8,101
edits
Changes
From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
m
comment: batch update
Many newer Garmin watches combined with a special chest strap (HRM-Run) will provide extra metrics that can give insight into your [[Running Form]]. The Garmin watches will provide these metrics in real time, allowing you to see the effect of changes in your form, similar to other [[Running Sensors]]. These metrics include:
* '''Cadence'''. My [[Comparison of Cadence Monitors]] showed that the Garmin HRM-Run provides an accurate measurement of your [[Cadence]]. This is probably the single most important metric in running, and this approach is more accurate than using the accelerometer built into a watch itself.
* '''Vertical Oscillation'''. This is how much the torso moves up and down with each stride. It is generally believed that less [[Vertical Oscillation ]] is a better, but I suspect that this is an oversimplification. Some are part of a runners vertical movement is likely to be elastic in nature (consider a bouncing rubber ball), some of the vertical motion will be while the runner is airborne (ballistic), and some of the vertical motion is the deceleration as the runner lands. So it seems likely to me that excessive vertical oscillation is bad, but it's a tricky to know what excessive is likely to be, or how to correct it.
* '''Ground Contact Time (GCT)'''. [[The Science of Running Economy]] generally shows that longer Ground Contact Time is correlated with poorer [[Running Economy]]. I wish that Garmin would calculate and display Ground Contact Time as a percentage of overall stride time, as I suspect this would be a much more useful metric. However, if you're [[Cadence]] is fairly constant this is less of an issue.
* '''Ground Contact Time Balance'''. This is the relative Ground Contact Time ratio of the left and right feet, which will reveal potential imbalances in the body. Next to cadence, this might be one of the most valuable metrics, as it gives insight into an imbalance that seems unlikely to trigger injuries. (Supported in Version 2 of Running Dynamics.)
* '''Stride Length'''. This is computed from your [[Cadence]] and your running pace, and its value seems dubious at best. It's far better to focus on your cadence. (Supported in Version 2 of Running Dynamics.)
* '''Vertical Ratio'''. This is [[Vertical Oscillation ]] to Stride Length ratio, and it's unclear what the value of this metric would be. (Supported in Version 2 of Running Dynamics.)
=Watches=
Garmin supports Running Dynamics on several watches, but the metrics have been extended in later versions. Version 1 only supports Cadence, Vertical Oscillation, and Ground Contact Time, while Version 2 added Ground Contact Time Balance, Stride Length, and Vertical Ratio.
