Calculate steps per minute from a step count and time, or convert steps to minutes and minutes to steps using a typical walking pace or your own.
Steps Per Minute Formula
Step-rate planning examples
| Step rate | Steps in 10 minutes | Steps in 30 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 80 steps per minute | 800 | 2,400 |
| 100 steps per minute | 1,000 | 3,000 |
| 120 steps per minute | 1,200 | 3,600 |
| 140 steps per minute | 1,400 | 4,200 |
Use counted steps when available, or estimate the step count from distance and average step length:
- SPM is average steps per minute; N is the counted number of individual steps
- D is total distance traveled, in the same length unit as SL
- SL is average step length: the distance per individual step, not per full two-step stride
- T is elapsed time in minutes for the same measured interval
D / SL estimates individual steps only when SL is average step length. If using the length of a full two-step stride instead, the estimated count is 2D divided by that stride length. Divide counted or estimated steps by elapsed minutes to obtain the average for that interval.
Steps Per Minute Definition
Steps per minute is the average number of individual steps taken per minute over the measured interval. Calculate it from counted steps, or estimate it from distance and average step length. Here a full stride means two steps, so strides per minute equals half the step rate.
Steps Per Minute Example
How to estimate steps per minute from distance?
- First, determine your average step length.
Measure the average distance traveled per individual step, not per full two-step stride.
- Next, determine the total distance travelled.
Measure the total distance travelled in the same length unit as your average step length.
- Next, determine the total number of minutes.
Measure the elapsed time in minutes for that same distance. Include or exclude pauses consistently.
- Finally, calculate the steps per minute.
Estimate steps as distance divided by average step length, then divide by elapsed minutes: SPM = D / (SL × T).
FAQ
A cadence is a measure of the total number of steps per unit time of a person that is running or walking.
Sources
Tudor-Locke C, Rowe DA. Using cadence to study free-living ambulatory behaviour.