I adhered to 180 SPM average. 

 

Similar to the per-mile pacing which is currently being tracked via GPS, steps per minute average would be available to the run and walk exercise activities, this feels like a minor enhancement which would likely require very little to accomplish. This would allow for at a glance while exercising reference and allow for making adjustments to stride length and frequency.

Please and Thank you!

 

RunnerBrian
First Steps

I have been using Fitbit for 5 years and agree this would be nice.  I recently got a Garmin for this as I needed this for my training.  I believe that Garmin and Polar watches have this feature.

djmuk
Jogger

+1 for this...

 

Seems like a trivial add to the tracked exercise charts and for realtime display... You have the steps data and the distance data so why not?

Should be a graph in the dashboard like that for pace - showing cadence against distance/time for the exercise. GPS tracked = cadence against distance, no GPS = cadence against time.

As others have pointed out Cadence is an important metric for both exercising at an appropriate level and for improving performance.

 

David

123keef
First Steps

Me too for cadence (esp. Charge 4). I would really like this to help me imporve my running technique.

HaggisBasher
Base Runner

So I saw a physio due to back and knee injury due to running. I've been advised to up my steps per minute to circa 160. Would super useful for Fitbit to add this feature, which seems reasonably straightforward. Is there an ETA, or acknowledgment that it is a useful feature, or reason given for not introducing it? Looks like this is quite an old thread...

Eric_Lo
First Steps

Steps per minute would be helpful in selecting the right music for my run.  In fact a whole new innovation could be curated playlists by genre AND bpm.

Pegisuz
Jogger

Yes agree that steps per minute should be added. A study just came out saying that a higher steps per minute showed reduced dementia. I'm all for that!

"higher step intensity -- a 'mere' 112 steps/min in a 30-minute epoch -- had the greatest impact on reducing dementia incidence "

Borja del Pozo Cruz, PhD in JAMA Neurology

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