When you walk or run for sport or exercise, your pedometer is like the dashboard of a sports car. It can tell you how far you go, how fast and how much fuel you burn up. All pedometers count your steps, but more complex models use the step count and an average step length to make additional distance and calorie calculations.
Note: A stride = left foot--right foot = two steps in a single stride.
Step 1
Walk or run at the pace you usually use for your regular exercise or activity over a distance that you can measure precisely with a tape measure or the odometer in your car. Longer distances will provide greater accuracy.
Step 2
Read your pedometer for the exact number of steps you took over the measured distance. Use a pedometer that you have properly located on your body to detect each hip impact for each step.
Step 3
Measure or calculate the exact number of feet (or meters if you prefer the metric system) in the distance you covered. For example, 1.2 miles X 5,280 feet per mile = 6,336 feet.
Step 4
Divide the distance by the number of steps to calculate the length of each step. In our example, 6,336 feet divided by 1,500 steps = 2.44 feet per step, or 29.28 inches per step.
Step 5
Multiply the step length by two, because a stride is defined as a left step followed by a right step (left heel to left heel distance). For example, 29.28 inches per step X 2 = 58.56 inches per stride.
Tips and Warnings
- Make an actual step count, for example 100 or 1,000 steps, while walking or running to be sure your pedometer is counting accurately. Select your pedometer for your intended use. Some are built specifically for running or walking. Many pedometers use assumed step lengths of 2.2 feet for women and 2.5 feet for men or make estimates based on height. Inputting your exact stride length (or step length, depending on manufacturer's instructions) will improve accuracy.
Things You'll Need
- Car odometer or tape measure
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