Cadence and breathing
A cadence metronome for your steps. A rhythm for your breath.
Gears coaches running cadence like a metronome that listens: when your measured steps per minute slip below your target, the coach says so and plays a beat to match. On iPhone, add a quiet tick on every step and a recorded breath patterned to each gear.
How does Gears coach my cadence?
Cadence is your steps per minute. Gears measures it as you run, on Apple Watch or iPhone. When your steps slow below your target, the coach says so, and with Cadence set to Coach it plays twelve ticks at your target to land on.
- Cadence below your target
Cadence is too slow. Smaller steps, faster turnover.
- Then the beat
Here's your beat. Land on every tap.
- Back on target
That's the cadence. Feel how much lighter that is.
Walks, recoveries and cool-downs are left alone. They're for recovering, not drills. The cadence lines and the twelve-tick beat play on both Apple Watch and iPhone.
What cadence target does Gears use?
Your own. The target starts at 170 steps a minute and goes anywhere from 150 to 200, because no one cadence suits every runner: height, leg length, pace and experience all move it. Note your usual cadence at an easy pace, nudge the target a little above it, and let it settle over weeks.
Curious where the often-quoted 180 came from? Read what makes a good running cadence.
How do I set the cadence metronome?
Pick one of three modes. Coach speaks only when your steps slow; Tick turns Gears into a metronome.
| Setting | What happens on a run |
|---|---|
| Off | Nothing about your steps on a run. |
| Coach | The coach speaks when your steps slow, then plays twelve ticks at your target. |
| Tick | A quiet tick on every step at your target, under the coach and your music. The coach then says nothing about cadence. |
The tick is on iPhone today. On Apple Watch, choose Coach.
How does the breathing rhythm work?
A recorded breath in and out, laid on your steps, in a pattern that changes with the gear. Your breathing gets something to follow, and you never have to count. Change each gear's pattern in Settings: 2:2, 3:2, 2:3, 3:3 or 2:1 (steps in to steps out).
| Gear | Pattern to start | In the app's words |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 3 in, 3 out | Slow and deep, about 28 breaths a minute at 170 steps a minute. |
| Steady | 3 in, 2 out | Breathing out on alternate feet so no one side takes every impact. |
| Hard | 2 in, 1 out | Hard racing, hills and the finishing push. |
The tick and the breathing sound each have their own switch and volume, on the run screen and in Settings. Both mix under your music without dipping it, drop under the coach when it speaks, and play on iPhone today. For technique, read breathing while running.
Does the coach give breathing and posture tips?
Yes. Alongside measured cadence coaching, the coach reminds you about breathing, posture and running habits. The reminders come on a timer, the way a good coach's would, and are never presented as something the app has seen. Turn breathing cues and posture cues off separately in Settings → Technique.
- Breathing, on a Steady stretch
Breathe with your feet. Three steps in, two steps out.
- Posture
Run tall. Imagine a string pulling the top of your head up.
- Habits
Quiet feet. If you can hear yourself slapping the ground, you're braking.
- Breathing, in a Hard block
Two in, one out. Hard and even.
Set How often it talks to Talkative for more of them, plus a guided warm-up through breathing, shoulders, hands and arms, posture, feet and cadence. See the voice coach.
Do I need Gears Plus for the rhythm sounds?
Yes. The tick and the breathing sound are part of a coached run, so they come with Gears Plus. Your first coached run is free.
What Gears doesn't do
- It doesn't watch your breathing or posture. Your cadence is measured; breathing and posture cues are reminders on a timer.
- It doesn't say there's one right cadence. The target is yours, from 150 to 200.
- It doesn't coach your steps in walks, recoveries or cool-downs.
- It doesn't play the tick or the breathing sound on Apple Watch yet. Those are on iPhone for now.
- It doesn't promise that a higher cadence prevents injury. Read the health disclaimer.
Questions runners ask
Does Gears have a running cadence metronome?
Yes, on iPhone. Set Cadence to Tick for a quiet tick on every step at your target, under the coach and your music. The coach then says nothing about cadence.
What cadence does Gears coach to?
A target you set. It starts at 170 steps a minute and goes from 150 to 200, because no single cadence suits every runner.
Does Gears measure my cadence?
Yes. Your steps are measured as you run, on Apple Watch or iPhone, and the coach speaks when they slow below your target.
Does the breathing sound play on Apple Watch?
No, not yet. The breathing sound and the tick play on iPhone today. The coach's breathing cues and cadence beat play on both.
Can the app tell if my posture is bad?
No. Posture and breathing cues are reminders on a timer, never claimed as detected.
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