Start Smart: A Beginner Coach’s Guide to Running Metrics with AiKYNETIX

2025-06-24 10:01

If you're a coach working with high school or beginner runners, it can feel overwhelming deciding which data to track. Good news: you don’t need to measure everything.

Start with two key metrics:

Cadence (steps per minute)
Contact Angle (how far ahead of the body the foot lands)

These two influence everything else — stride length, ground contact time, flight time, and even foot strike pattern.

Pic. 1 A clean look at two of the most powerful run metrics — all from a single uploaded video.

Why Focus on Overstriding First?

Overstriding (landing with the foot too far in front) can waste energy, cause braking forces, and increase injury risk. It's often paired with:

Low cadence
Aggressive heel strikes
Excessive trunk movement

Fixing overstriding can automatically bring other metrics into better ranges.

Pic. 2 AiKYNETIX makes it easy to visually identify overstriding — and measure the change when it improves.

What to Do First (and How to Train It)

1. 🚦 Fix Braking Forces

Focus Metrics:

Cadence
Contact Angle
(Optional: Shank Angle, Pelvis Horizontal Velocity)

How to Train It:

Use a metronome (set to 10% above their normal cadence)
Try a playlist of songs at target cadence
Use AiKYNETIX to verify changes weekly
Don't jump cadence too fast — max 10% at a time

2. 🦵 Improve Spring-Like Function in the Legs

Focus Metrics:

Ground Contact Time
Flight Time
Power (Normalized)
Pelvic vertical movement

How to Train It:

Plyometrics 2x per week (after speed days)
Movements like pogo hops, box jumps, lateral bounds
AiKYNETIX's overhead squat assessment helps check hip control and mobility

Pic. 3 Overhead squat screen reveals mobility limits in seconds with AiKYNETIX.

3. ⚖️ Fine-Tune Balance, Posture, and Asymmetries

Focus Metrics:

Balance Tests
Hip Angles
Stride Symmetry
Trunk ROM

How to Train It:

Core strength 3x/week (planks, dead bugs, sled pushes)
Balance drills (eyes closed single-leg stands, rocker boards)
Flexibility: daily stretching of hips, calves, hamstrings

Pic. 4 Key running metrics captured from one simple video.

How Fast Can You Expect Changes?

Final Advice

Start small. Don’t try to fix everything. Use AiKYNETIX to measure what matters most and show your runners how their movement is improving — with no guesswork.

Pic. 5 Track progress visually and quantitatively with every video.

Want more tips like this?

📬 Subscribe to our newsletter
🔗 Check out our latest breakdowns at aikynetix.com/blog
📥 Got questions? Drop us a line: info@aikynetix.com

Antoine Mattier